Tulane University Law School

Tulane University Law School
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Name	Tulane University Law School
Established	1847
Type	Private law school
Parent	Tulane University
City	New Orleans
State	Louisiana
Country	United States
Campus	Uptown New Orleans

Tulane University Law School is a private law school located in New Orleans, Louisiana, with origins tracing to the mid-19th century. It is associated with Tulane University and situated in the Uptown neighborhood near Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans, Audubon Park, and the Mansion of H. J. Smith. The school is known for its programs in maritime law, energy law, and international law with connections to regional institutions such as the Port of New Orleans, the Louisiana Supreme Court, and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

History

Founded in 1847, the school predates the American Civil War and has persisted through events including the American Civil War, Reconstruction era, and the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788's urban aftermath. Its development involved partnerships with figures and institutions such as Paul Tulane, the Choctaw philanthropic movement, and municipal leaders of New Orleans. The Law School experienced curricular reforms influenced by national trends marked by the Case method reforms associated with Harvard Law School and by regional legal practice shaped by the Napoleonic Code heritage in Louisiana Civil Law. After Hurricane Katrina the institution engaged in rebuilding efforts alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency and legal aid organizations like AmeriCorps Legal Services. Over time the school established clinics and centers responding to maritime litigation tied to the Gulf of Mexico and energy disputes tied to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill litigation.

Campus and Facilities

The Law School occupies buildings in the Uptown campus adjacent to landmarks such as St. Charles Avenue and the Newcomb–Tulane College precinct, with access to the Tulane University Main Library system and the LBC Tank research spaces. Key facilities include a law library housing collections on subjects linked to the Admiralty Court, the Louisiana State Law Library, and repositories used by scholars of the McIlhenny Company's regulatory history. The campus includes moot courtrooms modeled for proceedings akin to the United States Supreme Court and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea adjudications, clinical suites used by practitioners connected to the Environmental Protection Agency enforcement, and seminar rooms hosting visiting fellows from institutions such as the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Bar Association.

Academics and Programs

The curriculum offers the Juris Doctor and graduate degrees with specialized concentrations mirroring practice areas tied to the Gulf Coast economy, including programs in admiralty and maritime studies connected to the International Maritime Organization, energy and environmental law aligned with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and international comparative studies engaging with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development frameworks. The school has exchange and dual-degree arrangements with foreign institutions like the Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas and programs drawing visiting scholars from the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law. Courses and seminars often reference precedent from decisions of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Supreme Court of the United States, and treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Admissions and Student Body

Admissions draw applicants from across the United States and internationally, creating a student body with ties to jurisdictions including Texas, Florida, California, Canada, and nations in the Caribbean Community. The school evaluates candidates with indicators akin to national norms used by associations such as the Law School Admission Council and the American Bar Association, balancing LSAT scores, graduate records, and professional experience including clerkships with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and internships at organizations like the New Orleans Public Defender office. Student organizations maintain relationships with professional groups including the Federal Bar Association and the National Association for Law Placement.

Clinical and Research Centers

The institution operates clinics and centers addressing pressing regional and international issues: the maritime-focused clinic responding to litigation in the Gulf of Mexico; an energy and environmental law center engaging with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; an international and comparative law program hosting colloquia with scholars from the Inter-American Development Bank; and access-to-justice initiatives partnering with the Louisiana Department of Justice. Research projects have tackled matters related to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and regulatory frameworks of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.

Rankings and Reputation

The Law School's reputation is particularly strong in admiralty and energy law, with rankings and peer assessments often referencing its standing among schools with maritime programs like University of Miami School of Law and Tulane's regional peers. Its graduates have obtained clerkships on appellate benches including the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and positions at firms practicing before the United States Supreme Court. The school's scholarship has been cited in journals and by institutions such as the American Journal of International Law and the Environmental Law Reporter.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Alumni and faculty include jurists, legislators, and practitioners who have served in offices and organizations such as the United States Congress, the Louisiana Supreme Court, the United States Department of Justice, major law firms involved in maritime litigation before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and academic exchanges with universities like Yale Law School and Columbia Law School. Faculty have included scholars with backgrounds at the Harvard Law School and appointments to editorial boards of periodicals such as the Harvard Environmental Law Review and the American Journal of Comparative Law.

Category:Law schools in Louisiana