Southern University Law Center

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Southern University Law Center
Sulclogo.JPG
Seal [1]
EstablishedSeptember 1947;78 years ago (1947-09)
School type Public law school
Dean Alvin R. Washington
Location Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
30°31′30″N91°11′40″W / 30.5249°N 91.1945°W / 30.5249; -91.1945
Enrollment809 full- and part-time [2]
Faculty61 full- and 35 part-time [2]
USNWR ranking178-196 [3]
Bar pass rate75% (July 2025 first-time takers) [4]
Website www.sulc.edu

Southern University Law Center is a public law school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is part of the historically Black Southern University System and was opened for instruction in September 1947. It was authorized by the Louisiana State Board of Education as a Law School for Blacks to be located at Southern University, a historically Black college, and to open for the 1947-1948 academic session.

Contents

The school offers full-time, part-time, and evening programs. For students who want to pursue the JD and MPA, the school offers a joint-degree program in cooperation with the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Southern. SULC's students learn two different systems of law: Louisiana is a civil law jurisdiction (in the tradition of France and Continental Europe), while law in every other state is based on the British common-law tradition.

History

In 1946, Charles J. Hatfield, III, an African-American veteran of Louisiana, applied to Louisiana State University Law School, the only state school that offered a law degree. Although he was academically qualified, he was rejected because of his race, as the state system was segregated. Hatfield filed suit against the state for rejecting his application. While he did not win in court, the State Board of Education decided to found a law school for African Americans. [5]

The State Board of Education responded by deciding at its January 10, 1947, meeting to found a law school at Southern University to serve African-American students, to open in September of that year. On June 14, 1947, the Board of Liquidation of State Debt appropriated $40,000 for the operation of the school. The Southern University Law School was officially opened in September 1947 to provide legal education for African-American students in the state. The first dean of the law school was Aguinaldo Alfonso Lenoir, Sr. After 38 years of operation as a School of Law, the Southern University Board of Supervisors re-designated the school as the Southern University Law Center. The building that houses the law center is named A.A. Lenoir Hall after its first dean.

From 1972 to 1974, the law school dean was Louis Berry, a civil rights attorney originally from Alexandria, Louisiana. [6]

Today, the law school is one of only two public law schools in the state.

Accreditation

The Law Center program is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is approved also by the Veterans Administration for the training of eligible veterans.

Admissions

The Southern University Law Center 2025 first year class had an admission rate of 56.6% with 43.1 % of admitted students enrolling, enrolled students having an average LSAT score of 147 and average GPA of 3.15. [2]

Bar examination passage

In July 2025, the Louisiana bar examination passage rate for the law school’s first-time examination takers was 75%. [7] The Ultimate Bar Pass Rate, which the ABA defines as the passage rate for graduates who sat for bar examinations within two years of graduating, was 76% for the class of 2022. [4]

Academic and clinical programs

A study-abroad program is offered in London, in which students take courses with international subject matter. SULC publishes two legal journals: its traditional Southern University Law Review and The Journal of Race, Gender and Poverty.

At Southern University Law Center, clinical education is available to second and third-year students but not required.

Employment

According to SULC's official ABA-required disclosures, 46% of the Class of 2019 obtained full-time, long-term, bar passage-required employment (i.e., as attorneys) ten months after graduation, excluding solo-practitioners. [8]

ABA Employment Summary for 2024 Graduates
Employment StatusPercentage
Employed - Bar Passage Required
 
46.4%
Employed - J.D. Advantage
 
13.8%
Employed - Professional Position
 
9.2%
Employed - Other Position
 
3.8%
Employed - Law School/University Funded
 
0.4%
Employed - Undeterminable
 
0.0%
Pursuing Graduate Degree Full Time
 
0.8%
Employed - Start Date Deferred
 
0.0%
Unemployed - Not Seeking
 
1.9%
Unemployed - Seeking
 
23%
Employment Status Unknown
 
0.8%
Total of 261 Graduates

Recognition

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Law School Profiles". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on 5 April 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "ABA School Data" . Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  3. ↑ “Southern University Law Center." U.S. News & World Report
  4. 1 2 "| Bar Passage". abarequireddisclosures.org. American Bar Association. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  5. ↑ Miriam Childs, "Chief Honored at SULC 70th Anniversary" Archived 2018-06-19 at the Wayback Machine , De Novo (Newsletter of the Law Library of Louisiana), Vol. 14, Issue 3, Fall 2017; accessed 18 June 2018
  6. ↑ Leona W. Smith, St. Landry-Up From Slavery Then Came the Fire!!, p. 33. Bloomington, Indiana: Author House, 2011. 2011-09-21. ISBN   978-1-4567-6032-8 . Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  7. ↑ "July 2025 School Statistics - Bar Exam Results - Louisiana Supreme Court". www.lasc.org. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  8. ↑ "Section of Legal Education, Employment Summary Report". ABA. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  9. ↑ Campbell, Donna (2025-03-07). "Best law schools for practical training". National Jurist. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  10. ↑ "The National Jurist Fall 2024 Page 15". bluetoad.com. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  11. ↑ "preLaw magazine Winter 2018 Page 30". bluetoad.com. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
  12. ↑ "Southern University Law Center earns prestigious educational innovation award". WBRZ. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  13. ↑ "Southern University Law Center". usnews.com. U.S. News & World Report . Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "La. Literature: Bourque's 'Alycat' back for more adventrures in fifth book installment". The Advocate. 2022-05-15. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  15. ↑ "Judge Jeff Cox". 26jdc.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Randal L. Gaines' Biography". Project Vote Smart . Retrieved May 4, 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
  17. ↑ "Richard Gallot, Jr. Biography". Project Vote Smart . Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Edmond Jordan Announces Candidacy for Louisiana House District 29". swagher.net. July 15, 2015. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Rep. Sherman Q. Mack". house.louisiana.gov. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Kanawha delegate Poore says she'll run for Congress - Statehouse News - Charleston Daily Mail - West Virginia News and Sports". Dailymail.com. July 9, 2013. Archived from the original on July 10, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Ledricka Thierry's Biography". Project Vote Smart . Retrieved May 12, 2015.
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