University of Maryland School of Law
University of Maryland
University of Maryland School of Law
500 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
www.law.umaryland.edu
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
M. Teresa Schmiedeler
Director, Pro Bono & Public Service Initiatives
University of Maryland School of Law
500 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
tschmiedeler@law.umaryland.edu
410-706-2080
A.J. Bellido de Luna
Managing Director, Clinical Law Program and Clinical Instructor
(410) 706-3037
abellidodeluna@law.umaryland.edu
Category Type
Public Service Graduation Requirement Program
Description of Program
Service to vulnerable populations is not simply an aspiration; it is a requirement. Under the Cardin Requirement, all full-time students must take courses that connect theoretical study with legal services on behalf of people and communities without access.
The University of Maryland School of Law recently developed a voluntary pro bono and community service initiative for law students. This public service initiative has been introduced to the incoming students in the fall of 2006. To support this initiative, the law school has designated a director of pro bono and public service initiatives and a law student paid research assistant. The law school is working in partnership with the Maryland's Pro Bono Resource Center to expand opportunities for law students and provide support to public interest organizations. In addition to the Cardin requirement, the School of Law promotes pro bono and community involvement to all its students. It is an active member of PSLawNet and Equal Justice Works. Students also have access to two full time public service counselors and a resource coordinator to discuss pro bono opportunities and placements.
The collaboration with the School of Law and the student public interest law association, Maryland Public Interest Law Project and the Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center assists in identifying and encouraging additional public service opportunities for law students in the broader legal and social community.
Location of Program
Career Development Office collaboration with Clinical Law Program
Staffing/Management/Oversight
The Director of Pro Bono and Public Service Initiatives and a law student paid research assistant provide staffing to the program.
Funding
Student Run Pro Bono Groups/Specialized Law Education Projects
ACLU, University of Maryland School of Law Chapter - The ACLU, University of Maryland School of Law Chapter, not only provides awareness of civil liberties through speakers and other programs but links student volunteers to current ACLU pro bono projects and casework in Maryland.
Asian Pacific - American Law Student Association (APALSA) - APALSA has joined the Korean Bar Committee of the Maryland State Bar Association in assisting Maryland residents to apply for U.S. Citizenship in a special citizenship drive.
Community Law in Action- Provides community service opportunities for law students to work with high school students from Northwestern High School in Baltimore, Maryland. High school students from Northwestern High School engage in community-based legal projects and study legal fundamentals in the classroom. The classroom component is conducted in a Law and Public Service Academy, where students are taught courses in juvenile law and justice, criminal law and procedure, constitutional law, business law, and community-development law. In the practical component, the high school students attend a weekly seminar in which various legal skills are taught by law students and then are used by the high school student in projects to improve community service.
Latino/a Law Students Association - Volunteers translate for clients in the Labor/Employment Clinic.
Maryland Environmental Law Society (MELS) - MELS provides a network for all students interested in the growing field of environmental law. In addition to its programmatic activities, MELS has gained national recognition for its pioneering role in purchasing and retiring emission allowance for sulfur dioxide (S02). Since 1994, MELS has purchased 43 tons of S02 allowances at EPA's auctions conducted annually pursuant to the Clean Air Act.
The Maryland Katrina & Indigent Defense Project See: http://www.law.umaryland.edu/studentorg/katrina/index.asp
Club UMB Outreach Project http://www.umaryland.edu/outreach/volunteer_LT.html
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
Leadership in Public Service Newsletter http://www.law.umaryland.edu/publicservice/initiatives/leadership/newsletter.html
Awards/Recognition
We publicly acknowledge at graduation and pre-graduation ceremony several students from each graduating class selected to receive the Public Service Award. The Public Service Award is given to several graduating law students from the University of Maryland School of Law who, during their law school careers, have engaged in service and legal work that significantly advances the public interest. Also, the following Awards noted at graduation celebrate the public service accomplishments and commitment to public service of graduating law students: The Hoffberger Clinical Law Prize; The Community Scholar Prize; The Anne Barlow Gallagher Prize; Ward Kershaw Fund Award; The William P. Cunningham Awards; and the Rose Zetzer Fellows.
