The Paul M. Hebert Law Center is a law school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, part of the Louisiana State University System and located on the main campus of Louisiana State University.
Because Louisiana is a civil law state, unlike its 49 common law sister states, the curriculum includes both civil law and common law courses, requiring 94 hours for graduation, the most in the United States. In the Fall of 2002, the LSU Law Center became the sole United States law school, and only one of two law schools in the Western Hemisphere, offering a course of study leading to the simultaneous conferring of a J.D. (Juris Doctor), which is the normal first degree in American law schools, and a G.D.C.L. (Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law), which recognizes the training its students receive in both the common and the civil law.
Until voting in April 2015 to realign itself as an academic unit of Louisiana State University, the Paul M. Hebert Law Center was an autonomous campus of, rather than a dependent academic unit of the larger university. Its designation as a Law Center, rather than Law School, derives not only from its formerly independent campus status, but also from the centralization on its campus of J.D. and post-J.D. programs, foreign and graduate programs, including European programs at the Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 School of Law, France, and the University of Louvain, Belgium, and the direction of the Louisiana Law Institute and the Louisiana Judicial College, among other initiatives.
According to the school's 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 65.1% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, bar passage-required employment nine months after graduation, excluding solo practitioners.
In 1904, LSU constitutional law professor Arthur T. Prescott, who earlier had been the founding president of Louisiana Tech University, became the first to propose the establishment of a law school at LSU.
The law school came to fruition in 1906, under LSU president Thomas Duckett Boyd, with nineteen founding students. Since 1924, the LSU Law Center has been a member of the Association of American Law Schools and approved by the American Bar Association. The Law Center was renamed in honor of Dean Paul M. Hebert [1] (1907–1977), the longest serving Dean of the LSU Law School, who served in that role with brief interruptions from 1937 until his death in 1977. One of these interruptions occurred in 1947-1948, when he was appointed as a judge for the United States Military Tribunals in Nuremberg.
In 2011, the Law Center received 1,437 applications for the J.D./C.L. program for an enrolled class of 239. The current first-year class includes graduates from 80 colleges and universities throughout the nation. Women make up 49% of the class, 51% are men. Approximately 35% of the class of 2014 came from outside Louisiana representing 19 others states, United States Virgin Islands, France, and China.
According to the Law Center's official 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 65.1% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, bar passage-required employment nine months after graduation, excluding solo-practitioners. The school's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 10.6%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2013 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.
The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at the Law Center for the 2014-2015 academic year is $39,880.75. The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $160,966.
H. Welborn Ayres, judge of the Third Judicial District and Second Louisiana Circuit Court of Appeals, 1942–1975Julian Edwin Bailes, Sr. (1915-2010), judge of the 10th Judicial District in Natchitoches Parish, 1960 to 1972Harrison Bagwell (1913-1973), Baton Rouge lawyer and Republican political activistCharles C. Barham (1934–2010, Class of 1959), State senator for Lincoln and Union parishes; attorney in RustonGreg Barro, state senator from Caddo Parish (1992–1996); Shreveport attorneyHenry Bethard, former member of the Louisiana House from Red River Parish; former Coushatta town attorneyCarl W. Bauer, member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature from St. Mary Parish, 1966-1976 (D)Walter O. Bigby, state representative and appeals court judgeJames E. Bolin (Class of 1937), state representative 1940-1944; Bossier-Webster district attorney 1948-1952, 26th Judicial District Court judge 1952-1960; Louisiana Second District Court of Appeal judge 1960 to 1978Bruce