Francis King Carey School of Law
We underscore our public responsibilities as lawyers and our connection to the broader community by enhancing access to justice, providing pro bono legal services, and serving as a resource for members of the profession and others who work to achieve justice and a better-functioning society.
Clinical Research Contributions
Provides expert knowledge and experience on biomedical regulations and ethics. All research conducted on the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) campus must be reviewed, approved, and monitored by the UMB Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is a panel of scientists and nonscientists (including members of the community) whose role is to protect the rights, privacy, and welfare of the research participant and to ensure that the research meets the required standards, regulations, and policies established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Human Research Protections. Faculty provide expert knowledge and experience on biomedical research regulations and ethics. Not only is the UMB campus fortunate to have faculty from the Carey School of Law volunteer their services to the IRB, but faculty also serve on:
- IRBs for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), such as the National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Aging.
- Ethics committees across Maryland and at NIH.
- Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission.
Community Services
The Cardin Requirement: Unique among law schools nationally, the University of Maryland Carey School of Law requires every student who initially enrolls as a first-year, full-time day student to provide legal services to people who are poor or otherwise lack access to justice as a prerequisite to graduation. The Cardin Requirement results in more than 150 students contributing over 75,000 hours of free legal service annually, making the Clinical Law Program one of the largest public interest firms in Maryland. Accordingly, the core of the law school's commitment to ensuring and enhancing the quality of justice in society is expressed through the Cardin Requirement.
As part of fulfilling the Cardin Requirement, students have earned a Baltimore man's release from an unjust life sentence, filed a class-action lawsuit supporting defendants' rights to counsel at preliminary bail hearings, and eased restrictions on access to treatment for substance use disorders. Clinic students also have led successful efforts to ban smoking in bars and restaurants across the state and supported enforcement of Maryland's most significant environmental protection legislation.
Clinical Law Program: For more than a decade, Maryland's Clinical Law Program has been ranked among the nation's top 10 by U.S. News & World Report. A national leader, it was the first law school program in the country to receive the John Minor Wisdom Award, the American Bar Association's leading public service honor.
Each year, 20 faculty lead 150 students in providing almost 75,000 hours of free legal services to the community, making the Clinical Law Program one of the region's largest public interest law firms. The Clinical Law Program provides legal services to individuals, families, and communities throughout Maryland in a variety of ways, including working with the professional schools (medical, pharmacy, and social work) on interdisciplinary approaches that serve clients holistically.
Maryland Carey Law Service Corps: More than 200 students have traveled to the Gulf Coast five times, offering essential relief services that run the gamut from courtroom representation to home restoration.
The Maryland Public Interest Law Project's primary activity is administering summer grants to students working in public service legal positions. MPILP encourages students to build experience in non-profit legal agencies serving communities that are underserved and underrepresented. These grants are made possible through the generosity of the Maryland Legal Service Corporation (MLSC), and the donations we receive from our fundraising events and campaigns including our Annual Goods and Services Auction.