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Tulane University Law School

MAILING ADDRESS
Weinmann Hall
6329 Freret Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
MAIN PHONE
504-865-5939
WEBSITE
http://www.law.tulane.edu
ADMISSIONS EMAIL:
admissions@law.tulane.edu
REGISTRAR'S PHONE/FAX/EMAIL:
504-865-5231/000-000-0000/
registra@tulane.edu
CAREER SERVICE PHONE/FAX/EMAIL:
504-865-5942/000-000-0000/
careers@law.tulane.edu

An Overview


The 12th oldest law school in the United States, Tulane University Law School was established in 1847, 13 years after the University of which it is a vital part. From its founding, Tulane has offered its students the opportunity to study both of the world's great legal systems-the common law system upon which English and U.S. law is based, and the civil law system governing most of the rest of the world.

Located on the main campus of Tulane University in uptown New Orleans, Tulane Law School has been accredited by the American Bar Association since May 1925.

The J.D. student body comprises 750 students from throughout the U.S., with just 15% from the state of Louisiana. At least 45 states are represented in the student body, as are close to 200 undergraduate schools. An additional 40 students are enrolled in Tulane Law School's L.L.M. and S.J.D. programs. Approximately 47% of the student body is female, and about 20% are students of color.

Students say the Law School experience at Tulane is one they would gladly repeat. They say they are happier than their friends at other law schools and that the combination of the exceptional educational opportunities available at Tulane Law School and the chance to live in the culturally rich and aesthetically charming city of New Orleans is the ultimate educational experience.

Among the things that set Tulane Law School apart are the breadth and depth of its curriculum. Its curricular strengths include international and comparative law, maritime law, and environmental law. It offers six certificates of specialization: European Legal Studies, International & Comparative Law, Civil Law, Maritime Law, Environmental Law, and Sports Law. It offers six different live-client clinics: criminal defense, civil litigation, juvenile litigation, environmental law, domestic violence, mediation, and legislative and administrative advocacy. Its business and corporate course offerings are strong, as is its intellectual property law curriculum. Tulane Law School was the first in the country to require pro bono legal work as a condition of graduation.

Degrees Offered
  • LL.M. in Admiralty
  • LL.M. in American Law
  • LL.M. in Energy & Environment
  • General LL.M.
  • LL.M. in International & Comparative Law
  • LL.M. in Law and Development

Admission Information


Requirements Details
Eligibility One-year programs leading to the degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.) are offered to eligible candidates already holding the first law degree (J.D. or LL.B. or equivalent).

The General LL.M. and five specialized LL.M. programs are offered: in Admiralty, in American Law, in Energy and Environmental Law, in Law and Development, and in International and Comparative Law.

Tulane typically receives 300 applications for 50 places in the various LL.M. programs.
Transcripts Complete, official transcripts of work at all colleges, universities, and law schools attended, whether or not a degree was granted. Transcripts must be sent directly from the candidate's educational institution(s); transcripts sent directly from the applicant are not acceptable. An applicant may arrange for these to be sent directly to Tulane, along with an authorized translation.
Letters of Recommendation Two letters of recommendation are required as part of the application to Tulane Law School. Letters of recommendation should be written by someone who knows the candidate well and can speak to the applicant's academic ability or work experience. Letters may be written on the recommender's own letterhead. Alternatively, the applicant may provide a copy of Form B to each recommender for use.
Personal Statement The required personal statement should be used to provide information about the candidate and the interests that he/she considers significant for evaluation of the applicant's file. The candidate must address the reasons for seeking a graduate degree in law and discuss the areas of law that most interest him or her.
Proof of Competency in English The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score report is required for each applicant whose native language is not English or if English was not the language of instruction at the law school where the applicant received his or her first law degree (J.D. or LL.B. or equivalent). Such applicants must meet Tulane Law School's TOEFL requirements (575 on the paper test or 90 on the Internet version). The Internet-based version of the TOEFL includes a writing section. Students taking the paper-based version of the TOEFL must also take the Test of Written English (TWE) and achieve a score of 3.5 or higher. Tulane Law School accepts TOEFL scores for up to three years after the test administration. The student must request ETS to forward the TOEFL scores to Tulane Law School (Institution #6832, Department 3). A score on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) is requested but not required. The school also accepts the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in lieu of the TOEFL examination. Students must receive an IELTS band score of 7 or higher.
Application Fee $60
Law School Admission Test N/A
Curriculum Vitae Students who wish to sample a wide range of courses in the traditional American law school curriculum to supplement their knowledge of the law of another country may do so through the General LL.M. program or the LL.M. in American Law. The General LL.M. program also permits students to enroll in courses from throughout the curriculum to concentrate in such areas as intellectual property law. Students enrolled in the graduate studies programs may elect to take any non-clinical course in the curriculum with the permission of the instructor and the faculty chair of the Graduate Committee.

