LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center

LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center is the law school of Louisiana State University located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is renowned for its rigorous program in Louisiana civil law and its unique bi-juridical curriculum that also covers Anglo-American common law. The institution is named for Paul M. Hebert, a former dean and influential legal scholar who also served as acting Governor of Louisiana.

History

The law school was established in 1906 as part of the Louisiana State University System. Its early development was shaped by the need to formalize legal education within the state, particularly for the Napoleonic-based civil law system of Louisiana. Under the lengthy deanship of Paul M. Hebert, who served from 1937 to 1977, the school gained national prominence and solidified its dual-curriculum approach. This period saw the construction of its current primary building and the establishment of its flagship journal, the Louisiana Law Review. The school was officially renamed in his honor in 1977. Throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries, it has expanded its programs and global reach while maintaining its core identity tied to the mixed legal tradition of its home state.

Academics and programs

The Law Center offers the Juris Doctor as its primary degree, with a mandatory curriculum that integrates Common law and Louisiana civil law principles. It also grants graduate degrees, including the Master of Laws and the Doctor of Juridical Science. Specialized programs include the John H. Tucker, Jr. Lecture Series in Civil Law and the Pugh Institute for Justice. Students can gain practical experience through clinics like the Immigration Law Clinic and the Paralegal Studies program. The school is consistently highly ranked for its legal education and is known for its strong bar passage rates in Louisiana.

Campus and facilities

The main facility is the Paul M. Hebert Law Center building on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. The building houses the Louisiana State University Law Library, one of the largest legal collections in the Gulf South. The library contains extensive holdings in Comparative law, Roman law, and French law. Other key facilities include the McKernan Auditorium, several modern courtrooms for Moot court competitions, and dedicated spaces for student organizations like the Board of Advocates. The campus location provides proximity to the Louisiana State Capitol and the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Notable faculty and alumni

The faculty has included eminent scholars such as former dean and Fifth Circuit judge John Minor Wisdom, and Saul Litvinoff, a renowned authority on obligations law. Distinguished alumni span the judiciary, government, and private practice. They include United States Supreme Court Justice Wiley Blount Rutledge, former United States Senator J. Bennett Johnston, and former Governor of Louisiana Mike Foster. Other prominent graduates are Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Pascal Calogero, Jr., and former United States Attorney Jim Letten.

Publications and centers

The school publishes several influential legal journals, led by the Louisiana Law Review, one of the nation's oldest and most cited law reviews. Other publications include the Journal of Energy Law and Resources and the Louisiana Law Review. Its research centers drive scholarship in specific fields, notably the Center of Civil Law Studies, which promotes the study of the civil law tradition. The Eason Weinmann Center for Comparative Law fosters international legal studies, while the Louisiana Sea Grant Law & Policy Program addresses issues in coastal law and Environmental law.

Category:Louisiana State University Category:Law schools in Louisiana Category:Educational institutions established in 1906