Student Life
Students can anticipate enjoying the camaraderie of Louisianans as well as students from other states and from abroad. As a state law school, of course, the largest number of students—typically 70-75 percent of Law Center student body—will be from Louisiana.
They will have received their undergraduate degrees from over 60 American and foreign universities. The student body is a diverse and exciting group who will not only study together, but will be the lifeblood of the wide array of student academic, government, professional, and social groups that will constitute three years at the Law Center as among the most impressionable and challenging of life’s experiences.
LSU law students are active in campus life, the community, and academic associations. The Law Center sponsors and encourages student participation in national trial and appellate competitions throughout the school year with outstanding success. Student accomplishments are a result of the emphasis placed on training in litigation, practice, and procedure. LSU graduates excel in their performance on bar examinations, whether in Louisiana or in other states.
One of the most important reasons LSU law students have attained such a high level of competence and success is the work ethic fostered by the school’s demand for educational excellence. The process begins with the extremely high standard set by faculty for the quality of legal work in the classroom.
Students meet these high standards, are challenged by the quality and quantity of work demanded, and are introduced at an early stage to the pressures characteristic of the practice of law.
Advocacy Programs
Through its Advocacy Programs, the Law Center provides its students with many opportunities to obtain and develop litigation and dispute resolution skills. Several courses are offered with emphasis upon these skills.
Vinson-Elkins Trial Advocacy Program
The Vinson and Elkins Trial Advocacy Program (Law 5608) is an intensive, three-day training session the week before classes begin in the third year similar to the programs produced by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, and it features some of America’s outstanding trial lawyers and judges. Trial Advocacy (Law 5608) is required for graduation.
In 1989, the Houston law firm of Vinson and Elkins provided a substantial endowment to the LSU Law Center to expand and enhance its advocacy programs. The generous contribution was in recognition of the LSU graduates in the firm who have become outstanding practicing attorneys, and some of the expenses associated with advocacy programs are partially funded by the grant.
Interschool Competitions
The Advocacy Programs also encompass the Law Center’s awardwinning and nationally Top 50 ranked trial advocacy, appellate advocacy, and alternative dispute resolution competitions.
Students who participate in the more than 25 different competitions sponsored each year by the Advocacy Programs go on to compete against other top law schools at competitions across the United States, including the John R. Brown Admiralty, Philip C. Jessup International Law, Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law, the American Association of Justice and Texas Young Lawyers Association National Trial Competitions, and alternative dispute resolution competitions including the American Bar Association Arbitration Competition and the National Energy Negotiation Competition. Law Center teams have won a number of national championships and best advocate and brief awards in recent years. Students are eligible for course credit for participating in these competitions.
Intraschool Competitions
Students at the Law Center have the opportunity to hone their advocacy skills in five different internal advocacy competitions at the Law Center.
The Opening Statement Competition, open to all second-year law students, provides an introductory advocacy competition experience. Students prepare and present opening statements in a criminal trial to panels of attorney advocates.
Students may also compete in the Ira S. Flory Mock Trial Competition. This event is held each semester among second- and third-year law students. Students have the opportunity to present both criminal trials (fall semester) and civil trials (spring semester). The competition is named in honor of Ira S. Flory, a professor at the Law Center for 36 years. He taught many courses during his tenure, including Federal Procedure, Evidence, Bankruptcy, and Negotiable Instruments.
For students interested in appellate advocacy, the Law Center sponsors the Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition, named in honor of the late dean emeritus of the Law Center. Open to all second-year students, competitors in the Tullis Competition write an appellate brief and argue the case before panels of judges. The names of the final winning team of student-attorneys are inscribed on the Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition Plaque outside the David W. Robinson Courtroom in the Law Center. Students can also compete in the Law Dean ‘s Cup Senior Appellate Challenge. Open to second- and third-year students, this competition simulates oral arguments in real cases currently pending before the United States Supreme Court. The ultimate winner of this competition takes home the Dean’s Cup. For those students interested in commercial and transactional practice, the Law Center sponsors a Transactional Competition. Open to all second- and third-year students, this competition asks students to draft and mark up a proposed commercial deal agreement and then meet in teams of two to negotiate the final contours of the deal.