Other Information


Criteria Details
Nature and Tenure of Courses Offered One academic year
Application Procedure/Time to apply/Application deadline May 1
LL.M. applications for fall semester enrollment can be submitted after September 1 of the previous year and as late as May 1, however candidates are encouraged to complete the application process by the end of March. This is particularly important for international candidates because of the time required to process visas and immigration documents. Candidates wishing optimal consideration for scholarships should try to complete the application process by March 1.
LL.M. Degree Requirements Each of the LLM programs requires two full-time semesters in residence and satisfactory completion of 24 semester hours. Although there is no thesis requirement, degree candidates are required to write at least one paper in connection with a seminar in their field of interest or in fulfillment of a directed research project.

    1. Satisfactory completion of 24 credits, 21 of which must be at the Law School, and 3 of which may be in a Tulane Law School summer law program. "Satisfactory completion" is defined under Academic Standards in the Student Handbook. No transfer credit for work completed at other law schools can be granted toward the LL.M. or S.J.D. degrees at Tulane Law School.
    2. Full-time students must complete between 10 and 12 credits of coursework in each of two consecutive fall and spring semesters, except with special permission. Part-time students must complete between 4 and 7 credits of coursework each semester, completing all degree requirements in four semesters, with the option of attending one Tulane Law School summer session in New Orleans for up to 3 credits of coursework.
    3. Students must satisfy the specific requirements of the degree program in which they are enrolled (e.g., General LL.M., Admiralty, American Law, Energy & Environment, Law and Development, or International & Comparative Law).
    4. Students are required to write papers for at least three but not more than nine credits of coursework, in courses requiring or permitting completion of a paper in lieu of an exam. Directed research credit falls in this category and may be substituted for up to three credits of the writing requirement. Students may not receive credit for directed research beyond the nine-credit writing credit maximum. The course Legal Research & Writing for International Graduate Students may not be counted toward the writing requirement
    5. All master's degree candidates who have received the first law degree from a school outside the 50 United States must enroll in Introduction to American Law (2 credits) and Legal Research & Writing for International Graduate Students (1 or 2 credits), in addition to any specific degree requirements. Because the Introduction to American Law course is offered only in the summer immediately preceding the start of the fall semester; all LL.M. candidates whose first law degrees are from schools outside the 50 United States must arrive at Tulane by late July.
    6. All master's degree candidates who have received the first law degree from a school outside the 50 United States must enroll in Introduction to American Law (2 credits) and Legal Research & Writing for International Graduate Students (1 or 2 credits), in addition to any specific degree requirements. Because the Introduction to American Law course is offered only in the summer immediately preceding the start of the fall semester; all LL.M. candidates whose first law degrees are from schools outside the 50 United States must arrive at Tulane by late July.
    7. Students in the full-time graduate studies programs must be enrolled as full-time students at the Law School for one academic year (i.e., two full-time semesters). A full-time semester is defined as enrollment in 10 or more credits of coursework. Students may not pursue degrees in absentia.
    8. Students must meet all financial obligations to the University.
    9. Each student must, after fulfilling all other degree requirements, be recommended for the degree by the law faculty.
To earn an LL.M. degree in the Specialized Programs, students are required to get:

