Transfer Students

Transfer students can participate in: Fall and Spring On-Campus Interviews (OCI), the Write-On Competition to be an editor on one of Loyola's three law reviews, the Scott Moot Court Team, the Byrne Trial Team, the Hobbs District Attorney Clinic ("Hobbs Program"), and all the other clinics and program.

In short, everything that is afforded to non-transfer students. In the Fall semester, there are two phases of OCI. The first consists of all of the firms that are commonly referred to as "Big Law." Some firms include: O'Melveny & Myers, Jones Day, Ernst & Young, and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher among many others. This phase of OCI occurs in early-August. The second phase of OCI consists of small and medium-sized firms. The Career Services office also offers help with resumes, cover letters, and mock interviewing. They also regularly notify students of career-oriented events and job postings through Symplicity. 

At Loyola, there are three different law reviews: Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review, and Loyola of Los Angeles International & Comparative Law Review. As a transfer student, you will be asked whether you would like to "write-on" to law review upon enrollment. If you say "yes," you will be given a packet with the write-on materials. Included in the write-on materials is the option of which law reviews you would like to apply to. You can apply to all three or select one. From the day you pick up the packet, you will be given 10 days to read all of the materials, write an article, and complete the Bluebook exercise. A team of law review senior editors will review your submissions.  The law reviews will extend invitations to students.  Transfer students compete against other transfer students and it is not uncommon for more than one transfer student to make it on to each law review.

To be eligible for the Scott Moot Court Competition, which only takes place in the Spring semester of your second year of law school, you must enroll in the Appellate Advocacy course during the Fall semester of your second year (your first semester at Loyola). You also must receive a grade of at least a "B" in that class for eligibility in the competition. In the competition, students are given an appellate problem for which they must write a judged research brief and participate in a judged oral argument representing both sides. The top four oralists compete for the award of "Best Oralist." At the end of the competition, the author of the "Best Brief," and the student with the highest combined score of the brief and oral argument or "Best Advocate," will also be recognized. The top 16 finalists serve as the Scott Moot Court Honors Board for the following year. They will serve as teaching assistants to the Intro to Appellate Advocacy classes. The Board consists of a Chief Justice, 4 Associate Justices, and 11 members that make up Loyola's 3 competitive teams. The teams participate in three off-campus competitions: Jessup International Moot Court Competition, National Moot Court Competition, and the ABA Competition. 

The Byrne Trial Advocacy Team is a nationally ranked competitive mock trial team where talented second-, third- and fourth-year students have the opportunity to receive extensive, individualized training in all aspects of trial advocacy. Students earn 6 units for the first year on the team and 4 units for subsequent years. Each year, team members are selected based on an intramural competition held at the end of the spring semester. Team members represent the school in a series of regional and national mock trial competitions including the National Trial Competition, the AAJ Student Trial Competition and the NITA Tournament of Champions. The tournaments involve both civil and criminal cases; students are trained to conduct all aspects of a jury trial including opening statement, direct examination, cross examination and closing argument, as well as evidentiary arguments to a judge. To become a member of the team, you can complete the online application on the Byrne Trial Advocacy website. The competition consists of 3 rounds.  Students will also be interviewed by the coaches.  At the conclusion of the final round the judges will rank the students. The top students will be invited to join the Byrne Trial Team. If one of the selected students is unable or unwilling to join the team, the next ranked alternate will be offered the position until all positions are filled.

The Hobbs DA Clinic is a two-semester program that consists of taking a special Trial Advocacy class during the first semester taught by the director of both the Hobbs Program and Byrne Trial Team, Professor Susan Poehls. The second semester consists of externing in a branch of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to gain hands-on experience arguing before a court.  To audition for this program, the student should have completed Evidence prior to beginning the program. Thus, if you are interested in auditioning, it is recommended that you enroll in Evidence during your Fall semester.

Loyola mandatory classes include: Constitutional Law, Evidence, and Ethical Lawyering. It is advisable that students avoid taking Con Law and Evidence during the same semester.  Transfer students should keep in mind the amount of pass/fail units available. Because transfer students' 1L units transfer from their previous school as pass/fail units, they are afforded 13 pass/fail units for their remaining law school career.  Keep in mind externships, clinics, law review and any other programs or classes that require pass/fail units. Some of these options allow the ability to participate for no units but if the student exceeds 13 pass/fail units, you must take additional graded units to make up for this.