Wex Malone American Inn of Court
The Wex Malone American Inn of Court, affiliated with the LSU Law Center, is one of the 175 chapters of the American Inns of Court, a nationwide organization dedicated to improving professionalism in the bar. The Inns of Court were initiated by former
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger. The Malone Chapter of the Inns of Court is dedicated to the mentoring of new lawyers by experienced attorneys and judges in the greater Baton Rouge area.
Student memberships are created each year at the Law Center, and a limited number of students are invited to participate in the Inn’s meetings. Membership is limited to upperclass law students and continues until graduation from law school. Students are selected by application, with emphasis on success in the Vinson-Elkins Trial Advocacy Program and a demonstrated commitment to advocacy skills and professionalism.
Board of Advocates
The Law Center’s interschool and intraschool competitions are administered in large part by the Board of Advocates. The Board of Advocates is the result of a merger of the Moot Court Board and the Trial Advocacy Board, and is now the Law Center’s sole student honor organization dedicated to the promotion and development of oral and written persuasive advocacy skills. Membership on the Board of Advocates is an academic honor awarded to students who demonstrate excellence in the art of advocacy. Rising third-year law students are selected to membership on the Board of Advocates based on a holistic application that looks at a student’s success in the Law Center’s many different internal and external advocacy opportunities. Board of Advocates members contribute to the promotion of advocacy skill development at the Law Center in numerous ways, including assisting with first-year oral arguments, administering the Law Center’s six intraschool competitions, helping prepare interschool competition members for travel, and assisting with the development and implementation of educational workshops related to advocacy and litigation skills.
Order of the Barristers
Founded in 1965, the Order of the Barristers is a national honor society whose purpose is the encouragement of oral advocacy and brief writing skills through effective law school oral advocacy programs. As a component of its mission, the Order provides national recognition for individuals who have excelled in advocacy and service at their respective schools. The LSU Law charter of the Order will recognize up to nine graduating students for their excellence in advocacy each year.
Student Bar Association
The LSU Law Student Bar Association (SBA) is the liaison between the law students and the law school administration. The association promotes and coordinates student activities within the Law Center and serves as an instructional medium for postgraduate bar association activities. The SBA comprises all students in the Law Center.
The Order of the Coif
Each year, the local chapter elects to membership from the highest 10 percent of the third-year class those students who are deemed qualified. Election to The Order of the Coif is the highest honor a law student may receive. The Louisiana chapter of The Order of the Coif, a member honorary law fraternity, was established in 1942. Its purpose is to stimulate scholarly work of the highest order and foster and promote a high standard of professional conduct.
Academic Honors
The Juris Doctor/Optional Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law is awarded Summa cum laude to any student who ranks in the top two percent of the graduating class; Magna cum laude to any student who ranks in the next ten percent of the graduating class (students whose averages place them below the top two percent but within the top twelve percent); and Cum laude to any student who ranks in the next thirteen percent of the graduating class (students whose average place them below the top twelve percent but within the top 25 percent). Notation of academic honors is posted on the student’s academic transcript and diploma.
Paul M. Hebert Scholar
This recognition will be awarded for distinguished academic achievement in an individual semester to law students whose academic average is in the top 10% of students earning 12 or more semester hours of credit in courses taken at the Law Center. Notation of this honor is posted on the student’s academic transcript.
Dean’s Scholar
This recognition will be awarded for outstanding academic achievement in an individual semester to law students whose academic average is in the top 25% of students earning 12 or more semester hours of credit in courses taken at the Law Center. Notation of this honor is posted on the student’s academic transcript.
