Loyola University Chicago School of Law


Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the law school of Loyola University Chicago, in Illinois. Established in 1909, by the Society of Jesus, the Roman Catholic order of the Jesuits, the School of Law is located in downtown Chicago. Loyola University Chicago School of Law offers degrees and combined degree programs, including the Doctor of Juridical Science. Loyola University Chicago and its Water Tower campus also holds art exhibitions and other cultural events.
The Fall 2019 entering class had a median GPA of 3.40 and a median LSAT of 159. More than 26 percent of the 2019 entering class were students of color. The July 2018 Illinois Bar Exam pass rate for first-time test takers was 85%. While Loyola's overall U.S. News ranking fell in 2017, the school's specialty rankings have improved. The school was ranked 72nd in 2016, and is currently ranked at 70th according to USNWR. In 2017, Loyola was ranked 6th in the country in health law, 6th in trial advocacy, and 14th for its part-time program, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2017 specialty rankings.
In 2015, Loyola was ranked #1 in the country in family law according to Law Street Media. Law Street Media ranked Loyola's healthcare law and business law programs #1 and #9 in the country, respectively, in 2014.
Loyola recently launched a weekend JD program to provide a flexible option for working professionals.
According to Loyola's 2018 ABA-required disclosures, 63.2% of the Class of 2018 obtained full-time, long-term, bar passage required employment ten months after graduation.

Academics

There are fourteen major degree programs offered at the School of Law: doctor of jurisprudence, master of laws in either business law, child and family law, health law or tax law. Specialized certificates are available in advocacy, child and family law, health law, international law and practice, public interest law, tax law, and transactional law. Students may pursue a master of jurisprudence in either business and compliance law, child and family law, health law, global competition, and rule of law for development. There are two major doctoral degrees: doctor of juridical sciences in health law and policy which is the highest degree any attorney may obtain in the United States and the doctor of laws. Dual degree programs are offered with the Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work, Department of Political Science, Graduate School of Education and the Graduate School of Business. Loyola offers a master of laws and master of jurisprudence in rule of law for development at the University's John Felice Rome Center in Italy. Loyola offers seven online degree programs and online certificate programs in school discipline reform and privacy law.
Like most U.S. law schools, Loyola imposes a grade curve to maintain a median GPA of 3.0.

Employment

According to the ABA-required disclosure of Employment Summary for 2019 Loyola University Chicago School of Law graduates, 73.0% of the Class of 2019 obtained "bar passage required" employment within ten months of graduation. A “bar passage required” position is defined as one that requires the graduate to pass a bar exam and to be licensed to practice law in one or more jurisdictions. The positions that have such a requirement are varied and include, for example, positions in law firms, business, or government. However, not all positions in law firms, business, or government require bar passage; for example, a paralegal position would not. Positions that require the graduate to pass a bar exam and be licensed after beginning employment in order to retain the position are included in this category. Judicial clerkships are also included in this category.
An additional 13.7% of the Class of 2019 obtained "J.D. advantaged" employment within ten months of graduation. A “J.D. advantaged” position is one for which the employer sought an individual with a J.D., and perhaps even required a J.D., or for which the J.D. provided a demonstrable advantage in obtaining or performing the job, but which does not itself require bar passage or an active law license or involve practicing law. Examples of positions for which a J.D. is an advantage include a corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI agent, and accountant. Also included might be jobs in personnel or human resources, jobs with investment banks, jobs with consulting firms, jobs doing compliance work in business and industry, jobs in law firm professional development, and jobs in law school career services offices, admissions offices, or other law school administrative offices. Doctors or nurses who plan to work in a litigation, insurance, or risk management setting, or as expert witnesses, would fall into this category, as would journalists and teachers of law and law related topics. It is an indicator that a position does not fall into this category if a J.D. is uncommon among persons holding such a position.

Bar Passage

According to the ABA-required disclosure of Bar Passage Results for 2020, in calendar year 2019 the Loyola University of Chicago School of Law had a total of 198 graduates. The school had a total of 184 graduates who sat for their first bar examination within any jurisdiction. Out of those who sat for their first bar examination in calendar year 2019, a total of 157, or 85.3%, passed on their first attempt.

Costs

The total cost of attendance in the full-time JD Program for the 2017-2018 academic year is $70,224.
The total cost of attendance in the part-time, Weekend JD Program for the 2017-2018 academic year is $59,922.

Student body

The School of Law currently occupies the Corboy Law Center at 25 East Pearson Street. The Law School previously occupied Maguire Hall, at One East Pearson, but switched buildings with the Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business in the fall of 2005. Each day, its student body of over 1,000 congregates at the Water Tower Campus to receive instruction from full-time and part-time professors. Students are involved in over thirty student organizations and six distinguished law publications: Annals of Health Law, Children's Legal Rights Journal, Consumer Law Review, International Law Review, Loyola University Chicago Law Journal, Public Interest Law Reporter and Loyola University Chicago Journal of Regulatory Compliance.

Administration

From July 2005 until May 2016, David N. Yellen served as Dean and Professor of Law. Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Michael J. Kaufman assumed the role of interim dean after Yellen left Loyola to become president of Marist College. After an extensive national search, Kaufman was appointed Loyola University Chicago's 12th law dean. Kaufman has been a member of Loyola's full-time law faculty since 1986. His areas of expertise are education law and policy, securities regulation and litigation, civil procedure, and jurisprudence.

The Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition

In 1993, the APA Law Student Association of the South Texas College of Law founded the Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition. The competition is administered by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Law Foundation and the NAPABA Judicial Council. Judge Thomas Tang was a champion of individual rights, an advocate for the advancement of minority attorneys and an ardent supporter of NAPABA and the moot court competition. This moot court competition was established to continue Judge Tang's legacy. From 1977 until his death in 1995, he served on the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The format of the competition divides the country into six regions: central, northeast, southeast, southwest, west, and northwest. The top two teams from each region advance to the national competition that is held simultaneously with the NAPABA National Convention. The convention sites have included, but are not limited to Hawaii, New York City, Scottsdale, Arizona, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, California, Atlanta, Georgia, Dallas, Texas, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 2017 and 2018, Loyola won both the regional and national Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition.

Notable alumni