M. Bolin, former state representative (1978–1990); former 26th Judicial District Court judge from 1991-2012 (D)Allen Bradley (Class of 1976), state representative from DeRidder, 1984 to 1992, former CEO of AMERISAFE CompanyJohn Breaux, United States Senator from Louisiana from 1987 until 2005, lobbyistChris Broadwater (Class of 2002), current District 86 state representative from Tangipahoa ParishOverton Brooks (Class of 1923), United States Representative from Louisiana's 4th congressional district from 1937 to his death in 1961Algie D. Brown, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Caddo Parish from 1948 to 1972; Shreveport attorneyHenry Newton Brown, Jr., Chief Judge of the Second Circuit Court of AppealOssie Brown, former East Baton Rouge Parish district attorneyWilliam Denis Brown, III (1931-2012), lawyer, businessman, state senator from MonroeRoy Brun, state district court judge in Shreveport and former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Caddo ParishDewey E. Burchett, Jr. (Class of 1970), state district court judge in Bossier and Webster parishes, 1988-2008Bryan Edward Bush, Jr., former EBR district attorney; unseated Ossie Brown in 1984Paul G. Byron, United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida judgePatrick T. Caffery (Class of 1956), United States Representative from 1969 to 1973 and member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1964 to 1968David T. Caldwell (Class of 1951), Second Judicial District Court judge in Jonesboro.Theo Cangelosi (Class of 1934), lawyer, businessman, politician, gubernatorial confidanteRobby Carter, state representative from Greensburg, Louisiana, 1996-2008 and since 2016James Carville, American political consultant, commentator and punditJoe T. Cawthorn (Class of 1932), lawyer, businessman, and politician affiliated with the Long faction, state senator from DeSoto and Caddo parishes from 1940 to 1944Marcus R. Clark, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice from West MonroeLuther F. Cole, state representative from 1964 to 1967, state court and appeals court judge from 1967 to 1986, and Louisiana Supreme Court associate justice from 1986 to 1992Scott Crichton (Class of 1980), judge of the Louisiana 1st Judicial District Court in Shreveport since 1991Bobby Culpepper (Class of 1966), lawyer and Democratic politician in JonesboroJackson B. Davis (Class of 1940), state senator from Caddo Parish, 1952-1980; long-term Shreveport attorneyCleveland Dear, U.S. representative from 1933 to 1937, district attorney, and state judicial district court judgeJames L. Dennis, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit judgeC. H. "Sammy" Downs (Class of 1946), state senator and gubernatorial advisorJames Crawford "Jam" Downs, district attorney of 9th Judicial District Court in Rapides Parish from 2000 until his retirement in 2015Gil Dozier, Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry from 1976 to 1980; convicted felon, disbarred and readmitted to the barFrancis Dugas, state representative from Lafourche Parish from 1956 to 1960; Robert F. Kennon's running-mate for lieutenant governor in 1963Ken Duncan, state treasurer from 1996 to 2000; Baton Rouge lawyer and businessmanEdwin Washington Edwards, Four-term Governor of Louisiana; prisoner, convicted of extortion, racketeering, and fraudFrank Burton Ellis, 1929 L.L.B., state senator and federal judgeJames R. Eubank, 1958 Law, attorney in Alexandria; member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Rapides Parish in 1952, floor leader for Governor Robert F. Kennon, died in office at the age of thirty-sevenRon Faucheux, former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Orleans Parish; political consultant and pundit from New OrleansJimmy Field, 1966 Law, member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission from Baton RougeC.B. Forgotston, 1970 J.D., political activist and state government watchdogMike Futrell, 1985 J.D., former state representative and East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council memberGerald J. Gallinghouse, 1948 J.D., former U.S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of LouisianaRyan Gatti, state senator for District 36 since 2016; Bossier City lawyerDouglas Gonzales, (born 1935), U.S. attorney (1972-1976) and judge of the state district court (1976-1992) and the circuit court (1993-2002) in Baton RougeAllen C. Gremillion, (1929–1971), state representative from Crowley, 1964-1971Pike Hall, Jr. (Class of 1953, 1931-1999), Caddo Parish School Board member, appeal court judge, and associate justice of Louisiana