SOUTHERN UNIVERSITYLAW CENTER
P. O. BOX9294
BATON ROUGE,LOUISIANA 70813
Telephone: (225) 771-2552
Fax: (225) 771-2474
ABA Approved Since 1953
On October 22, 1946, the State of LouisianaBoard of Education approved the report and recommendation of a
committee of the State Board of Education for the establishment of a law school
at Southern University, Baton Rouge.
In September 1947, the Southern University School of Law was officially opened.
Accredited by the American Bar Association, the Supreme
Court of Louisiana, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary
Schools, the Law Center maintains a high standard of
professional education. It is fully approved by the Veterans Administration for
the training of eligible veterans. The Southern University Law Center adheres
to the principle of equal opportunity without regard to race, sex, color,
creed, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status.
Library and Physical Facilities: The Law Center is housed in the A.A. Lenoir Hall, named after
the first dean of the originally established School of Law.
The LawCenter is undergoing a
$4.1 million expansion. Classrooms are renovated and new seating is retrofitted
with computer/multimedia capabilities in all classrooms. The increase in the
physical plant of the LawCenter will include three
new classrooms, four seminar rooms, additional space for library stacks, three
restrooms, faculty offices, and a faculty lounge. The expansion will give A.A.
Lenoir Hall a total area of approximately 101,646 square feet.
The LawCenter has established
the Institute for Civil Rights with plans for establishing other Centers for
Legal Studies. The LawCenter has an outstanding
Clinical Education program. A fully equipped law office within the Law Center
enables students to develop lawyering skills by representing indigent clients
in court and before administrative agencies.
The Law Library is housed in the Law Center
building and contains over 450,000 volumes of legal materials. These materials
have been carefully selected to offer a basic working collection for both students
and faculty. Systematic additions to the collection are being made in
accordance with a definite program of growth. The Law Library consists of two
large reading rooms, two large computer aided research rooms, computer lab,
microform area, five group study rooms and a special Civil Rights reading room.
Special arrangements have been made with the Louisiana
State University Library, which has one of the largest collections of Anglo‑American
and civil law materials in the South, to make its resources available for
research purposes through the Southern University Law Library.
The LawCenter subscribes to
WESTLAW and LEXIS‑NEXIS computerized legal research databases. Training
sessions are conducted each semester by library staff to assist students in the
proper utilization of the databases.
Basic Program of Study/Degree Requirements: The program of study is designed to give students a
comprehensive knowledge of both the civil law and common law. While emphasis is
given to the substantive and procedural law of Louisiana with its French and Spanish
origins, Anglo‑American law is strongly integrated into the curriculum.
Fundamental differences in method and approach and the results reached in the
two systems are analyzed.
The civil law system of Louisiana offers the law student a unique
educational opportunity. The program of instruction examines the historical
background of the civil law system and its development in the Anglo‑American
setting.
Students are trained in the art of advocacy, legal
research, and the sources and social purposes of legal principles. Techniques
to discipline the students' minds in legal reasoning are an integral part of
the educational objectives of the LawCenter. Students are
instructed in the ethics of the legal profession and the professional
responsibility of the lawyer to society.
The three‑year curriculum is based upon the
standard professional courses usually given in member schools of the ABA. It requires the
satisfactory completion of at least 96 semester hours including required
courses. The curriculum further requires a full six semesters of residence. Any
study undertaken in a summer session shall not count toward residence
requirements. Electives have been integrated as part of the curriculum, and
students are required to take courses specified for the respective years.
Activities:
The Student Bar Association, an affiliate of the American Law Student
Association, is a self‑governing organization that receives the full
cooperation of the LawCenter faculty and to
which a member of the faculty is appointed as adviser. Any student in good
standing enrolled in the LawCenter is eligible for
membership in the association. The purpose of the association is to promote the
general welfare of the LawCenter, encourage among
its members high scholarship, and cultivate rapport and cooperation among the
students, faculty, and members of the legal profession.
The LawCenter publishes a law
review. A board of editors composed of students with high academic standing
edits the publication. At the present time, two issues a year are published.
Third year law students are eligible to enroll in the
Clinical Education Program, which allows students to handle cases under the
direct supervision of a full‑time faculty member of the Law Center.
Admission: The
Law Center does not prescribe any prelegal
courses but strongly recommends a foundation in such courses as English,
Speech, Political Science, History, Economics, Psychology, Logic, Mathematics,
Analytical Courses, and Science. It will be necessary for such students to show
satisfactory improvement in order to remain in the Law Center.