Course Requirement
LL.M. in Admiralty Candidates for the LL.M. in Admiralty must fulfill the General Degree Requirements and must also complete at least 13 of the 24 credits required for the degree in admiralty courses.
LL.M. in American Law The degree requires successful completion of 24 credit hours of coursework.
LL.M. in Energy & Environment General Degree Requirements for all LL.M. programs, students must complete 16 hours (6 courses) in specified environmental or energy law courses.
General LL.M. The General LL.M. program allows the student to design his or her own course of study. There are no specific course requirements (beyond the three to four hours of courses required for all international students and the writing requirement).
LL.M. in International & Comparative Law All candidates for the LL.M. in International & Comparative Law must fulfil the General Degree Requirements. In conjunction with those requirements, candidates for this specialty degree are required to enrol in a total of 13 semester hours of international and comparative law courses.
LL.M. in Law and Development Candidates for the LL.M. in Law and Development must fulfill the General Degree Requirements. Students who enter the program after completing a J.D. from a law school in the United States must take 15 of the required 24 credits needed to complete the degree at the Law School. Students who do not hold a J.D. from a law school in the United States must complete 19 of the required 24 credits needed to complete the degree at the Law School.

Details of Courses Offered


LL.M. in Admiralty

As a result of the natural focus on maritime issues in New Orleans, Tulane Law School is a significant center for the study of maritime law. In addition to its extensive curriculum of admiralty courses, Tulane was the first law school in the United States to publish a student-edited maritime law review, The Tulane Maritime Law Journal, and it is the home of the Maritime Law Center.

The Maritime Law Center was established as a division of the Tulane Law School in 1986 to provide a focus for Tulane's many activities in the field of admiralty and maritime law. The Director of the Maritime Law Center is Martin Davies, who also holds the Admiralty Law Institute Professorship. The Director Emeritus of the Center is Robert Force, who holds the Niels F. Johnsen Chair in Maritime Law.

LL.M. in American Law

This degree is intended primarily for international students who hold a first degree in law (J.D. or LL.B. or equivalent) from a non-U.S. law school and who wish to establish eligibility to take a state bar examination in the United States, where permitted by state bar authorities. The degree will give students from foreign jurisdictions a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of U.S. law and the American legal system, as well as an appreciation for law practice in the United States.

The academic program is designed to enable students who earn the degree to satisfy the American law school course requirements of the Bar Admissions Committees of Louisiana and New York. These two U.S. states are among those whose rules permit foreign lawyers to sit for their bar exam subject to, inter alia, completion of certain coursework in American Law. Students seeking to take the bar examinations in these two states, or any other state, must still meet all other eligibility requirements of the state in which they seek to take the bar examination, and are therefore urged to review those requirements at the earliest possible time. The Louisiana Supreme Court rule permitting foreign lawyers to sit for the bar exam is located here.

LL.M. in Energy & Environment

The LL.M. in Energy & Environment is a 24-credit program offering the opportunity to combine studies in energy and environmental law, or to focus exclusively on environmental law.

General LL.M.

Because the General LL.M. program is so flexible, both international and U.S. students find it to be an attractive option. The program allows students to design their own courses of study, and students have tended to pursue one of these "tracks" within the general LL.M. program:

General survey of U.S. law: Many students use the General LL.M. program as a way to study areas to which they had previously had little or no exposure, enrolling in courses in a variety of areas. Virtually the entire curriculum is open to graduate students, with the exception of clinical and Trial Advocacy courses. The flexibility permitted by the program enables students to take courses in virtually any area in which they have interest, emphasizing particular areas or not, as they choose.