Supreme Court 1990 to 1994; Shreveport lawyerGeorge W. Hardy, Jr., (1900-1967), mayor of Shreveport from 1932 to 1934 and judge of the state circuit court of appeal from 1943 to 1967Rufus D. Hayes, (1913–2001), first state insurance commissioner, former East Baton Rouge Parish district attorney, former state Democratic chairmanS. Maurice Hicks, Jr., United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport DivisionGeorge B. Holstead (1924–2002), State representative from Lincoln Parish from 1964–1980Thomas H. Hudson (born 1946), Baton Rouge attorney and state senator from 1976 to 1988Jefferson D. Hughes, III, associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court since 2013Guy Humphries, state court judge from AlexandriaJohn Brennan Hussey (Class of 1958), Mayor of Shreveport, 1982-1990, lawyer in ShreveportBernette Joshua Johnson, chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court since 2013; associate justice, 1994-2013H. Alston Johnson, III, former federal judicial nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth CircuitMike Johnson (J. D.), Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Bossier Parish; constitutional attorney in BentonJ. Bennett Johnston, Jr., United States Senator from 1972 to 1997; former member of both houses of the Louisiana legislature from Caddo Parish; Washington, D.C.-based lobbyistFred W. Jones, Jr., city, district, and state circuit judge from RustonJ. Lomax "Max" Jordan, Jr., Louisiana State Senator from Lafayette and Acadia parishes, 1992–2000Robert F. Kennon (1902-1988), governor of Louisiana from 1952 to 1956Graydon K. Kitchens, Jr., 1964 J.D. (born 1936), city, ward, and state court judge from MindenGraydon K. Kitchens, Sr., 1926 J.D. (1903-1988), lawyer and politician in Minden; law partner of Robert F. KennonEddie J. Lambert, 1982 J.D. (born 1956), state representative from Ascension Parish. Mrs. Lambert is an LSU Law graduate and a judge in Ascension Parish.Catherine D. Kimball (Class of 1970), judge of the Louisiana 18th Judicial District Court, 1982-1992; justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, 1993-2013, former chief justiceEdgar H. Lancaster, Jr. (Class of 1948), Tallulah lawyer and member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1952 to 1968; interim state court judge, 1992-1993Buddy Leach, United States Representative from 1979-1981, chairman of the Louisiana Democratic PartyFred S. LeBlanc, 1920 L.L.B., mayor of Baton Rouge (1941–1944), state attorney general (1944-1948; 1952-1956), 19th Judicial District Court judgeJames Nelson Lee (Class of 1948), city and state district judge in Bunkie and Avoyelles Parish, respectivelyJoe LeSage, (Class of 1952), Shreveport attorney, state senator (1968–1972), LSU supervisor (1956–1968; 1992, 1998), 1948 LSU quarterbackRussell B. Long, American politician who served in the United States Senate from Louisiana from 1948 to 1987Gillis W. Long, United States Representative during the 1960s.Speedy Oteria Long, United States Representative from 1965 to 1973.Nicholas Lorusso (Class of 1992), state representative from Orleans Parish since 2007Morris Lottinger, Jr. (Class of 1965), state representative (1970-1975), judge of the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal (1975-1998), and chief judge (1993-1998)Cecil C. Lowe, Judge of the Minden City Court and the Louisiana 26th Judicial DistrictRagan Madden (Class of 1933), state representative (1940-1949) and district attorney (1949-1979) from Lincoln ParishTanner Magee (Class of 2007), state representative and lawyer in HoumaCharles A. Marvin (Class of 1957), district attorney of Bossier and Webster parishes (1971-1975); judge of the Louisiana Circuit Court of Appeal for the Second District in Shreveport (1975-1999)W. T. McCain (Class of 1943), state representative from Grant Parish 1940 to 1948; first state district court judge only for Grant Parish (1976)Jay McCallum (Class of 1985) - judge of the Louisiana 3rd Judicial District Court since 2003; former state representative for Lincoln and Union parishesCharles McConnell, mayor of Springhill in Webster Parish, 1954-1958Jim McCrery, United States Representative from Louisiana's 4th congressional district (1988-2009)Eugene McGehee, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1960-1972; state district court judge in East Baton Rouge Parish, 1972-1978DeWitt T. Methvin, Jr. (Class of 1950), prominent Alexandria attorney from 1950 until his death in 2005John Milkovich, member of the state senate for Caddo and DeSoto parishes since 2016; Shreveport lawyerGregory A. Miller (Class of 