Students beginning the study of law are admitted only
in the fall semester. The LawCenter operates a full‑time
day and part‑time day/evening program. To be considered for admission, an
applicant must have received a bachelor's degree from an approved college or
university and must have received an acceptable score on the LSAT. Applicants
are advised to take the LSAT prior to the deadline test date of the expected
year of enrollment. Under no circumstance will a score received on the test
administered more than three years prior to the anticipated date of acceptance
be considered. A $25 application fee will be required for all applicants
applying for admission. All applications for admission are reviewed by a
special committee. Among the factors considered by the committee, in addition
to those stated above, are cumulative undergraduate grade point average, work
experience or military service, and past pursuits. Social and economic
background, ability to analyze and write well as demonstrated by the written
portion of the LSAT and personal statement, and extracurricular activities are
also considered. An applicant must have good moral character.
Completed application forms, in addition to two letters
of recommendation and one copy of an official transcript, should be filed with
the Admissions Office during the fall semester prior to the year in which
admission is sought. The application deadline for full‑time day is
February 28. The application deadline for part‑time day/evening is May 1.
Expenses and Financial Aid: Tuition for residents of Louisiana is $3,730 per semester. The
tuition for nonresident students is $6,030 per semester. Part‑time day
fees range from approximately $1,872 to $2,649. Part‑time evening fees
range from approximately $3,040 to $3,096.
Applicants seeking loans under the State Financial
Assistance Act should apply to the Financial Aid Office, Southern University
Law Center. Short‑term loans to meet emergency needs are available from
the Law Center loan fund. All students are
expected to pay the required fees on the day of registration.
Housing:
Limited dormitory accommodations are available for law students. All students
desiring to live in campus housing are required to submit an application to the
Housing Office, in addition to a security deposit of $50. Applications should
be made to the Director of Housing, Southern University, as early as possible.
Placement: A
placement office assists students and alumni in obtaining meaningful employment
opportunities. Information on part‑time employment before graduation is
available through this office. Assistance is also given in job‑seeking
skills and interviewing techniques.
Correspondence:
Inquiries should be addressed to Office of Admissions, Southern University Law
Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70813.
Phone (225) 771‑5340 or 1‑800‑537‑1135.
Chancellor:
Freddie Pitcher, Jr. (225) 771‑2552
Executive Assistant to the Chancellor:
Ruth Bailey Wesley (225) 771‑2552
Vice Chancellor for Inst. Accountability & Evening
Div.:
John K. Pierre (225) 771‑2552
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs:
Russell Jones (225) 771‑3776
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs:
Roederick White (225) 771‑2552
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Support & Counseling:
Berryl Gordon‑Thompson (225) 771‑4913
Assoc. Vice Chancellor for Records & Enrollment
Management:
Elaine Simmons (225) 771‑5340
Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance:
Bertell Dixon (225) 771‑2506
Financial Aid Director:
Jerome Harris (225) 771‑2141
Director of Law Library:
Ruth Hill (225) 771‑2139
Coordinator of Admissions:
Velma Wilkerson (225) 771‑5340
Director of Recruitment:
Andrea Love (225) 771‑5340
FULL TIME FACULTY
FREDDIE PITCHER, JR., (Chancellor),
born Baton Rouge, Louisiana, April 28, 1945; admitted to bar, 1973, Louisiana. Education:
Southern University (B.A., 1966; J.D., 1973). COURSES: ADR,
Negotiation's, Torts, Pretrial Litigation, Trial Advocacy. Email:
fpitcher.sulc.edu
ANGELA ALLEN‑BELL, (Visiting Assistant Professor, Legal Analysis and
Writing), Education:
Northwestern State University (B.S., 1992); Southern University LawCenter (J.D., 1998). COURSES:
Legal Writing and Analysis. Email: aallen‑bell@sulc.edu
RUBY ANDREW, (Assistant Professor of Law),
Education: Brown University (A.B., 1988); Boston
University Schoolof Law (J.D., 1992). COURSES:
Intellectual Property, Legislative Drafting. Email:
randrew@sulc.edu
STEVE V. BARBRE, (Associate Professor of Law), born New Orleans, Louisiana, March 19, 1947; admitted
to bar, 1976, Louisiana. Education: University
of Wisconsin (B.A., 1972); University of Chicago (J.D., 1975). COURSES:
Corporations, Commercial Paper, Securities Regulation, Legal History, Special
Problems in Business Law.