International Law, Trade, and Finance: Both international and U.S. graduate students have been attracted by the opportunity to take advantage of Tulane's unique ability to provide education in this area. Students previously schooled in the common law system have the opportunity to take some of the civil law courses offered at Tulane, while students with civil law backgrounds may supplement their knowledge with common law courses. Students interested in this area might also wish to consider the LL.M. in International & Comparative Law.

Other concentrations: LL.M. students pursuing the General program have also designed concentrations in such areas as intellectual property law, U.S. constitutional law, property and real estate law, and a variety of other areas.

LL.M. in International & Comparative Law

The breadth and depth of the comparative and international law curriculum at Tulane Law School provide an unparalleled opportunity for both U.S. and foreign lawyers to obtain a basic foundation in international legal practice. The international and comparative law program at Tulane emphasizes the distinctiveness of regional legal systems, national legal development, and the more traditional differences between major legal cultures.

In addition to a strong faculty with significant international experience and training and an outstanding library, Tulane's program offers students the Eason Weinmann Center for International and Comparative Law. Other resources include several relevant student-edited journals as well as a faculty-edited one, student organizations devoted to the exploration of international law topics, and a student body drawn from throughout the world.

The Eason Weinmann Center for International and Comparative Law pursues its goals through graduate degree programs, a regularly sponsored colloquium, visiting lectureships, academic exchanges, symposia, and research and publication in the area of comparative law. The Center enriches the existing programs of the Law School by bringing together outstanding legal scholars from various countries and legal systems for seminars and lectures.

Each student's course of study is at least somewhat dependent upon the background and previous legal education of the individual student and on the student's objectives. For example, U.S. students interested in European legal studies would need exposure to European legal sources, European Community Law, and the like. A student from Germany, however, might focus her studies somewhat differently, seeking exposure to common law subjects and to other areas which she would be unlikely to have studied previously. Each student designs his or her course of study with the assistance of a faculty advisor.

LL.M. in Law and Development

The LL.M. in Law and Development focuses on the connections of law and international development and provides legal scholars with the tremendous opportunity to explore the breadth and depth of these connections through courses at the Law School as well as The Payson Center for International Development, an interdisciplinary center at Tulane Law School. To learn more about the Payson Center, please read below and visit this link on the law school's website.

LL.M. in Law and Development Degree Requirements

Candidates for the LL.M. in Law and Development must fulfill the General Degree Requirements. Students who enter the program after completing a J.D. from a law school in the United States must take 15 of the required 24 credits needed to complete the degree at the Law School. Students who do not hold a J.D. from a law school in the United States must complete 19 of the required 24 credits needed to complete the degree at the Law School.

All students must complete the following coursework:

  • Law, Sustainability and Development
  • Sustainable Human Development or Economic Analysis
  • 3 credits of Directed Research

Financial Aid


Scholarships
Applicants to the various LL.M. programs who demonstrate particular academic strength may be awarded scholarships or tuition waivers of between $5000 and $20,000 toward tuition and fees at Tulane Law School. Most offers are made to international candidates, although scholarships to the LL.M. Admiralty program are made to U.S. candidates as well as international candidates. Scholarship offers are generally made at the same time the offer of admission is extended, or shortly thereafter. The exception to these general rules is that scholarships to the LL.M. in Admiralty program, including the Maritime Law Fellowship, are generally made in the late spring after offers of admission have been made.

General-purpose scholarships or tuition waivers
These awards are made to candidates in all programs. Half of the annual award is credited directly to the student's university account at the beginning of each semester. Approximately one-third of the international LL.M. students enrolled at Tulane Law School receive partial scholarships or tuition waivers.

