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2 · CUMBERLAND SCHOOL OF LAW SAMFORD.EDU/CUMBERLANDLAW · 3

For nearly 30 years, I have had the pleasure of serving as a professor, associate dean and now dean of Cumberland School of Law. I have come to know the school and its long history of achievements, the most important of which is its proven ability to train students to become successful, practicing lawyers dedicated to serving their clients and their community.

I often describe the law school as an unusually sane and humane place to study law. It is that and a great deal more. At Cumberland School of Law, we take legal theory and scholarship very seriously, but we recognize that practicing law entails application of the law to benefit people and business. Our mission, therefore, has always been to equip students with the knowledge and skills to be competent, effective and ethical lawyers upon graduation. As the demands and needs of law practice evolve, we work vigilantly to stay attuned to the needs of legal employers and to assure that our graduates have the tools to excel in 21st-century practice.

You will discover as I have that this is a special community. The student body is collegial and supportive in a way not usually encountered in law schools. Faculty are not only exceptional teachers and respected scholars, but they also care deeply about their students and cultivate personal interaction with them.

As you make your decision about where to attend law school, I invite you to visit, attend some classes and speak to our students. A campus visit is the best way to fully understand the benefits of a Cumberland School of Law education. The admission staff stands ready to facilitate your visit or to assist you in any way they can.

Henry C. “Corky” StricklandDean and Ethel P. Malugen Professor of Law

THE MISSION of Cumberland School of Law is to educatea diverse community of students with knowledge and practical skills, equipping them to become highly competent, ethical lawyers committed to professionalism and public service.


CONTENTS

FIRST-YEAR CURRICULUM

40 APPLICATION AND FINANCIAL AID

16 ADVOCACY TRAINING

23 INTERNATIONAL STUDY

28FACULTY

18-21EXTERNSHIPS, PRO BONO WORK AND PUBLIC SERVICE

24CAREER PREPARATION

SECOND- AND THIRD-YEAR CURRICULUM

118

Produced by Samford Office of Marketing and Communication

Samford University complies with applicable laws prohibiting discrimination, including applicable provisions of and amendments to Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Executive Order 11246, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or services. Inquiries and concerns regarding this policy may be directed to the vice president for business affairs or general counsel, Office of Business and Financial Affairs, 200 Samford Hall, Birmingham, AL 35229, 205-726-2811. This notice is available in alternative formats upon request.

Information in this admissions prospectus was compiled originally for fall 2015. This prospectus is published on a three-year term. The first draft was published fall 2015. Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law reserves the right to revise, amend or change items set forth in this admission prospectus from time to time. Accordingly, readers should inquire as to whether such revisions, amendments or changes have been made since the date of publication. Such revisions, amendments or changes may include, but are not limited to, the right to modify the requirements for admission or graduation, to change tuition, to modify or cancel course offerings, to set minimum and maximum class sizes, to change designated instructions in courses, to change casebooks used, to alter regulations affecting the student body, to dismiss or drop from the law school any student at any time, if such change is deemed in the best interest of the law school or the student.


WHERE GOOD PEOPLE BECOME EXCEPTIONAL LAWYERS

Established in 1847, Cumberland School of Law is one of the oldest law

schools in the country. We equip future lawyers with knowledge of the law and valuable

skills in a supportive environment where every student is valued. Originally located in

Lebanon, Tennessee, the school was founded by Judge Abraham Caruthers, an innovator

in legal education. In a time when legal study was conducted by apprenticeship or through

lectures, the law school pioneered an instructional method based on intensive trial

practice. Today, our curriculum and approach continue to break new ground with our use

of technology, success in law competitions and creation of specialized centers that meet the

needs of our community.