CLEVELAND COON, (Assistant Professor), born Monroe, Louisiana,
October 8, 1954; admitted to bar, 1981, Louisiana.
Education: Southern University (B.S., 1976); Southern University Law
Center (J.D., 1981); Tulane University
(L.L.M., 2004). COURSES: Civil Procedure, Trusts and Environmental
Justice.
ERNEST S. EASTERLY, III, (Professor of Law), born Denham Springs, Louisiana,
December 3, 1952; admitted to bar, 1978, Louisiana.
Education: Louisiana State University
(B.A., 1973; Ph.D., 1980; J.D., 1977); Salzburg University
(D.E.S., 1981). COURSES: International Law, Comparative Law,
Mineral Rights, Federal Jurisdiction and Procedure, Louisiana Sales and Leases.
CHRISTIAN P. FASULLO, (Assistant Clinical Professor), born Baton Rouge, Louisiana, October 14, 1970;
admitted to bar, 1999, Louisiana. Education: Louisiana
State University
(B.S., 1993; 1995); Southern University
Law Center
(J.D., 1999); Southern Methodist Universityof Law (L.L.M., 2000). COURSES:
Tax.
LINDA C. FOWLER, (Associate Professor), born McComb, Mississippi, February 26, 1950; admitted
to bar, 1985, Louisiana. Education: Louisiana StateUniversity (B.A., 1973;
J.D., 1984). COURSES: Legal Writing, Legal Research. Email:
lfowler@sulc.edu
MAURICE FRANKS, (Professor of Law), born Chicago, Illinois, April
11, 1942; admitted to bar, 1968, Louisiana;
1968, Tennessee.
Education: Universityof Memphis (B.S., 1966;
J.D., 1968). COURSES: Family Law, Conflict of Laws, Antitrust
Law, Constitutional Law, Agency and Partnership.
MICHELLE WARD GHETTI, (Professor of Law), born Baton Rouge, Louisiana, August 8, 1953; admitted to bar, 1983,
Texas; 1988, Louisiana. Education: Louisiana
State University
(B.S., 1978; J.D., 1983); Southern MethodistUniversity. COURSES:
Criminal Procedure, Professional Responsibility (Ethics), Evidence, Trial Advocacy
and Contracts. Email: Michghetti@yahoo.com
SHENEQUA LAGWAN GREY, (Assistant Professor of Law), born Lake Providence, Louisiana, June 19, 1973;
admitted to bar, 2000, District of Columbia; 2001, Louisiana. Education:
University of Louisiana
(B.G.S., 1997); Southern University Law Center (J.D., cum laude, 2000); Temple University
‑ Beasley School of Law (LL.M., Anticipated 2009). COURSES:
Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Trial Advocacy. Email: sgrey@sulc.edu
STANLEY A. HALPIN, JR., (Professor of Law), Education: University
of Southwestern Louisiana (B.A.,
1964); Tulane University
(J.D., 1965); GeorgeWashington University
(Ph.D., 1978). COURSES: Constitutional Law, Federal Jurisdiction
and Procedure, Human Rights, Criminal Procedure, Civil Procedure, Employment
Discrimination. Email: shalpin@sulc.edu
RUTH J. HILL, (Director, Library Services and Associate Professor of Law), born Austin,Texas, October 27, 1947. Education:
University of Texas
at Austin (B.A., 1970); University of Memphis
(M.S.L.S., 1979); University of Tennessee at Knoxville
(J.D., 1984). COURSES: Legal Research, Advanced Legal Research. Email:
rhill@sulc.edu
DOROTHY F. JACKSON, (Assistant Clinical Professor, Elder Law Clinic), born Shreveport, Louisiana, April 29, 1963; admitted to bar, 1991, Louisiana. Education:
Louisiana Tech
University (B.A., 1986); Southern University Law Center
(J.D., 1990). COURSES: Clinical Education.
REGINA RAMSEY JAMES, (Visiting Assistant Professor, Legal Analysis and
Writing), born Hammond,
Louisiana, February 28; admitted to bar, 1996,
Louisiana. Education:
Southwestern Adventist College (1989); Southeastern Louisiana
University (B.A., 1993); Southern University Law Center
(J.D., 1996). COURSES: Legal Analysis & Writing and Oral
Advocacy. Email: rrjames@sulc.edu
RUSSELL L. JONES, (Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs and Professor of
Law), born Wisner,
Louisiana, June 18, 1953; admitted to bar,
1982, Louisiana.
Education: NortheastLouisiana University
(B.A., 1974); Southern University (J.D., 1982; LL.M., 1992). COURSES:
Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence.