LSU Journal of Energy Law and Resources
The LSU Journal of Energy Law and Resources is a student-edited academic journal at the committed to the development of a variety of topics in the purview of energy law. It’s mission is to expand energy law scholarship by publishing not only articles specifically addressing energy and natural resource law issues, but also articles in all related areas of the law such as environmental law, taxation, property, and coastal law. The LSU Journal of Energy Law Resources provides a readily available resource for professionals, scholars, and practitioners to utilize the journal as a vehicle to research, discuss, and address the exciting topics and issues which are a natural consequence of the energy and resources fields that have and continue to challenge the world on a daily basis. The LSU Journal of Energy Law and Resources selects student editors based upon their performance in an annual writing competition and their academic performance.
Louisiana Law Review
The Louisiana Law Review was established to encourage legal scholarship in the student body, act as an incentive to and provide a method of training in individual research, contribute to the development of the law by scholarly criticism and analysis, foster the study of civil and comparative law, and serve the bar of the state by comments on the discussion of current cases and legal problems. It is edited by a board of student editors, with faculty cooperation. The Law Review selects student editors by considering first-year academic performance and participation in an annual writing competition.
Journal of Civil Law Studies
The Journal of Civil Law Studies is an online, peer-reviewed, professional periodical, published by the Center of Civil Law Studies. The Journal focuses on the civil law in Louisiana and in the world and its relationship with other legal systems. Accepted manuscripts are student-edited, and student editors are offered the opportunity to contribute comments and case notes, under the supervision of civil law faculty. Student editors are selected by the Editor-in- Chief and Managing Editors before the beginning of their second or third year.
Career Services
The Law Center’s Career Services office is dedicated to assisting each student with formulating a career plan and developing a job search strategy. Through direct contact with law firms, government agencies, private companies, and the federal and state judiciary, the office provides students with up-to-date information on the current legal job market.
The Career Services staff assists all students in achieving career goals through individual counseling, technical workshops, careerrelated programs and events, and alumni outreach. The Law Center staff appreciates prospective students’ interest in choosing a school that provides a quality education as well as employment opportunities upon graduation. With this in mind, the Career Services staff is dedicated to providing training that will enhance students’ employment prospects. Thus, the Law Center is committed to providing not only an excellent legal education, but also to helping students and graduates pursue their legal careers.
On-Campus/Off-Campus Recruiting
Approximately 180 employers including private law firms, corporations, government agencies and judges visit the LSU Law Center every year to interview students and alumni for associate positions and clerkships. Additionally, the Career Services staff conducts active employer outreach nationally to develop relationships in geographic markets outside of Louisiana. The Law Center participates in several job fairs throughout the year to assist with in-state and out-of-state employment. All students are encouraged to utilize the Career Services Handbook, the Public Interest Handbook, and the Judicial Clerkship Handbook. These manuals provide sample resumes, cover letters, application procedures, timelines, and interview tips. First-year law students are invited to attend any Career Services programs during their first semester, and begin in mid-fall.
Student Services
Communication with Students
Your myLSU email address is used to contact you specifically or your class in general. All students should check their myLSU account daily. Upperclass and first-year notices are also posted on the electronic board.
Notices will also be posted on the Law Center’s website under – “Academic Bulletin Board.”
Assignments, academic notices, and any other general information are posted there as well as Moodle.
Student Bar Association news and any other general information is posted on the free-standing bulletin boards located in the Student Lounge or near the entrance of the Law Center.
Lockers
The lockers on the first floor of the Law Center are administered by the Student Bar Association. Students can request a locker during the first week of class.
Public Safety
| 124 Public Safety Building |
578-3231 |
The University is dedicated to preserving a peaceful and safe environment for the entire University community. Students, faculty, staff and visitors are urged to be aware of the possible existence of criminal activity on campus and to report all crimes or suspicious activity to the University Police.
The University Police Department is staffed 24 hours a day. Police officers assigned to patrol areas throughout the campus will respond promptly to any call and have the capacity to request municipal fire, EMS, or police support, as required. The department has over 70 full-time officers and each has completed a minimum of 400 hours of formal police training and is certified by the Police Officers Standards and Training Council. The department provides a full range of law enforcement services, including criminal investigations, emergency services, and crime prevention services, for a campus population larger than most cities in the state.
