Local law school to revamp educational approach, make legal study more practical

NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law is set to unveil a reworked educational approach to legal studies it says will make legal education more practical when the Class of 2017 enrolls this fall.

Under the revamped coursework the school is aiming to place law students in what is being called “Practice Tracks,” which will aim at producing graduates with practical skills.

Under the plan, law students may select from four “Practice Tracks” in criminal, civil litigation, social justice or transactional practice that will partner them with an experienced attorney who they will observe and learn from.

Students will also be required to take coursework in negotiation, law office management, cross-cultural communication and client interviewing.

For its efforts the school has been ranked by the magazines National Jurist and preLaw as one of the top innovative schools in the country and is one of 25 law schools accepted into the Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders organization that aims to progress legal education.

“The College of Law offers forward-thinking legal education, continually looking to the latest approaches in innovative experiential learning. We are dedicated to Loyola’s mission and the Jesuit tradition of ‘holistic’ education so that each law student has the skills and competencies necessary to be a confident professional on the day of graduation,” said María Pabón López, dean of the College of Law.

Christine Cerniglia Brown, leader of the College of Law’s office of skills and experiential learning, said the changes will make students more marketable and more engaged in their legal education.

“We developed this focus on practical training based on the needs of potential employers and a changing legal landscape,” she said.