VIRGINIA B. LISTACH, (Assistant‑Director, Clinical Education &
Assistant Clinical Law Professor),
born Shreveport, Louisiana,
May 29, 1960; admitted to bar, 1988, Louisiana.
Education: Shippensburg University (B.A., 1982); Southern University LawCenter (J.D., 1988). COURSES:
Clinical Education (Administrative/Civil Law), Legal Writing, Trial Advocacy,
Moot Court Seminar. Email: vlistach@sulc.edu
OLLIVETTE MENCER, (Professor),
born Baton Rouge, Louisiana, April 24, 1953; admitted to bar, 1983, Louisiana. Education:
Southern University (B.S., 1974): Louisiana
State University
(M.Ed., 1979); Southern UniversityLaw Center
(J.D., 1983). COURSES: Social Legislation, Contracts, Family Law,
Obligations.
JACQUELINE A. NASH, (Assistant Clinical Law Professor), born Shreveport, Louisiana, February 13, 1959; admitted to bar, 1983, Louisiana. Education:
Southern University A&M College
(B.A., 1980); Southern UniversityLaw School
(J.D., 1983). COURSES: Clinical Education (Juvenile Law Clinic),
Juvenile Justice. Email: jnash@sulc.edu
NADIA E. NEDZEL, (Professor of Law), born Chicago, Illinois, October, 26,
1954; admitted to bar, 1998, Louisiana.
Education: Northwestern University (B.A., 1977; L.L.M., 1997); Loyola at
New Orleans
(J.D., 1995). COURSES: Contracts, Civil Procedure, International
Business Transactions, Obligations, Sales & Leases. Email:
nnedzel@sulc.edu
DONALD W. NORTH, (Director, Clinical Education & Associate
Professor of Law), born Mobile, Alabama, March 9,
1958; admitted to bar, 1984, Louisiana.
Education: Grambling State University
(A.S.; B.S., 1980); Southern UniversityLaw School
(J.D., 1983). COURSES: Clinical Education, Professional
Responsibility, Criminal Law, Evidence, Social Legislation. Email:
dnorth@sulc.edu
OKECHUKWU OKO, (Professor of Law), born
Awka, Nigeria, November 12, 1958; admitted to bar, 1982, Supreme Court of Nigeria;
1994, Louisiana. Education: University
of Nigeria (LL.B., 1981; LL.M., 1985);
Yale Law School
(LL.M., 1989; J.S.D., 1992). COURSES: Commercial Paper, Comparative
Law, Corporations, Criminal Law. Email: okoko@sulc.edu
JUDITH PERHAY, (Professor of Law), born Cleveland, Ohio, April
25, 1949; admitted to bar, 1985, Louisiana.
Education: John Carroll University
(B.A., 1970); Loyola University School
of Law (J.D., 1985); Tulane University
School of Law (LL.M., Energy & Environment,
2000). COURSES: Torts, Toxic Torts, International Environmental
Law. Email: jperhay@sulc.edu
CYNTHIA PICOU, (Professor of Law), born West
Feliciana, Louisiana, December 20, 1943; admitted to bar, 1970, Louisiana. Education:
Louisiana State University
(B.A., 1965; J.D., 1970). COURSES: Successions and Donations,
Torts, Bankruptcy, Civil Procedure, Obligations. Email:
cpicou@sulc.edu
JOHN K. PIERRE, (Vice Chancellor, Institutional Accountability & Evening Program), born Loreauville, Louisiana, March 10, 1959; admitted
to bar, 1986, Texas; 1990, Louisiana. Education: Southern University and
A&M College
(B.S., 1980); Texas Tech University
(M.S., 1982); Southern MethodistUniversity (J.D., 1985). COURSES:
Commercial Paper, Tax Law, Contracts, Security Devices. Email:
jpierre@sulc.edu
PAUL ANTHONY RACE, (Assistant Professor of Law), born Iowa City, Iowa, June 23, 1959; admitted to bar,
1997, North Carolina. Education: Rice
University (B.A., 1981); University of Texas (M.D., 1985); Duke University
School of Law (J.D., 1997). COURSES: Torts, Health Law, Urban Legal
Issues, Constitutional Law, Agency & Partnership. Email:
prace@sulc.edu
THOMAS E. RICHARD, (Professor of Law), born Springhill, Louisiana, August
28, 1950; admitted to bar, 1976, Louisiana.