Leadership in Public Service Awards: Awards given to leaders in public service and to Student Organizations at the University of Maryland School of Law to celebrate how law students are making a significant difference in their communities through community education, outreach and public service initiatives. Additionally, we select and sponsor law students to attend local and national conferences celebrating pro bono service, including the Maryland Partners for Justice Conference hosted by Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland
.
Community Service
Leadership in Public Service Website and Newsletter & Student Organizations for highlights of community service projects:
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/publicservice/initiatives/leadership/
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/publicservice/students/index.html
Law School Public Interest Programs
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Contact Information
M. Teresa Schmiedeler
Director, Pro Bono & Public Service Initiatives
University of Maryland School of Law
500 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
tschmiedeler@law.umaryland.edu
410-706-2080
Brenda Bratton Bloom
Director, Clinical Law Program and Law School Professor
(410) 706—0831
bblom@law.umaryland.edu
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/programs/
Public Interest Centers
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/programs/
Public Interest Clinics
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/programs/clinic/index.html
Externships/Internships
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/practice/
Classes with a Public Service Component
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/program/curriculum/catalog/
Public Interest Journals
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/journals/
Public Interest Career Assistance
The Career Development Office hosts various panel programs, brown bag lunches, and career fairs focusing on the practice of public interest law throughout the academic year. For example, an annual Public Interest Week celebration held in October hosts speakers regarding public interest opportunities; and the Office addresses public interest resources and how to fund summer and post-graduate public interest opportunities. Another example includes spring programming on post-graduate public interest fellowship opportunities and annual spring Public Interest Career Fair. The Office also provides counseling, program planning and resources for students and alumni interested in public interest careers.
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)
University of Maryland School of Law Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program
The School of Law works closely with the Maryland Higher Education Commission to continue to strengthen the state of Maryland's public interest Janet Hoffman LARP Program. http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/resources/tuition/loan_repayment.html
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Post-Graduate Fellowships/Awards
Law School Funded:
The Public Service Award is given to several graduating law students from the University of Maryland School of Law who, during their law school careers, engaged in service and legal work that significantly advance the public interest.
Law Fellows, University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security. These full-time positions involve legal and policy development, as well as administrative and coordinating functions. The Center for Health and Homeland Security is charged with coordinating and expanding the University's scientific research, health programs, policy and legal development, and government consulting in areas related to homeland security that are carried out by each of the University's professional schools and by the Center itself.
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/programs/chhs/index.htmlAlso, some opportunities periodically available for post-graduate fellowships with Clinical Law Program, as Dean’s Fellow and as a Library Research Fellow.
Graduate Student Funded:
For graduates interested in possible partnerships, please contact the Clinical Law Program or the Director, Pro Bono & Public Service Initiatives
Other Funding Sources:
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/programs/chhs/index.html
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/facultystaff/research/fellows.html
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/programs/clinic/index.html
Term Time Fellowships/Scholarships
Law School Funded:
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/prospective/applying/financialaid.html
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/about/departments/admissions/
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/about/departments/osa/
Graduate Student Funded:
For graduates interested in possible partnerships, please contact the Clinical Law Program or the Director, Pro Bono & Public Service Initiatives
Other Funding Sources:
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/prospective/applying/financialaid.html
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/about/departments/admissions/
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/about/departments/osa/
Summer Fellowships
Law School Funded:
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/life/orgs/mpilp/
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/programs/international/fellows.html
Graduate Student Funded:
For graduates interested in possible partnerships, please contact the Clinical Law Program or the Director, Pro Bono & Public Service Initiatives
Other Funding Sources:
The University of Maryland School of Law's Maryland Public Interest Law Project (MPILP) is a nonprofit corporation directed by University of Maryland law students who are devoted to bringing together law students and public interest organizations. MPILP raises funds for summer public interest fellowships by hosting an annual Goods & Services Auction to support a summer public interest grant program. The Maryland Legal Services Corporation, many local law firms, individual attorneys, public interest organizations, business community and the law school community support the efforts of MPILP. As a result, law students are able to compete through a selective grant process for a limited number of paid summer public interest fellowships. For more information, visit http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/life/orgs/mpilp/
Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Programs
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/publicservice/initiatives/leadership/
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/programs/clinic/index.html
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/practice/asper/
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/life/orgs/
Student Public Interest Groups
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/life/orgs/