Administrative responsibility for safety, security, and police service rests with the Associate Dean for Finance and Administrative Services.
The University Right to Know/Campus Security Act report is available at www.lsu.edu/police (select “Jeanne Clery Act/Crime Information”) or via the LSU Police website at www.lsu.edu/police. The LSU Police web page includes crime statistics, crime alerts, the daily blotter, and security policies and procedures. A copy of the report may be obtained by contacting the Office of Public Safety or the University Police Department.
Reserving a Room, the Student Lounge, or Lobby
Students and student organization wishing to reserve a classroom for a meeting or hold a function at the Law Center, must register their event in the Dean’s Office.
The request must indicate the purpose of the event.
Any student organization wishing to set up a table in the lobby must reserve the space in the Dean’s Office. This request must name the organization and state the purpose of the function.
Student Health Center
| Corner of Infirmary Road and West Chimes St |
578-6271 |
The Student Health Center provides quality health care to LSU and LSU law students. The center is fully accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Facilities include a large outpatient medical clinic, a full-service pharmacy, laboratory, digital imaging and wellness and health pro- motion, and mental health services. All visits and inquiries are confidential.
The student health fee, included in full-time tuition, entitles students to unlimited visits to a primary care physician during the regular semester. Please review the student health website for full details of its services, www.lsu.edu/slas/shc.
Student Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan
All students who pay the Student Health Center fees are eligible to use the services of the center. However, a reasonable level of supplemental health insurance, particularly coverage for hospital care, is strongly recommended for all students. Additional information regarding student insurance and dependent coverage may be found at www.gallagherstudent.com/LSU-BatonRouge.
International Student Insurance Compliance
It is mandatory that all non-immigrant international students have health insurance that is acceptable to the University.
Tickets
LSU Athletic Tickets
The LSU Law Student Bar Association handles group seating football tickets for law students. Basketball, baseball, softball, track, gymnastics, etc., tickets for law students are available at the Athletic Ticket Office. In most athletic events, your LSU ID is required to purchase student tickets. A valid, full-time ID card will admit students to some other athletic events on campus. In all cases, the use of another student’s ID card is a violation of the Honor Code by both the user and the owner. For future information, contact the Athletic Ticket Office, which is open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.
Tiger Cards
Tiger Cards are produced by the Tiger Card Office. The Tiger Card is a multipurpose card used to procure services, activities, and privileges available to students. The card is used to gain access to many events on campus, to check out library materials, for TigerCASH and meal plans and for access to certain facilities on campus. New students are issued their first Tiger Card at no cost. The Tiger Card is the property of the University and must be retained for each subsequent term of enrollment. This card should be carried by the student at all times and must be presented upon request by any University official. The card is nontransferable.
Tiger Cards are made in the LSU Union. Lost or stolen cards must be reported to the Tiger Card Office in the LSU Union when the loss or theft is discovered. Students who do not report lost or stolen cards in a timely manner may be held responsible for any charges incurred on the cards. A charge is assessed to replace a lost, stolen, or defaced ID card, even if the student is re-enrolling after an interruption of study. If a replacement card is issued, the original card is no longer valid and cannot be made valid.
It is a violation of the Honor Code to alter or intentionally deface a Tiger Card, use the card of another or allow others to use your card. For more information, visit the website at www.TigerCard.lsu.edu.
TigerCASH
TigerCASH is a debit card system using the Tiger Card to provide a fast, safe and convenient way to make purchases at multiple locations both on and off-campus. It is safer than cash and more convenient than checks or credit cards. Using your Tiger Card reduces the risk of theft.
If your card is lost or stolen, visit the website www.tigercard.lsu.edu or the Tiger Cash Office to stop access to your account until you replace your card.
To make a deposit, visit www.tigercard.lsu.edu or the Tiger Card Office, or your myLSU account during registration to add TigerCASH.
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