JD Certificates of Concentration
Find Your Passion.
The College of Law offers JD 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 should declare their concentrations as early as possible in their law school career.
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.
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 12 additional hours of course work, as described in the Health Law Certificate of Concentration Program Audit.
For more information, please contact Professor Eden Ezell.
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. JD 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 nonprofit during the summer are eligible for College of Law summer stipends. Students interested in applying for the grants should contact the Career Development Office 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 the CDO to make sure that the placement is consistent with College of Law funding requirements.
For more information, please contact Professor Isabel Medina.
The Certificate of Concentration in International Legal Studies is designed to help prepare law students for professional careers in the emerging global economy. A JD student choosing to complete the requirements for this concentration will acquire an understanding of the conceptual framework of the international legal order.
For more information, please contact Professor Markus Puder.
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. JD 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.
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. The College of Law boasts a robust maritime curriculum, with at least two maritime classes offered each fall and spring semester. Students may elect to pursue a Certificate of Concentration in Admiralty and Maritime Law, which seeks to prepare students for careers in this field.
The concentration requires that students complete 12 hours of maritime courses, divided evenly between mandatory and elective courses. There are also GPA and enrichment requirements.
For more information, please contact Professor Ben Allums.
The Certificate of Concentration in Social Justice 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, JD 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. This program contributes to Loyola's tradition of public service through partnerships with faculty, staff, and students.
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.
For more information, please contact Professor Andrea Armstrong.
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.