By Maura, Admissions Counselor

If you are not from Los Angeles, moving to this city and searching for housing can be a bit intimidating. Like most metropolitan areas, LA is comprised of many unique neighborhoods with residents who were born and raised in LA as well as new residents moving to follow a dream (like first year law students). Rent in the city can range anywhere from a shared space for $500 a month, to a luxury one bedroom apartment for $1,800 a month. So how do you begin to narrow your options?

Loyola students have complied a HOUSING GUIDE to help you navigate the process of finding a place of live and moving to L.A

Students, faculty, and staff members live ALL over LA. Literally. From the coastline in Santa Monica to the glamour of the Hollywood communities to the more suburban towns of Burbank and Pasadena, Loyolans are spread throughout the county. Two key factors that you should consider when looking for a rental are your housing budget and how much time and money you are willing to devote to commuting. With that said, happy home hunting!

By Sarah, Assistant Director of Admissions

Just a friendly reminder: the deadline for Loyola Law School's first seat deposit of $300 is due on April 30th, 2013. Yes, on April 30th, your check or money order (payable to Loyola Law School), need to be received by the Admissions Office no later than 5pm. Also, please note that the only forms of payment we are able to accept are checks or money orders. We are unable to process cash or credit card payments for this deposit.

Things to keep in mind about the first seat deposit:

1. At Loyola, the first seat deposit is non-binding. This means that you are still able to decline admission to Loyola after this payment if you so choose.

2. This deposit is non-refundable. Unfortunately, we will not be able to refund any part of this deposit should you choose to forfeit your seat at Loyola.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to contact us at the Admissions Office at 213-736-1074.

By Ja'Nelle, Admissions Counselor

Each year, Loyola Law Schools hosts an Admitted Student Preview Day! This year, admitted students will have the opportunity to come to our beautiful campus to soak up all that Loyola Law School has to offer. You recently received an email invitation with information about how to RSVP, but take a moment to review the top 5 reasons to attend Preview Day!

Reason #1: You believe that Loyola Law School is located on the Weschester campus of Loyola Marymount University . This is a commonly held, but incorrect assumption. The Law School campus is actually located in downtown Los Angeles within close proximity to many major law firms and government agencies. Separate from the main campus, the Law School campus occupies a city block while still managing to offer students a campus environment and experience. During Preview Day, you will be able to tour the campus with a current student who will not only be able to tell you where the best study spots are, but where you are most likely to grab a free lunch.

Reason #2: Your knowledge of the law classroom experience is heavily based on Legally Blonde (the movie or musical). We are not saying that everything depicted in Legally Blonde was false. But you may be interested in sitting in on the mock class that will be offered during Preview Day for a more realistic view of the classroom experience that you can expect to have at Loyola.

Reason #3: You are curious about what your experience at LLS will really be like. We will have a number of current Law School students throughout the Preview Day program available to answer any questions you have about their experience as a student here at Loyola. They will be able to speak about balancing class with externship opportunities; or a full-time job and a part-time course load; or full-time courses, participating in a clinic, and balancing a family life. Or if you are from out of town, maybe you have questions about life in Los Angeles? Feel free to come to Preview Day and ask our student representatives any of your pressing questions!

Reason #4: You want to learn more about the academic opportunities and the faculty. Preview Day will provide you with access to some of our distinguished faculty members in formal panel settings as well as informal reception-style settings.

Reason #5: You were offered admission to Loyola and you can't wait until the Fall semester to come to campus. We would love to have you visit before the first day of class! Preview Day is a great opportunity for all of the reasons listed above, as well as a way for you to meet your future classmates.

For any specific questions regarding Preview Day, feel free to contact the Admissions Office at admissions@lls.edu or by phone at 213-736-1074.

By Ja'Nelle, Admissions Counselor

Location, location, location. We've got it here at Loyola Law School for everyone considering Entertainment Law as their ultimate field of practice. We offer three distinct tracks for students interested in pursuing this concentration: entertainment/media transactional law, entertainment/media advocacy law, and sports law. Our tracks have very intensive experiential learning components to them designed to help our students gain practical experience and accelerate their time to employment in the entertainment field.

