SHREVEPORT, La. — The Southern University Board of Supervisors voted unanimously April 23 to establish a law school in Shreveport, a decision that would give Louisiana its fifth law school and its first in the northern part of the state.
The board, meeting in Shreveport, reviewed a report from an external consultant that documented strong regional demand for legal education and a shortage of legal professionals serving Northwest Louisiana. The resolution authorizes system leadership to move forward with planning, including pursuit of American Bar Association accreditation, program and curriculum development, faculty hiring, and engagement with community and state stakeholders. No opening date has been set.
Board Chairman Tony Clayton called the vote a milestone for the system. “This is a bold and forward-looking decision that reflects our commitment to meeting the educational and workforce needs of Louisiana,” Clayton said. “Establishing a law school in Shreveport strengthens our mission to provide access and opportunity, while positioning the Southern University System to have an even greater impact across the state.”
Southern University Law Center Chancellor Alvin Washington said the expansion aligns with the institution’s core mission. “We are committed to producing practice-ready graduates and increasing access to legal education for students who aspire to serve their communities,” Washington said. “Expanding into Shreveport allows us to do just that.”
The move follows years of groundwork. The Southern University Law Center, based in Baton Rouge and one of the nation’s top-ranked historically Black law schools, previously explored an off-campus instructional site in the Shreveport-Bossier region, with a phased plan that envisioned growing into a full branch campus offering a part-time evening and weekend program for non-traditional students.
The proposed school is expected to draw students from North Louisiana, East Texas and Southwest Arkansas, broadening the pipeline of attorneys serving an area that advocates say has long been underserved by legal education options.
Regional leaders rallied behind the decision. Appellate Judge Shonda Stone, state Sen. Sam Jenkins and attorney Carl Franklin each voiced support, citing the need to expand legal workforce capacity across North Louisiana. Southern University at Shreveport, a two-year institution that has operated in the city since 1967, is part of the same historically Black university system.
Additional details on timelines and implementation are expected as planning advances.