I hope you had a restful, rejuvenating Spring Break. For those who are graduating in May, you are half-way through your final semester of law school. Be sure to complete the following tasks this month:
|
- Order Your Graduation Regalia
- Complete the Graduate Survey
- Record the Proper Pronunciation of Your Name
|
-
Upcoming events, including a special visit by Jeffrey Shipley, Secretary and Director of the Maryland State Board of Law Examiners
- Bar admission information and bar exam updates
- The Carey Forward Giving Campaign
- Financial planning for graduates
- Summer study space and more
|
|
|
|
"Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world."
Dean Smith
Erica Smith, J.D., LL.M. (she/her/hers)
Associate Dean for Student Services
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
|
|
|
|
| REQUIRED GRADUATION TASKS |
|
|
| Order Your Graduation Regalia |
All graduates participating in the Hooding Ceremony must wear approved academic regalia. Academic regalia consists of a gown, tassel, tam, and hood (see picture to the left).
LLM’s and MSL’s should order the “Master Package" and JD’s should order the “Doctoral Package."
To guarantee the appropriate size and timely arrival, all regalia orders should be placed no later than Wednesday, April 1. You have the option to ship your regalia to your residence for a fee or ship to the Campus Store for free.
Please note that regalia cannot be rented, but it may be borrowed from previous graduates. Please inspect your regalia upon arrival to confirm that all items are included and correct.
If you have questions regarding your order, please email Oak Hall or call them at 540-378-7001.
|
|
|
Complete the Graduate Survey |
Please complete the relevant Graduate Survey below. The survey collects information about your post-graduation employment status and your plans regarding the bar exam. Toward the end of the survey, you will also be asked several graduation-related questions, including whether you and your guests will attend the listed events and how many tickets you would like for the Hooding Ceremony. The surveys will close on Friday, April 10.
|
|
|
Record the Proper Pronunciation of Your Name
|
During the Hooding Ceremony, your name will be announced as it appears on your Application for Diploma when you walk onto the stage. In order to ensure that your name is pronounced correctly, please add an audio recording of your name in the Graduation 2026 Blackboard Page. The recording may be up to 20 seconds long.
|
- Step 1: Log in to Blackboard (Graduation 2026 -- JD, LLM, MSL Course).
- Step 2: Click your name from the left-hand menu.
-
Step 3: Click the Add pronunciation link or on the Pencil Tool to record the proper pronunciation of your name. You may also provide a phonetic spelling.
|
|
| Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates |
The Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates page provides important information regarding diplomas and certificates. It includes timelines for posting degrees on transcripts, receiving diplomas and certificates, and accessing digital diplomas. Important details on diploma names, preferred names, and the process for obtaining an apostille are also covered.
| |
|
Graduation Schedule of Events |
|
|
If you are enrolled in Maryland Carey Law's Barbri Partnership, you should already see your post-graduation summer Barbri course (SU2026) listed in your account. You do not owe any additional payments as the course was pre-paid through your student fee tuition payments. You may however see an invoice from Barbri for $280. DO NOT PAY THIS UNLESS YOU DESIRE HARDCOPY MATERIALS. If not, simply contact Barbri and ask that the charge be removed. Limited early access to some materials is available now. The full course materials become available on Wednesday, April 15.
|
|
|
All About the NextGen UBE |
📅 Date: Tuesday, March 24
⏰ Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
📍 Location: Online
If you're planning to take the bar exam in July 2026 or beyond, your jurisdiction may be switching to the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam (NextGen UBE). In this session, AccessLex Institute will cover the various components of the new exam, the timing of the roll out, and the pros and cons to consider when deciding whether to sit for the bar in a NextGen UBE jurisdiction.
Register to attend All About the NextGen UBE.
|
|
|
|
All About the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) |
📅 Date: Wednesday, March 25
⏰ Time: Noon to 1:00 pm
📍 Location: Online
The overwhelming majority of jurisdictions have adopted the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). In this session, AccessLex Institute will cover each component of the UBE, including the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT).
Register to attend All About the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE).
| | |
|
All About the NextGen Bar Exam |
📅 Date: Monday, March 30
⏰ Time: 5:20 pm to 6:20 pm
📍 Location: Room 107
Jeffrey Shipley, Secretary and Director of the MD State Board of Law Examiners, will be on campus to discuss the NextGen bar exam and MD’s first administration this July 2026. This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from the Board and a national voice on the administration of the NextGen across the country. Even if you plan to sit elsewhere, you can benefit from the discussion.
|
| |
|
| BAR ADMISSION INFORMATION |
|
|
As part of Character & Fitness, jurisdictions routinely consult with the Law School to confirm your graduation status and ask whether you have exhibited behavior or conduct that raises significant concerns about your character or fitness for admission. Please send all bar certification forms, including those titled Dean's Certification form, to barcertification@law.umaryland.edu.