Why transactional law? Why advocacy? Why not more coursework in understanding the entertainment industry? The reasoning behind this is simple; most "entertainment/media law" employers do not hire directly out of law school, but rather expect their junior attorneys to have had at least one to three years of practice experience, generally at a law firm. Hence, general training as either a transactional/business lawyer or as an advocate is important in getting the first job. But knowledge of the structure and function of the relevant entertainment/media segment and legal issues that often arise in that segment is also an important element in preparing a junior attorney to "hit the ground running" in an entertainment/media law practice. This will help prepare the graduate for the first entertainment/media law job, likely a "lateral" move from the more general position.

Program director, Professor Jay Dougherty provides a great overview of the program elements and requirements in his introductory video located on the entertainment concentration main page.

And for those of you interested in the Sports Law track, please visit the main page for that program here.

By Sarah, Assistant Director of Admissions

In a competitive job market, stellar interview skills can make you stand out among a sea of applicants. Loyola's Office of Career Services provides a multitude of resources to educate students on how to become more adept at networking and job interviews. The Mock Interview Program, held twice every academic year, is one of these valuable opportunities.

This semester's program featured 22 attorneys who led 79 one-on-one mock interviews exclusively for LLS students. Most of the volunteers are alumni and participate in the program annually. Cyrus Shahriari, a third-year student, commented on his experience, "One aspect of the mock interview program that I was very happy about was the opportunity to choose who my interviewer would be, so I could tailor my mock interview to my practice areas of interest."

The Mock Interview Program offers students the opportunity for feedback and tips from a seasoned attorney. In addition, it establishes a safe environment in which to ask questions, prior to the real thing. Another participant, first-year Andreas Booher, said, "The 'debrief' at the end is very helpful, being able to ask the interviewer specific questions about my known weaknesses without the repercussion of not getting a possible job is an opportunity that can't be found anywhere else."

Often, a mock interviewer will continue to mentor students by keeping in contact with them long after the program ends. On occasion, students have made such a good impression during the mock interview that they receive an offer for an actual interview with that attorney's firm. Whether it's for future interviews, networking or maintaining contacts, a mentor's advice can make all the difference in helping a student land the perfect internship.

By Sarah, Assistant Director of Admissions

Taxes are inevitable for the majority of Americans, but for those who study the law, taxation is a dynamic field that is pervasive in practice. Loyola's Tax Law Concentration offers students a thorough grounding in substantive tax law and practical tax lawyering skills. Understanding the tax implications of decisions is invaluable in every area of the law, especially in business, bankruptcy, wills and trusts, and transactional work.

Loyola's tax program, ranked number 7 by US News & World Report, offers a variety of courses, clinics, and externships where students can gain hands-on experience and study areas of taxation law and policy.

The Honors Tax Policy Colloquium gives students a chance to read academic tax papers and engage critically with the authors in a dialogue about their works in progress. Many illustrious academics have graced the program including Professor Edward McCaffrey and Professor Laurence Kotlikoff. Additionally, taxation coursework provides students the opportunity to learn from six full-time academic professors and many adjunct professors who are foremost experts in their field, including Professor Seto who just published a Federal Income Tax textbook.

In addition to studying taxation law in the classroom, Loyola also sponsors several experiential learning opportunities through off campus externships and on-campus clinics, including the Taxpayers Appeals Assistance Program (TAAP) and the Volunteer Income Tax Clinic (VITA). In TAAP, students represent clients in appealing their tax assessment by the California Board of Equalization or the California Franchise Tax Board. Students can put their knowledge to use while participating in administrative trials, negotiations, and settlements. Additionally in VITA, Loyola students gain hands-on experience preparing tax returns for students, elderly and low income individuals.

Whether you prefer to work on cases from the comfort of your desk, or plan to spend your career trying cases in court, Loyola is a great place to explore an interest in Tax Law!

By Art, Senior Admissions and Financial Aid Counselor

5. Check out the Frank Gehry-designed campus!

Whether you love architecture, history, or just unique places to visit, Loyola Law School's campus embodies the idea of Los Angeles. It boasts a central plaza where the community gathers among clusters of contemporary buildings. Walking through the courtyard you will get a feel for Loyola's community and the close connection we have to downtown Los Angeles!