1988), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from St. Charles ParishJim Mitchell, Louisiana 30th Judicial District Court judge from 2009 until his death in 2015John Willard "Jack" Montgomery, Minden attorney and state senator from 1968–1972William Henson Moore, United States Representative from 1975 to 1987. Unsuccessful Republican candidate for the United States Senate; Commissioner, Panama Canal Consultative Committee, 1987–1989; Deputy Secretary of Energy, 1989–1992; White House Deputy Chief of Staff, 1992–1993; Professional Advocate.Jay Morris (Class of 1983), Louisiana state representative since 2012 from Ouachita and Morehouse parishesL.D. "Buddy" Napper, state representative from Lincoln Parish from 1952 to 1964Sydney B. Nelson, state senator (1980–1992) from Caddo ParishMike Nerren, state court judge from Bossier and Webster parishesDarrel J. Papillion,(Class of 1994), 2016-2017 President of the Louisiana State Bar Association,John Victor Parker (Class of 1952, 1928-2014), U.S. district judge for the Middle District of Louisiana (1979-2014)James E. Paxton (Class of 1988), district attorney of Louisiana 6th Judicial District (East Carroll, Madison, and Madison parishes)G. Thomas Porteous, United States District Court judge for the Eastern District of LouisianaMike Powell (Class of 1992), former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Caddo and Bossier parishes and former member of the Caddo Parish School Board; Shreveport attorneyO. E. Price (1924–2006, Class of 1949), municipal, district, and state appeal court judge from Bossier CityRandy Roach (born 1951, Class of 1976), lawyer, former state legislator, and mayor of his native Lake Charles since 2000John M. Robinson (born 1949), city judge in Springhill from 1986 to 1999 and 26th judicial district court judge in Bossier and Webster parishes, 1999 to 2014Alvin Benjamin Rubin (1920–1991), Class of 1942, federal judge from 1965 to 1991Mike Schofield (born 1969), member of the Texas House of Representatives from Harris County since 2015Charles R. Scott, (1947-2015), Class of 1971, state court judge in Shreveport from 1982 to 2007 and the Caddo Parish district attorney from 2009 until his death in office on April 22, 2015.Alan Seabaugh (born 1967), Class of 1993, state representative from ShreveportParker Self (Class of 1984) - Judge of the Louisiana 26th Judicial District Court in Bossier and Webster parishes since 2004Andrew L. Sevier (1894–1962, Class of 1921), state senator from TallulahHenry Clay Sevier, state representative from Madison Parish, 1936 to 1952Rob Shadoin (Class of 1975), attorney in Ruston and member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Lincoln and Union parishesJ. Minos Simon (Class of 1946), attorney and legal author in Lafayette, LouisianaFrank P. Simoneaux, attorney in Baton Rouge and member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972 to 1982Tom Stagg, United States District Judge in ShreveportFord E. Stinson, Jr. (Class of 1977), judge of the 26th Judicial District from 1997 to 2014, based in BentonEd Tarpley (Class of 1979), district attorney for Grant Parish from 1991 to 1997Lloyd George Teekell (Class of 1951), state representative from Rapides Parish from 1953 to 1960; judge of the 9th Judicial District Court from 1979 to 1990Wilbert Joseph "Billy" Tauzin, Jr., Member of the United States House of Representatives from 1980 to 2005David William Thomas (Class of 1909), mayor of Minden from 1936 to 1940, lawyer, professor, publisherRisley C. Triche, Louisiana state representative, 1955–1976Ralph E. Tyson, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the Middle District of LouisianaR.B. Walden, director of the Louisiana Department of Hospitals and former mayor of WinnsboroDonald Ellsworth Walter (Class of 1964), U.S. District Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, U.S. attorney for the Western District from 1969 to 1977, based in ShreveportEdwin O. Ware, III (Class of 1951), District attorney for Rapides Parish, 1967-1984W. Scott Wilkinson, Shreveport attorney and member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1920-1924 (D)J. Robert Wooley (Class of 1977), Louisiana Commissioner Insurance from 2000 to 2006; attorney with Adams & Reese in Baton Rouge (D)Monty M. Wyche - judge of the Louisiana 26th Judicial District Court 1969-1988 in Bossier ParishCaptan Jack Wyly - Conservative Democratic political figureHenry L. Yelverton, district and appellate court judge based in Lake CharlesJohn Bel Edwards, (Class of 1999) 56th Governor of Louisiana, 2016- , and former State Representative
