about

Lawyers as Leaders

Three panelists seated in armchairs participate in a discussion during UBalt School of Law’s 2025 orientation, with blue and white balloons behind them.

Preparing Lawyers to Practice. Lead. Serve. Make an Impact.

Lawyers are called upon to lead every day and at every level —in law firms, courtrooms, corporations, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and communities. Skilled leadership is fundamental to advancing justice, strengthening institutions, serving clients, and improving lives. Lawyers must be prepared to lead.

UBalt Law’s Lawyers as Leaders initiative reflects our commitment to prepare students, alumni, and members of the wider legal community to lead in various ways throughout their career. Building on the School of Law's nationally recognized experiential education and innovative approach to legal education, Lawyers as Leaders creates opportunities for students, alumni, and legal professionals to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and relationships that they need to lead in an ever-changing profession and world.

Grounded in the School of Law's Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan 2025-30, the initiative brings together leadership education, experiential learning, distinguished speakers, alumni engagement, and professional development to cultivate leaders who will serve clients ethically and skillfully, improve communities, promote and advance justice and the rule of law, and make a lasting impact across the legal profession and beyond.

Explore the Strategic Plan

Leadership Development is a Core Part of the UBalt Law Experience

UBalt Law provides innovative teaching in legal theory, practice, writing, and research while offering nationally recognized experiential education. Lawyers as Leaders extends that commitment by intentionally developing the leadership competencies that prepare lawyers to navigate legal and organizational complexity, inspire others, build and strengthen organizations and communities, and shape the future of the profession.

As a public law school in the heart of Baltimore, we believe leadership is developed through experience, lawyering skills, reflection, education, collaboration, and service. Lawyers as Leaders provides opportunities to cultivate those skills throughout law school and across every stage of a lawyer's career.

The Lawyers as Leaders Experience

LEARN

Develop leadership knowledge through orientation programming, coursework, experiential education, workshops, and practical skill development offerings.

ENGAGE

Participate in conversations, speaker series, leadership panels, student organizations, and programs that infuse leadership in practice.

CONNECT

Build relationships with faculty, alumni, judges, practitioners, business leaders, and community partners through shared leadership development experiences.

LEAD

Apply leadership skills in connection with student organizations, legal practice, industry, public service, and communities while advancing justice and strengthening the profession.

GROW

Continue to refine and develop leadership competencies throughout your career as you prepare to lead and as you lead in a variety of different ways.

Signature Leadership Programming

At the heart of Lawyers as Leaders is a series of signature programs that bring the legal community together to explore leadership from every perspective.

These experiences create opportunities for students, alumni, faculty, judges, practitioners, and community leaders to exchange ideas, learn from accomplished professionals, and strengthen the relationships that define the University of Baltimore School of Law community.

Whether focused on leadership, career development, entrepreneurship, public service, or emerging issues in the profession, every program is designed to prepare lawyers to lead with purpose and confidence.

Leadership development starts on day one at UBalt Law and is integrated throughout the student experience.
Lawyers as Leaders compliments the law school's curriculum through intentional opportunities that help students develop the confidence, skills, and perspective to lead during law school and throughout their professional lives.

Orientation

Orientation introduces students to the University of Baltimore School of Law community and sets the foundation for their experience as future lawyers and leaders.

Throughout Orientation, students connect with classmates, faculty, alumni, staff, and UB LEADS mentors while learning about the academic, professional, and community resources available to them. The week culminates in the Lawyers as Leaders Retreat at Camp Puh’tok, where students build skills in teamwork, communication, problem-solving, relationship-building, and leadership.

The week also features Lawyers as Leaders: Alumni Spotlight, a conversation with UBalt Law alumni who share their career journeys, lessons learned, and perspectives on leadership and the power of the Law School’s alumni network. The program introduces students to the mentors and connections that can support them throughout law school and beyond, while highlighting the many ways alumni continue to engage with and give back to the UBalt Law community.

Student organization leadership opportunities and development

Our active student population leads and participates in more than 30 co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Three alumni converse at an indoor networking event surrounded by greenery. A woman in the foreground gestures while speaking to two attendees.

Mentoring and networking opportunities

Students build their professional networks through opportunities to connect with alumni, employers, and legal professionals. Through networking programs, externships, career fairs, and one-on-one career guidance, students develop relationships that support their growth as lawyers and leaders.

University of Baltimore School of Law students raise their right hands during a swearing-in ceremony led by an official at a podium.

Experiential learning

Hands-on learning develops the practical skills and professional judgment lawyers need to lead. Through nationally ranked clinical experiences, externships, simulations, journals and advocacy teams, students work with real clients, apply legal knowledge and gain experience navigating the responsibilities of legal practice.

