Dear Students,

Congratulations on completing your last day of law school classes! All that is standing between you and the finish line is the Spring 2026 Final Exam Period.

Ceremonies to mark the conclusion of your time in law school will begin with a Class of 2026 Celebratory Toast on Tuesday, May 12 at 5:30 pm and will conclude with the conferral of degrees at the Maryland Carey Law Hooding Ceremony on Friday, May 15 at 11:30 am.

Below please find important information as you prepare for your big day. 

Dean Renée Hutchins Laurent, members of the Maryland Carey Law School Club (MCLSC), and the Office of External Relations will host a toast in Westminster Hall to celebrate and welcome all Class of 2026 graduates to the Maryland Carey Law alumni community. This event will feature brief remarks with light refreshments, hors d'oeuvres, and a toast. Class of 2026 graduates are welcome to bring up to one (1) guest. Register to attend the Celebratory Toast.

Tickets for the Hooding Ceremony may be picked up from Suite 280 between Friday, April 24, and Friday, May 8. Pickup hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Fridays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. If you are unable to pick up your tickets in person, you may designate someone you trust to do so on your behalf. You must notify Marilyn Jones and Shari Christie in the Office of Student Services of the individual authorized to pick up your tickets. Please note that tickets are not mailed under any circumstances, as delivery cannot be guaranteed.

If you opted to have your regalia shipped to the bookstore, in-store pickup is expected to begin on Wednesday, May 6. Please watch for an email from the bookstore with additional information.

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 record your name EXACTLY as you would like it pronounced at graduation in the Graduation 2026 Blackboard Page. 

Please make sure to clean out your locker and remove your lock on or before Friday, May 15. If your lock remains on your locker after Friday, May 23, it will be cut off and all contents inside will be discarded. We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to retrieve their belongings, prior to lockers being reassigned to the incoming class.

Graduates who have borrowed federal loans will be sent an email with information on completing Exit Counseling. Students are encouraged to monitor the Federal Student Aid website and the University Student Financial Aid's webpage for Graduating Students, which will be updated with the changes to the loan repayment plans, once final regulations are published. The AccessLex Student Loan Calculator is also a useful tool for students to explore different repayment options.

During the Hooding Ceremony, Dean McClain will indicate that you are receiving an additional degree along with your law degree. Please email Ms. Amanda Barnes, Office Manager for Student Services, the following information:

Share 1–3 favorite photos for a chance to be featured in this year’s UMB graduation video. Choose images that capture meaningful moments from your time at Maryland Carey Law. Learn More and Submit Your Photos Here. The deadline to submit photos has been extended.

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. 

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:

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the Office of Student Services at (410) 706-5235.

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. 

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!

If there is something missing from the Weekly Student Services Newsletter that you would like to see added, please let us know.