4. Meet admissions counselors!

If you have questions, or would just like to put a face to the name in all the emails you have been getting, Loyola's admissions counselors are happy to meet students! We strive to help all applicants make an informed decision about coming to Loyola!

3. Meet current students!

Want to get an actual student's perspective and hear what law school is really like? Loyola's current students are excited to show prospective students around campus and share what they love about law school life!

2. Great opportunity to visit LA!

Whether you are from out of state and visiting for the first time or live just around the corner, Los Angeles is fun for everyone! From fantastic food, to LA Live and the movie studios, there are plenty of places to visit, people to see and activities to enjoy while you're here!

1. See if you SEE yourself at Loyola!

The best way to find out if a law school is right for you is to visit the campus and find out if you see yourself as a member of the community. In order to do that you have to experience Loyola for yourself. Schedule a visit to LLS today and we can show you what Loyola is all about!

By Maura, Admissions Counselor

Loyola Law students hail from a variety of backgrounds and share many hobbies and ideals. To celebrate their similar interests, Loyola students have formed over 40 student groups.

One such group, the Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF), supports students who dedicate their legal career to assisting the community through public service. Their events raise funds for summer fellowships in the public interest sector while providing a way for Loyola students to get involved in the Los Angeles community.

PILF kicks off its annual Community Service Week in February with a variety of activities that raise money for summer scholarships and nonprofits. The wildly popular Wit of Mandamus Talent Show, held at Exchange LA in downtown Los Angeles, features performances by students and faculty. Student MCs keep the laughs coming while an eclectic lineup of dancers, rappers, singers and bands put on a show. Professor Ides never fails to bring the house down with his band, The Weasels. And that's just the start.

Throughout the week, PILF partners with several outreach organizations to aid an assortment of causes. Students assemble care packages for the troops with Blue Star Mothers, decorate cards for children battling cancer, prepare sandwiches for homeless youth for the Los Angeles Youth Network and make blankets for Venice Community Housing. Every year the Loyola community rallies around PILF to support these deserving recipients in our community.

By Sarah, Assistant Director of Admissions

Students interact with alumni and potential employers regularly throughout their time in law school, so as a result, Loyola focuses on equipping students with the tools to network and gain contacts along the way. The Law School hosted a program called "Orientation II: The Legal Profession and Your Place In It," which gave first-year students an opportunity to garner expertise on networking, professionalism and other practical skills from esteemed faculty, judges and more than 100 alumni.

Held at Loyola on Jan.14 and 15, day and evening students listened to panels on cultivating contacts, capitalizing on the legal market and translating success from the classroom to the office. Students received valuable insider tips on a variety of topics from interviews to expectations in the professional world.

In addition, the large number of alumni in attendance allowed students to practice their new-found networking skills. To reward those who exchanged business cards with alumni, students were entered into a raffle for the chance to win iTunes gift cards and an iPad Mini.

About 16,000 alumni comprise our vast and active network of graduates, and many work at firms nearby in downtown Los Angeles. Many make an effort to stay involved with Loyola by volunteering for the alumni mentoring program and attending networking events on campus. Orientation II provided the opportunity for students to tap into this valuable resource and begin a lasting relationship with some new alumni friends.

By Sarah, Assistant Director of Admissions

Loyola students can choose from myriad courses and externship opportunities based on their unique interests and goals for practice. To help students who have chosen to pursue a particular practice area, Loyola has developed Courses of Study to supplement our 12 Concentration Programs.

Both provide a focused curriculum in specialty practice areas and offer some kind of real-world experience prior to graduation. Concentrations are more formalized programs with required curricula and an assigned faculty adviser. Courses of Study, on the other hand, are less formal curriculum guides. They include Foundational Courses which are recommended to learn the basics in a given field and a wide variety of electives for those seeking to specialize.

More importantly, the new Courses of Study in Family Law, Health Care Law and Law and the Political Process encourage students to enrich their education outside of the classroom. Opportunities for practical learning abound; clinics and externships with nonprofit organizations and law firms are just a few of the options available to students who want to gain real-world experience before graduation. In addition, faculty advisers are available to offer support and chances to network with alumni.

Please browse our website to learn more about the wide variety of subject-matter offered at Loyola.