J.D. Certificates of Concentration
The College of Law offers our J.D. students the opportunity to develop specialized expertise in a particular area of law.
Students who have met the concentration certificate and GPA requirements by the time of graduation will have the
distinction of their commitment noted on their official transcripts upon graduation.
Students may declare a Certificate of Concentration to be attached to their J.D. program
using the form found HERE. Students should declare their concentrations as early as possible in their Law School career.
J.D. students may elect to earn a Certificate of Concentration in Environmental Law. Students who have met the concentration certificate requirements by the time of graduation will have this distinction noted on their transcripts.
This concentration program is designed to recognize students who commit themselves to this fascinating and challenging area of study. But it is also intended to leave room to take other important core courses. We strongly believe that one must first be a good lawyer before one can become an effective environmental lawyer.
For more information, please contact the Director of the Environmental Program, Marianne Cufone.
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J.D. students may elect to concentrate in the area of Health Law and earn a certificate upon graduation. To receive the Certificate of Concentration in Health Law, a candidate, who has taken the required course of Business Organizations I, must also successfully complete twelve additional hours of course work, as described in the Concentration Certificate Requirements.
For more information, please contact Professor Nicole Tuchinda.
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Loyola Law’s Certificate of Concentration in Immigration and Citizenship Law and Practice develops professional practice skills by emphasizing experiential learning in the core academic courses and by requiring two semesters of immigration clinic. J.D. students who earn the concentration certificate have completed coursework that provides a foundation for practice in the areas of immigration law, asylum and refugee law, and citizenship and naturalization law.
This program furthers the law school’s core mission of working for social justice and enables students who are committed to public interest work to have their commitment and work distinguished on their official transcript upon graduation. The program strives to meet the need for immigration expertise in the local, state, and national communities.
Concentration students who work for an immigrant defense non-profit during the summer are eligible for College of Law summer stipends. Students interested in applying for the grants should contact Career Services by early spring of the year in which the student seeks financial support for summer public interest work. Students are encouraged to apply to immigrant defense nonprofits in their home state or city, but should check with Career Services to make sure that the placement is consistent with College of Law funding requirements.
For more information, please contact:
M. Isabel Medina
Ferris Family Distinguished Professor of Law
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
medina@loyno.edu
504-861-5655
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The Certificate of Concentration in International Legal Studies is designed to help prepare law students for professional careers in the emerging global economy. A J.D. student choosing to complete the requirements for this concentration will acquire an understanding of the conceptual framework of the international legal order, and will have this indicated on their transcript.
For more information, please contact Professor Markus Puder.
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The College of Law offers a Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Concentration Certificate Program to meet the increased demand in the job market for trained lawyers who advise entrepreneurs. J.D. students completing the concentration certificate can also graduate equipped with the skills needed to become entrepreneurs themselves.
The coursework required for the concentration certificate provides training on both business creation and technology issues. This curriculum is designed to provide students with a strong legal foundation in the key doctrines relevant to modern entrepreneurship, along with experiential practical training.
For more information, please contact Professor Trey Drury.
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Admiralty and maritime law refers to the body of rules, concepts, and legal practices governing the business of carrying goods and passengers by water and other marine activities. As an area of study, it offers “a fascinating microcosm of the whole vast system of private law in general,” providing “infinite riches in a little room.”* The College of Law boasts a robust maritime curriculum, with at least two maritime classes offered each fall and spring semester. Beginning in Fall of 2025, students may elect to pursue a Certificate of Concentration in Maritime Law, which seeks to prepare students for careers in this field. The concentration requires that students complete twelve hours of maritime courses, divided evenly between mandatory and elective courses. There are also GPA and enrichment requirements. Completion of the concentration certificate will be noted on the student’s transcript.
For more information, please contact Professor Ben Allums.
*Charles L. Black Jr., What Teaching and Writing on Admiralty Have Meant to Me, 16 J. Mar. L. & Com. 303, 307 (1985), quoted in Joel K. Goldstein, Reconceptualizing Admiralty: A Pedagogical Approach, 29 J. Mar. L. & Com. 625, 627 (1998).
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The Social Justice Certificate of Concentration Program aims to recognize and enhance Loyola’s core mission of advancing social justice and pursuing academic excellence through Jesuit ideals. Through hands-on experience and focused academic study, J.D. students will be better positioned to effectively advocate for social justice in non-profit and government settings, as well as provide a strong signal of a student’s commitment to social justice to fellowship programs and future employers. The experiential component requires that students complete the equivalent of one academic year of supervised legal work addressing the needs of the poor and marginalized. The doctrinal component focuses on the legal and policy frameworks that structure rights and access for the poor and marginalized.
Social Justice Concentration faculty members are committed to assisting students interested in public service. This Program will also contribute to our rich community of public service here at Loyola Law through partnerships with faculty, staff, and students.
For more information, please contact Professor Andrea Armstrong.
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J.D. students may elect to earn a Certificate of Concentration in Tax Law. Students who have met the concentration certificate requirements by the time of graduation will have this distinction noted on their transcripts.
This concentration program is designed for students who commit themselves to the intense study of the law of taxation, are willing to spend hours assisting low-income taxpayers in preparing individual income tax returns, and will be engaged in solving problems that a practicing tax attorney would see in private or governmental practice.
For more information, please contact Professor Keith Naccari.