A panelist gestures while speaking into a microphone as fellow panelists listen during a discussion marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Faculty and alumni engagement

UBalt Law faculty are nationally recognized scholars whose work addresses pressing legal issues at the local, state, and national levels, bringing current legal questions and real-world perspectives into the classroom and helping students understand how lawyers can shape policy, strengthen institutions, and serve their communities.

Lawyers as Leaders Panels & Speakers for Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni

Programs featuring accomplished attorneys, judges, executives, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and public officials who share practical insights on leadership, organizational culture, decision-making, and leading through change.

Interactive discussions exploring leadership across every sector of the legal profession, including private practice, government, the judiciary, public interest, business, entrepreneurship, and emerging fields.

A lunchtime conversation series featuring distinguished alumni and legal leaders discussing leadership, career development, professional identity, and the lessons that shape successful careers.

Community Conversations Powered by Lawyers as Leaders

Community Conversations is a UBalt Law series where we welcome a distinguished alum to join our community for an engaging dialogue. Each hour-long conversation brings together students, faculty, staff, and alumni for insights and connection.

Powered by our Lawyers as Leaders initiative, Community Conversations is designed to empower every member of our community to see themselves as leaders, at every stage of their journey, and to unlock and develop their leadership skills.

In April 2026: Michael Tines, J.D. ’25, shared insights from their work with the Center for Criminal Justice Reform and their journey from student leadership and the Veterans Advocacy Clinic to advancing civic engagement and advocacy.
February 2026, Dean Christmon, J.D. ’15, Assistant Attorney General for the Maryland Aviation Administration, shared insights from his career in public service and his journey from the Law School’s Community Development Law Clinic to a range of legal and government roles.
January 2026: Paul Rodriguez, J.D. ’17, Assistant Solicitor with the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development, shared insights from his work in litigation and land use and his path from the Law School’s Community Development Clinic to public service.
November 2025: Maya Zegarra, J.D. ’15, an Administrative Judge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and former president of the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association, shared insights from her career in public service and her commitment to advancing equity and access in the legal profession.
September 2025: Julianne Montes de Oca, J.D. ’13, Corporate Secretary and Parliamentarian for WSSC Water, who shared insights from her legal career and her continued connection to the Law School community.
April 2025: Dean LaVonda N. Reed and Associate Deans Joy Gaslevic, J.D. ’99, Paul Manrique, and Professor Colin Starger for a conversation highlighting their leadership, career experiences, and commitment to student success, innovation, advocacy, and excellence in legal education.
March 2025: Daniella Prieshoff, J.D. ’12, Managing Attorney at the Tahirih Justice Center, shared insights from her work advocating for immigrant survivors of gender-based violence and unaccompanied children, as well as her service on the Baltimore City Hispanic Commission.
February 2025: Featured trial attorney and media legal analyst J. Wyndal Gordon, J.D. ’95, “The Warrior Lawyer,” sharing insights from his career advocating for individuals and small businesses.

Lawyers as Leaders Panels

November 2025: Building a Positive Culture with Imoh Akpan, J.D. ‘06, Hon. Barbara Waxman, J.D. ‘80, Traci, Mundy Jenkins, and Laurie Lyte, J.D. ‘92.
October 2025: Leading Through Change with Henry Greenidge, J.D. ‘10, Meryl Burgin, J.D. ‘87, Kerry Neal, J.D. ‘06, and Laurie Lyte, J.D. ‘92.
September 2024: Authentic Leadership with Ebony Thompson, J.D. ‘13, David Shuster, J.D. ‘94, Rexanah Wyse Morrissette, J.D. ‘13, and Jill Green, J.D. ‘94.

Highlighting Alumni Leaders

UBalt Law seeks to highlight and develop the many leaders it has produced. From our 2024 UBalt Law Magazine – The Leadership Issue, to our 2026 Magazine – The Mentoring Issue, to leadership development opportunities publicized through our Alumni Newsletter, we hope that highlighting the paths of alumni who have gone on to lead in a variety of ways inspires others to think about their leadership path.

A Lifelong Leadership Community

Lawyers as Leaders at UBalt Law strives to provide a lifelong home for leadership development by connecting alumni and members of the legal community through ongoing programming, thought leadership, networking, and professional engagement.

As the initiative grows, future opportunities may include leadership micro-credentials, executive-style professional education, regional partnerships, and expanded lifelong learning opportunities designed specifically for legal professionals.

Our Commitment

The University of Baltimore School of Law inspires students and the broader community to improve law, policy, legal institutions, systems, and people's lives through education, leadership, and service.

Lawyers as Leaders advances that mission by creating a community where leadership is intentionally developed, shared, and sustained—preparing lawyers who are ready to practice, lead, serve, and make a meaningful impact throughout their careers.