Why Southern University?
Southern University Law Center is a historically Black law school with a strong emphasis on Louisiana Civil Law and a mission to provide access and opportunity to diverse students.
Southern University is a broadly accessible JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 59.7%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.15 GPA and 146 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 2.86–3.48 GPA and 144–148 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 292 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, DC — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. Southern University admitted few or zero transfer students in the most recent reporting cycle — transfer-in slots are extremely limited.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- Unranked
- Not numerically ranked by US News
- Median GPA
- 3.15
- 25th–75th: 2.86–3.48
- Median LSAT
- 146
- 25th–75th: 144–148
- Acceptance rate
- 59.7%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 292
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 0
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
Top employment markets
- 1Louisiana
- 2Texas
- 3Washington, DC
Where the most recent graduating class concentrated employment, per the school's ABA 509 employment summary. Use this as a signal of where the alumni network and OCI recruiting pipeline are strongest.
Signature clinics
Clinical programs that define Southern University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Southern University" essay where they align with your interests.
- SULC Law ClinicProvides hands-on legal training to students while offering free legal services to underserved communities in civil matters like family law, juvenile defense, and elder law.
- Technology and Entrepreneurship Law ClinicOffers free legal services related to trademark and patent law, entity formation, and regulatory issues for entrepreneurs, non-profits, and inventors with limited resources.
- Civil, Administrative, and Family Law ClinicExposes students to the everyday practice of law in civil, administrative, and family law, including client interviews, drafting, and trial preparation.
- Criminal Law ClinicRepresents indigent defendants charged with misdemeanors and felonies, exposing students to the entire criminal process from arraignment to trial.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Southern University Law Review— General law review publishing exceptional legal scholarship and fostering legal research, writing, and analysis skills.
- Journal of International Law, Business, and Policy (JILBP)— Focuses on the intersecting fields of international law, international business, and global policy.
- Journal of Race, Gender & Poverty— Aims to provoke critical thinking and discussion on issues affecting race, gender, and poverty, and to serve as an outlet for alternative legal writing.
Faculty highlights
Well-known faculty grouped by primary specialty. If a professor's scholarship aligns with your interests, name them in your essay and reference a specific paper or course.
Professor of Law
- Deleso A. Alford
- Angela A. Allen-Bell
- Ruby Andrew
Clinical Professor
- Marcia Burden
Associate Clinical Professor
- Kelly G. Carmena
Distinguished Jurist Professor
- Janice Clark
International Law
- Okechukwu Oko· also Lawyering in Developing Societies
Academic Counselor and Instructor of Law
- Courtney Richardson
Academic Counselor and Instructor of Law/Coordinator of Legal Analysis and Writing
- Jessica Sparks
What makes Southern University distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Offers Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration (JD/MPA) and Juris Doctor/MBA joint degree options.
- ·Provides certificate programs in Public Law and Tax Law, allowing students to specialize in these areas.
- ·Emphasizes a curriculum grounded in both classroom experience and real-world opportunities, with a focus on developing 'practice-ready' lawyers.
- ·Has a rich legacy as one of the top-ranked historically Black law schools, committed to diversity and community engagement.
- ·Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana's capital city, offering unique opportunities for interaction with state government, agencies, and courts.
Using this for your "Why Southern University" essay
Strong "Why X Law School" essays are concrete and specific to the school — not interchangeable templates. Use these facts to anchor your essay, then layer on what you've found from the school's own faculty pages, clinical program descriptions, and journal listings.
Important note: admissions committees actively reject AI-written personal statements and "Why X" essays. Use this page as research material to write your own essay — never as a template to copy. Authentic, specific, personally-grounded reasoning is the only thing that wins these essays.
Frequently asked about Southern University
What is the median GPA and LSAT at Southern University?▾
Southern University's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.15 and a median LSAT of 146. The 25th–75th percentile range was 2.86–3.48 GPA and 144–148 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is Southern University's acceptance rate?▾
Southern University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 59.7%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does Southern University offer?▾
Southern University's notable clinical programs include: SULC Law Clinic, Technology and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, Civil, Administrative, and Family Law Clinic, Criminal Law Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does Southern University publish?▾
Southern University's notable student-edited journals include: Southern University Law Review, Journal of International Law, Business, and Policy (JILBP), Journal of Race, Gender & Poverty.
Where do Southern University graduates work?▾
Southern University graduates concentrate employment in Louisiana, Texas, Washington, DC, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
Schools similar to Southern University
Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.
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- https://www.sulc.edu/clinics
- https://www.sulc.edu/academics/journals
- https://www.sulc.edu/faculty
- https://www.sulc.edu/academics/degree-programs
- https://www.sulc.edu/academics/certificate-programs
Generated from public sources via search-grounded AI on 4/27/2026. If any fact looks wrong, click through to verify and let us know.