Maritime Law Fellowship
The Maritime Law Center at Tulane Law School each year awards one or two graduate fellowships in maritime law. The graduate fellows assist the director of the Center while pursuing the LL.M. in Admiralty on a full-time basis at Tulane. The Fellows' duties, which occupy approximately 25 percent of their time, include assistance in research, the development of teaching materials, and the preparation of seminars in maritime law. The fellowships carry partial tuition waivers. Individuals interested in the Maritime Law Fellowship must first apply for and be offered admission to Tulane's LL.M. in Admiralty program. Accepted candidates will be notified of their admission and will then be considered for the Fellowship. Announcement of the Fellowship recipient(s) is generally made in late April or May.

Harry F. Stiles Jr. Scholarship
This scholarship fund was endowed in 1999 through the bequest of Mrs. Beryl Whiteman Stiles in memory of her husband, who received both his B.A. and LL.B. degrees from Tulane University. Mr. Stiles was a partner in the New Orleans firm of Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles and was a respected specialist in admiralty and oil and gas law. The proceeds of the Stiles Fund are used for scholarship support of deserving students who have manifested a special interest in maritime law. Substantial awards are made from this fund to outstanding LL.M. in Admiralty candidates.

Ferdinand F. Stone Graduate Scholarship
This scholarship, awarded periodically to an outstanding candidate in comparative law, was established by the faculty of Tulane Law School in honor of Ferd Stone. Professor Stone, who died in 1989, joined the Tulane law faculty in 1937 and was the first director of the Institute of Comparative Law.

Geoffrey Brice Scholarship
This scholarship was endowed in 2005 by Dr. Nuala Brice and friends as a memorial to honor the many civic and professional contributions of her late husband, Geoffrey Brice, Q.C. The income from the fund is used to provide scholarship support for a student from the United Kingdom who is pursuing the LL.M. in Admiralty at Tulane Law School.

List of Outside Funding Resources for International Students:
  • American Association of University Women Educational Foundation Fellowships and Grants
  • Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program "micro-grants" for students in Human Rights
  • Australian Federation of University Women Fellowship Fund
  • DAAD Scholarships for German Citizens
  • Edmund S. Muskie and Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship Programs
  • Fondo Per Studenti Italiani (The Italian Student Loan Fund)
  • Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP)
  • Fulbright Grant
  • Fulbright Grants for Israeli Students
  • Fulbright Grants for Students from Turkey
  • Fulbright Program for Students from the Middle East and North Africa
  • Fundacao Estudar (Scholarships for Brazilian students)
  • Golden Key Graduate Scholar Award
  • Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD) of the Organization of American States (OAS) Graduate Fellowships Program
  • International Federation of University Women
  • Japanese Association of University Women
  • Kosciuszko Foundation Fellowships & Grants for Polish Citizens
  • Mackenzie King Scholarships for Canadians
  • Organization of Istanbul Armenians Scholarship
  • P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund for Women
  • Post Grad Solutions Study Bursaries
  • Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships
  • World Bank Scholarship Program


Cost of Attendance

2013-14 Cost of Attendance

Tuition $43,150
Academic Support Services Fee $2,600
Reily Recreation Center Fee $300
Student Activity Fee $240
Student Health Fee $640
Room $8,644
Board $5,024
Transportation $2,134
Miscellaneous $1,576
Health $2,650
Books $1,500

Career Development/Services Offered


Tulane's Career Development Office holds regular workshops on resumes and cover letters, interviewing skills, networking, and other topics related to job search strategies. Other programs focus on particular practice areas (e.g., international law, corporate law) or practice settings (e.g., government opportunities, private practice in particular geographic locations). Both J.D. and LL.M./S.J.D. students are invited to attend and participate in all of these programs.

The Career Development Office is open during the hours listed to the right for appointments with career counselors and use of the library and other resources. For appointments, call 504.865.5942, or e-mail the appropriate career counselor. Each day that school is in session, a Career Counselor is available from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm - without an appointment - to meet briefly with students and to respond to quick questions. Access to the office either before 8:30 am or after 5 pm is by appointment.

References