Nathalie Banoun, LLM 2005 (Paris, France)

A Story of Success!

After receiving her LL.M. at LSU in 2005, Nathalie Banoun was a law clerk for a Louisiana judge; she passed the New York bar exam; and is now living in Switzerland, working as a staff attorney for the Claims Resolution Tribunal. She is another of LSU Law Center's proud boasts.

Ms. Banoun came to LSU from France to pursue her LLM degree in 2004. She graduated in 2005, and was Judge Byron Hebert's law clerk atthe 15th Judicial District Court, Division "C" in the city of Abbeville (Louisiana) for two years. She also passed the New York Bar exam and had a profession training experience in New York. After spending some time in Paris, she moved to Zurich, Switzerland where she accepted a position as a staff attorney for the Claims Resolution Tribunal. The CRT is responsible for processing claims relating to assets deposited in Swiss banks by Victims or Targets of Nazi persecution prior to and during World War II. The official language at work is English, but attorneys also work in French or Hebrew.

Nathalie still keeps a close bond with the LSU Law Center. She treasures her friendship with her LSU professors, especially with Professor Paul Baier.

Nizar Fadhlaoui, LLM 2007 (Lyon, France)

On March 25, 2009, Nizar wrote: "The LLM obtained from the Paul M. Hebert Law center gave a whole new dimension to my career. In effect, right after my graduation, I took and passed the New York Bar and I am now working as a Director of Legal Affairs in England.

Above all, I must say that the "LSU experience" has been a real pleasant human adventure; I met people who became friends as well as business partners.
For Instance, I am regularly dealing with my former room mate Agustin Cerolini ( Associate Attorney at Bruchu in Buenos Aires) for all the transactions in South America and Miami. I also discuss on a regular basis with Dominik Grundger (Attorney in Germany and European Law specialist) for my complex EC law issues such as competition law...
Employers particularly appreciate the fact that one can bring a knowledge as well as an efficient global network.

Pr. Moreteau, Mark Hoch as well as Agustin Parise have been of strong support to all of us and I would like to thank them, once again, for their outstanding dedication."

(Photo: Nizar Fadhlaoui, with Chancellor Emeritus John Costonis at an LLM reception in 2007)

Rodrigo Dellutri, LLM 2008 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

What is it that made your LLM experience at LSU special?

• My experience at the LSU Law Center was memorable. Apart from getting my LLM degree I had the chance to learn from distinguished scholars, to interchange ideas, and to meet a lot of interesting people.

Can you be more specific?

• The environment to study is ideal. The campus has all the facilities you may need, including a great main library and a big sport center. People from Louisiana are very friendly. This was so helpful since I moved to Baton Rouge with my wife. A short period after our arrival she had started different enriching activities. I would recommend LSU as a place to live with your family. In fact, our family history will always be related to LSU, since four months after we came back to our country our first child was born.

May you comment on your activities and special interests whilst at LSU?

• The program gives you the chance to choose the subjects of your interest. So, I was able to delve into the area of Criminal Law and International Law. With some American classmates we founded a student organization called the International Law Society, which was dedicated to discuss issues related to this area of law. It was sponsored by Professor Moreteau, who was always very supportive with the group and with me.

Can you tell us more about your academic achievements?

• The Law Center has one of the best Libraries in America. I would like to highlight the support that I received from its staff, especially from Vicenc Feliu who was always ready to help me with my searches. With all the necessary material I made a research in Human Rights and the environment, which received an Honorable Mention in a Human Rights Essay Award, from American University, Washington D.C., and was recently published at the American University International Law Review. Now I am in process of finishing other works that I hope will be published in the future.

How does your LSU experience impact your present life?

• The quality of the LSU professors and the close relationship that they establish with the students gave me the opportunity to experience the real academic life. The knowledge that I acquired after this intense experience gave me the skills I needed to take the next step in my career at the Judicial Branch in my country. In relation to my academic work I will keep on researching with a special focus in the crossroads between Criminal Law and Human Rights.
  

Our LL.M. becomes a Spring Board to the Louisiana Bar

The Supreme Court of Louisiana amended its rules, making the Bar Exam accessible to foreign lawyers authorized to work lawfully in the United States. Previously, the Louisiana Bar was accessible to US Citizens and Permanent Residents only.

Candidates must provide proof, in addition to full legal training recognized as equivalent to a JD, that they "successfully completed a minimum of 14 semester hours of credits, or the equivalent, in professional law subjects from an American law school, in any of the following categories: Constitutional Law, Contracts, Louisiana Obligations Law, Criminal Law, Corporations or Business Organizations, Evidence, Intellectual Property, Federal Civil Procedure, Louisiana Civil Procedure, Taxation, Uniform Commercial Code, and Torts, provided that no more than 4 credit hours in any one subject shall be counted toward this requirement."LSU LLM students carefully choosing their courses will easily meet this requirement.

Current LLM candidates, with J1 visa status, may remain in the U.S. for up to one year to gain professional experience following the completion of the LLM; this also opening an opportunity to qualify to sit for the Bar Exam. If they pass the exam, they will earn admission to the Louisiana Bar.

LLM Graduates may also qualify if admitted for permanent residence or holding a visa authorizing them to work lawfully in the US.

For more detail, contact Professor Olivier Moréteau at moreteau@lsu.edu