If the jurisdiction's board of law examiners prefers to send the form directly to Maryland Carey Law, it should also be sent to barcertification@law.umaryland.edu.
Note that bar certification forms are processed in the order they are received. Due to the high volume of requests, there is typically a turnaround time of 1-2 weeks. You will receive an email notification once your request has been processed.
If your form requires you to list a law school contact, please provide the following information:
|
Make sure to include the following in your email:
|
-
Full name, DOB (mm/dd/yyyy)
- Date of graduation
- Return address
- Due date for receipt of the form
- Contact phone number or email address
|
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the Office of Student Services at (410) 706-5235.
|
|
|
Procedure for Disclosing Character & Fitness Issues to the Law School |
All jurisdictions conduct a character and fitness review of applicants seeking admission to the bar. As part of this process, the Law School receives a form from the Character Committee that seeks verification of your attendance and asks whether your student record reflects any incidents that could negatively impact your moral character or fitness to practice law. Please follow the
instructions for supplementing your law school application if you failed to disclose matters that should have been disclosed when you applied OR if you need to disclose events that occurred after you submitted your application and/or enrolled at Maryland Carey Law.
|
|
|
Character & Fitness Audio Lecture |
|
|
July Bar Exam Application Deadlines |
Deadlines for the submission of July bar exam applications are quickly approaching in many jurisdictions. Please mark your calendars as few have late filing opportunities. If your jurisdiction has issued a seating capacity limit, be on time!
| -
New York Bar Exam - Closes on Tuesday, March 31. Accommodation requests must be submitted by Tuesday, March 31.
-
DC Bar Exam - Closes Tuesday, March 31 (unless seating capacity is filled sooner). Accommodation requests must be submitted with your application and are due when you submit your application.
-
Virginia Bar Exam - Closes on Monday, May 11. Accommodation requests must be submitted by Wednesday, July 15.
-
Maryland Bar Exam - Opens Wednesday, April 1 and closes on Friday, May 1. There is a cap of 1,000 seats for the July 2026 Bar Exam in Maryland. Make sure to register early! Accommodation requests must be submitted by Friday, May 1.
|
|
|
Testing Accommodations and the Bar Exam |
Students who plan to request testing accommodations for the bar exam should refer to their jurisdiction's instructions and make those requests as soon as possible. While many deadlines for requesting testing accommodations aren't for several weeks, nearly all jurisdictions recommend submitting requests for testing accommodations as far in advance as possible, to allow time for follow up if necessary. All jurisdictions require supporting documentation for testing accommodations requests, which may take time to gather.
|
|
|
|
Carey Forward Giving Campaign |
The goal of the 2026 Carey Forward Giving Campaign is to educate students on the importance of philanthropy and highlight the impact of support from our Maryland Carey Law community of donors. With a gift of at least $5, all Class of 2026 Graduates will automatically become members of the Maryland Carey Law School Club (MCLSC), the law school's philanthropic leadership society, for their first year after graduation! As members you will receive special recognition at the MCLSC Celebratory Toast and an exclusive invitation to the Fall 2026 MCLSC Crab Feast. When giving, please keep in mind you are able to designate your gift to various initiatives at the school. Please email Andrew Altshuler and/or email the SBA with any questions about giving.
|
|
|
|
Student Loan Repayment Resources |
|
|
|
Launching your legal career means taking your money management to a whole new level. Level up with this course by identifying core investing and tax strategies, covering risk with insurance, and choosing a student loan repayment approach that fits your specific situation. You’ll also build your own financial dashboard to keep track of important money metrics as you make the transition from student to legal professional. Enroll in Life After Law School.
|
|
|
|
Study Space Over the Summer |
While construction takes place in the law school this summer, the library’s basement will remain open for the full duration of the project. At this time we do not anticipate significant noise concerns in that space, but earplugs will continue to be available for students if needed. Students may also use the Health Sciences and Human Services Library. The law library is maintaining a Summer Study Spaces Guide that shares information about alternative study locations. This guide will be updated as new information becomes available. If you have any questions about library study space over the summer, please email the Law Library.
|
|
|
|
- Eligibility for Graduation
- Unofficial Transcripts/Grade Reports
|
- Graduation Application
- Law School Diploma
- Official Transcripts
- Name Changes/Updates
|
- General Graduation Inquiries
|
- Student Loans
- Repayment
-
Direct Loan Exit Counseling
|
|
|
If there is something missing from the Weekly Student Services Newsletter that you would like to see added, please let us know.
|
|
|
Manage your preferences | Opt Out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
|
500 W. Baltimore Street | Baltimore, MD 21201 US
|
|
|
This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
| |
|
|