LSU law school boosts scholarships

Breaking Legal News

As the number of law school applicants decreases in Louisiana and nationwide, LSU is upping the ante on its scholarships for law students to keep the “best and brightest” in Louisiana.

The LSU Board of Supervisors approved increasing the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center’s scholarship dollars more than 40 percent to about $1 million for the coming school year during board meetings this week at LSU-Shreveport.

The increase is part of the law center’s new “Louisiana Distinguished Public Service Scholars” program that will ultimately be funded by LSU tuition and fee increases, although the tuition proposals are still pending, LSU Law Center Chancellor Jack Weiss said.

With about 570 law students at LSU, Weiss said this new program is necessary “to maintain our current student demographics, much less enhance them, which is my goal.”

The new scholarship money is intended for the best in-state applicants who show an interest in legal public service, which is meant to coincide with LSU’s burgeoning clinical legal education program, according to the scholarship proposal.

Not only is more clinical education being demanded for continued American Bar Association law school accreditation, but it provides students with more real-life legal experience with clients apart from standard internships.

Although more money will be awarded to students, Weiss said LSU may not need to use the full $1.03 million scholarship allotment approved by the LSU board.

As for tuition, Weiss said, “We’re being limited by the budget we currently have.

“To put it bluntly, we cannot do what we need to do &hellip without a tuition increase,” Weiss said, noting that LSU’s tuition is below its peers.

Quoting LSU System President John Lombardi, Weiss added, “Money matters.”

Mike Gargano, LSU System vice president of student and academic support, called the plan a “significant” and necessary increase for scholarship funding.

Nationally, the number of law school applicants decreased from nearly 97,000 in 2003 to just 80,000 last year, Gargano said.

At LSU, law school applications dropped from 1,845 in 2003 to 1,299 last year, he said. Then there is the issue of Louisiana’s decreasing population.

With fewer students to choose from, Gargano said “the competition for students becomes that much more fierce.”

The scholarship adjustment is needed “to better confront these national dynamics,” he said.

Weiss also announced the hiring of Indiana University clinical law professor Robert Lancaster as the new director of LSU’s clinical legal education program.

Lancaster is a 1993 Tulane Law School graduate.

Related listings

  • Tunisian trial shines light on use of military courts

    Tunisian trial shines light on use of military courts

    Breaking Legal News 11/24/2021

    A few days after Tunisia’s president froze parliament and took on sweeping powers in July, a dozen men in unmarked vehicles and civilian clothes barged into politician Yassine Ayari’s family home overnight and took him away in his pajamas...

  • Video: Officer shoots Illinois inmate after struggle for gun

    Video: Officer shoots Illinois inmate after struggle for gun

    Breaking Legal News 11/01/2021

    Illinois State Police have released video footage showing a tense scene involving an inmate’s attack on a correctional officer at a courthouse and another officer firing his weapon at the inmate and injuring him. Authorities said 55-year-old Fr...

  • Maryland’s highest court reviewing teen sniper’s life term

    Maryland’s highest court reviewing teen sniper’s life term

    Breaking Legal News 08/27/2021

    Maryland’s highest court has agreed to take up the case of Lee Boyd Malvo, who is serving life in prison for his role in the 2002 sniper spree that terrorized the Washington, D.C., region. Malvo’s lawyers argue that his punishment goes ag...

Any contracts or any transactions can go awry at any time

We know your business means a lot to you and want to understand all the aspects of your business so that we can help you in the best ways possible. We don’t discriminate depending on the size of your company. Our mission statement is to represent all business owners and entrepreneurs by navigating them through the rough waters of business litigation and guiding them to success.

We are attorneys who want to make sure we understand your business objectives and goals before we start providing you with legal counsel individualized to your business. We know what it means to be dedicated to your business. After all, we are a business as well. And just like you, we want to provide the best service we can to our clients.

Any contracts or any transactions can go awry at any time. Sometimes, making important business decisions without legal help from business attorneys could cost you your business.We don’t want you or your business to be misconstrued by anyone. Our attorneys make sure that we communicate with you often to make sure we are giving you the legal guidance you need at all times. We make sure we are responsive in a timely-manner with every single one of our clients to help them identify risks and prevent legal battles before they arise.

Business News