Tulane Law's Online Programs Celebrate 10th Anniversary

For a decade, Tulane University Law School has been redefining how legal education reaches working professionals.

What began in 2015 with a single online Master of Jurisprudence (MJ) in Labor & Employment Law has grown into a nationally recognized portfolio of graduate programs that has educated professionals across the country while extending Tulane Law's reach far beyond New Orleans. Designed for professionals whose careers increasingly intersect with the law, the Tulane Law Online programs have empowered leaders to navigate complex legal and regulatory challenges without pursuing a Juris Doctor.

Today, Tulane offers online Master of Jurisprudence degrees in Labor & Employment Law, Energy Law and Environmental Law, serving professionals in industries ranging from human resources, labor organizing, facilities and operations management, healthcare and manufacturing to health and safety compliance, environmental consulting, government and business.  

"Our online programs give working professionals not only legal knowledge, but also the tools and confidence to understand the law, navigate complex regulatory environments, and make informed decisions that strengthen their organizations and industries,” said law Dean Marcilynn Burke. “Over a decade, we have seen that exceptional teaching, meaningful faculty engagement, and a strong academic community help these professionals to thrive in the classroom and in their careers.” 

Founded in 2016 by inaugural director Professor Joel Friedman, the Labor & Employment Law program was the first of its kind at Tulane. It graduated its inaugural class in 2018, and since then, more than 1000 students have enrolled in the various programs offered. 

In 2021, law school expanded its online offerings with the addition of the Energy Law and Environmental Law programs, and the following year, with Friedman’s retirement, then-law Dean David Meyer appointed Professor Saru Matambanadzo, the Moise S. Steeg, Jr. Associate Professor of Law, to serve as the Senior Director of Online Legal Education.

"Tulane law is a real innovator in this space. Over the past decade, our targeted online programs have demonstrated that the same kind of exceptional world-class legal education we provide to our J.D. students can reach legal professionals wherever they are," said Matambanadzo. “We're proud of the impact our graduates are making in their organizations and communities across the country."

Learn more about the programs.

Unlike traditional law degrees designed to prepare attorneys, Tulane's Master of Jurisprudence programs are tailored for professionals whose work requires a sophisticated understanding of the law. Students learn directly from Tulane Law faculty and experienced practitioners through asynchronous simulations, live online classes, interactive discussions and applied coursework focused on solving real-world legal and regulatory challenges.

For many graduates, the impact of the program is measured less by the diploma they receive than by the opportunities it creates.

Labor & Employment Law alumna Becca Ingman said the program directly accelerated her professional trajectory. Shortly after completing the curriculum, she earned a senior leadership position at her organization, where she now partners with executive leadership on high-impact decisions.

"The depth of legal understanding I gained, particularly around federal and California labor laws, has earned me credibility and trust at that level," said Ingman, who received an award from MJ faculty for having one of the best capstone papers in her cohort. "Tulane gave me not just knowledge, but confidence, the kind that changes how you lead, influence and advocate."

She credits the program with sharpening her legal reasoning, strengthening her ability to identify compliance and risk issues and fundamentally changing how she approaches leadership.

For alumna LaKeshia Taylor, who enrolled in the MJ Energy Law program after more than two decades as a mechanical engineer and engineering leader, the transformation came from seeing familiar challenges through an entirely new lens.

"The MJ program transformed how I approach my career by expanding my perspective beyond engineering and strengthening my understanding of the legal and policy considerations that influence the energy industry," Taylor said. "Tulane's MJ program showed me that the most impactful leaders don't stay within the boundaries of a single discipline; they build bridges between them."

Taylor received an award from the program as well – The MJ Spirit Award—given to a student who gives back to the Tulane community in exceptional ways through service and peer mentorship. 

Although students complete the majority of their coursework online, the programs intentionally create opportunities for meaningful personal and professional connections. One hallmark is the annual Immersion Weekend, an executive-style experience that brings students from across the country to Tulane's Uptown campus. Required once during each student's academic time in the program, the two-day event combines faculty lectures, networking opportunities, industry panels and a distinctly New Orleans experience that transforms virtual classmates into lifelong professional colleagues.

As the programs enter their second decade, Matambanadzo said Tulane remains committed to evolving alongside the industries it serves. She plans to work with the faculty and university leadership to offer new specializations that will support a variety of legal professionals in regulatory and compliance fields. New workplace regulations, environmental policy developments and the rapidly changing energy sector continue to shape the curriculum, ensuring graduates leave prepared to address the increasingly complex legal and regulatory issues facing their organizations.

Over the past 10 years, Tulane's online Master of Jurisprudence programs have become more than an innovative educational offering. They have helped executives make more informed decisions, engineers navigate regulatory landscapes, HR leaders confidently advise their organizations and professionals across a wide range of industries become more strategic, effective leaders, all while continuing to build their careers.

"Our online programs embody what Tulane Law does best," Matambanadzo said. "They combine academic rigor with practical application, connect students with extraordinary faculty and industry leaders, and create a community that extends far beyond our campus. We look forward to building on that legacy for many years to come."