Education: LouisianaState University
(B.A., 1972; J.D., 1975). COURSES: Torts, Sports Law, Insurance,
Alternative Dispute Resolution, Basic Civil Procedure. Email:
trichard@sulc.edu
WINSTON RIDDICK, (Professor of Law), born Crowley, Louisiana,
February 11, 1941; admitted to bar, 1974, Louisiana. Education: University of SouthwesternLouisiana (B.A., 1962); University
of North Carolina (M.A., 1964); Columbia University
(Ph.D., 1973); LouisianaState University
(J.D., 1973). COURSES: Advanced Constitutional Law,
Administrative Law, Insurance Law, Mineral Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution.
ALFREDA A. SELLERS‑DIAMOND, (Professor of Law), born Baton Rouge, Louisiana, September 3, 1954; admitted to bar, 1986,
Louisiana. Education: Louisiana
State University
(B.M., 1976; M.Ed., 1978; J.D., 1986); Columbia University
(LL.M., 1993). COURSES: Constitutional Law, Products Liability,
Federal Rules & Jurisdiction, Basic Civil Procedure. Email:
adiamond@sulc.edu
WENDY SHEA, (Visiting Assistant Professor, Legal Analysis and Writing), Education: University of Mary (B.A., 1998); Valparaiso University School
of Law (J.D., 2003). COURSES: Legal Writing and Analysis. Email:
wshea@sulc.edu
ARTHUR E. STALLWORTH, (Professor of Law), born Mobile, Alabama,
December 9, 1950; admitted to bar, 1976, Louisiana.
Education: VanderbiltUniversity (B.A., 1975);
Southern University (J.D., 1975). COURSES: Louisiana Civil Procedure, Basic Civil
Procedure. Email: astall@sulc.edu
GAIL S. STEPHENSON, (Director, Legal Analysis & Writing and Assistant
Professor of Law), born New Orleans,
Louisiana, August 25, 1955; admitted to bar, 1984, Louisiana. Education:
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
(B.A., 1976); LouisianaState University
(J.D., 1984). COURSES: Legal Writing. Email:
gstephenson@sulc.edu
MARK THURMOND, (Associate Professor), Education:
Louisiana State University
(B.S., 1985); Duke University School of Law (J.D., 1993). COURSES:
Agency and Partnership, Intellectual Property. Email:
mthurmond@sulc.edu
SHAWN D. VANCE, (Assistant Professor, Legal Writing and Analysis), born Baton Rouge, Louisiana, January 29, 1971;
admitted to bar, 1996, Louisiana. Education: Southern University and A&M College
(B.S., 1993); Southern University Law Center
(J.D., 1996); GeorgetownUniversity LawCenter (L.L.M., 1999). COURSES:
Legal Writing. Email: svance@sulc.sus.edu
ALVIN WASHINGTON, (Assistant Clinical Law Professor), born Shreveport, Louisiana, June 23, 1961; admitted to bar, 1987, Louisiana. Education:
Grambling State
University (B.A., 1983); Southern University Law Center
(J.D., 1978). COURSES: Mediation Clinic, Alternate Dispute
Resolution. Email: awashington@sulc.edu
PRENTICE L. WHITE, (Assistant Professor), born New Orleans, Louisiana, October 6, 1969; admitted
to bar, 1996, Louisiana. Education: Xavier University
(B.A., 1991); Southern University (J.D., 1995). COURSES: Legal
Writing and Oral Advocacy, Statutory Analysis, Agency & Partnership.
ROEDERICK CAMERON WHITE, (Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs and
Professor of Law), born Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, August 13, 1961; admitted to bar, 1992, Michigan. Education:
Southern University (B.S., 1985); WayneState University
(M.B.A., 1987; J.D., 1992). COURSES: Constitutional Law, Ethics,
Contracts, Conflict of Laws.
EVELYN L. WILSON, (Professor of Law), born Parkersburg, West Virginia, July 7, 1949; admitted to bar, 1983,
Louisiana. Education: Oberlin College (A.B., 1971); University
of Utah (M.S., 1975); Louisiana State University
(J.D., 1983). COURSES: Federal Rules and Jurisdiction and Civil
Law Property, Succession, Basic Civil Procedure. Email:
ewilson@sulc.edu
TRACIE WOODS, (Visiting Assistant Professor, Legal Analysis and Writing), Education: Southern University (B.S., 1983); Atlanta University
(M.B.A., 1986); IndianaUniversity School
of Law (J.D., 1995). COURSES: Legal Analysis and Writing. Email:
twoods@sulc.edu