As She Retires, Prof. Jane Murphy Reflects on Her Students: 'They Were Always Deeply Invested in Their Education'
June 9, 2020
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As she retires after more than 30 years of teaching at the University of Baltimore School of Law, Prof. Jane Murphy reflects on her support of the thousands of students who passed through her classroom, through the school's clinical law program, and into the halls of justice as advocates, attorneys and leaders of change. Writing in The Baltimore Sun, she says she is elated by her experiences—but mindful of the new demands that the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced into legal education.
"I expected this career to end in a classroom filled with students, in a last faculty meeting with my colleagues wishing me well, and in events with alumni celebrating 30 years of our clinical program. Instead, I taught students, met with faculty and assisted clinical clients from the quiet—very quiet—of my kitchen," she writes, describing the move to online classes prompted by the pandemic. "But, despite the strangeness of this swan song, I found much to appreciate."
Prof. Murphy says she continues to be impressed by both her students and her faculty colleagues, as the school adopted a caring attitude about the extraordinary circumstances of law schools, here and across the country, conducting themselves in a virtual environment.
"Many of my students were the first in their families to attend law school. Some were first-generation college graduates. Many were paying for their education by working full time during the day as nurses, police officers, teachers or in other challenging jobs and going to school at night. Despite these demands, they were always deeply invested in their education," she writes.
Read the Baltimore Sun op-ed by Prof. Murphy.
Learn more about the University of Baltimore School of Law.