Widely acclaimed as one of the nation’s finest programs in trial advocacy

Close-knit, supportive community

Eight joint-degree programs, which

can be completed in three years

Real-world experience through

externships, pro bono opportunities,

student organizations and law competitions

Personalized instruction and mentoring

by respected and successful faculty

members

More than 8,600 accomplished alumni

in 48 states and around the world

Learn more: samford.edu/cumberlandlaw/by-the-numbers


Lawyering and Legal Reasoning Cumberland’s LLR program seeks to build a solid legal reasoning foundation that can be applied to an assortment of lawyering tasks and academic coursework. Through the use of pinpoint, building-block writing exercises that focus on legal synthesis and analysis, students learn to think like a lawyer during their first semester of law school. This foundation-based curriculum is enhanced by substantial feedback from instructors and teaching assistants.

Once students have mastered the art of legal reasoning, their second semester coursework focuses on applying those foundational skills to typical lawyering tasks. Students are divided into law firms with LLR faculty as “senior partners.” Each is assigned a case that involves client interviews, writing legal memoranda, filing a complaint and answer, and drafting a motion for summary judgment with an accompanying brief.By investing in the student’s foundation, while exposing the student to “real world” lawyering, the LLR curriculum improves the student’s marketability and creates an exceptional legal writer.

During LLR, you will learn to research, write, speak and— most importantly—think like a lawyer.

First-year Summer CoursesFirst-year Summer Courses give you the opportunity to take two introductory courses for a total of

five hours of credit. This early introduction to law school will enable you to establish friendships,

study habits and relationships with professors in a smaller, more relaxed environment. Students

participating in the summer program praise their “readiness quotient” to tackle a full course load in

the fall.

1ST–YEAR CURRICULUM

During your first year at Cumberland School of Law, you will examine fundamental legal concepts applicable to all areas of practice, with an emphasis on legal analysis, legal writing, research and lawyering skills.

First-year Requirements—Fall Course Credit hours

Civil Procedure I ............................2

Contracts I ...................................3

Torts ...........................................4

Criminal Law ................................3

Lawyering and Legal Reasoning I ........3

Total ..........................................15

First-year Requirements—Spring Course Credit hours

Civil Procedure II ...........................3

Contracts II ..................................2

Real Property ................................4

Evidence ......................................3

Lawyering and Legal Reasoning II .......3

Total ..........................................15

EMPLOYERS REPORT THAT CUMBERLAND SCHOOL OF LAW GRADUATES ARE GIVEN MORE RESPONSIBILITY IN THEIR FIRST JOBS THAN THEIR COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE ATTENDED OTHER LAW

SCHOOLS. THIS SUCCESS IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE PRACTICAL SKILLS

TRAINING GAINED IN OUR LLR AND ADVOCACY PROGRAMS.


As a second- and third-year student, you will take 15–16 credit hours each fall and spring semester. We offer courses in the following specialized areas:

Business and Commercial Law • Entertainment Law • Environmental Law • Family Law and Estate Planning

Health Law • Intellectual Property • International Law • Litigation • Public Law • Skills Development • Taxation

Advocacy training is a cornerstone of our curriculum. You will take practical skills courses with approximately 12 other students in the following:

Negotiation • Mediation • Case preparation • Trial evidence/jury selection • Technology use

Direct examination • Cross examination • Expert witnesses • Closing arguments

Second-year Requirement—FallCourse Credit hours

Constitutional Law ...............................2

Second-year Requirement—SpringConstitutional Law II ............................3

Second- or Third-year RequirementsCourse Credit hours

Business Organizations ..........................4

Wills, Trusts and Estates .........................3

Payment Systems or Secured Transactions ...3

Professional Responsibility ......................2

Total ............................................... 12

2ND– and 3RD–YEAR CURRICULUM

After attaining 30 credit hours, you will complete a writing requirement and a professional skills course in business drafting, basic skills in trial advocacy, negotiation, advanced skills in trial advocacy, mediator practice, appellate advocacy, advanced appellate advocacy, pretrial practice, law office practice and management, health law transactions, or estate and trust administration.

Joint-degree ProgramsTo help you broaden your perspective and prepare for a career in a specialized field, Cumberland School of Law offers eight joint-degree programs:

Juris Doctor/Master of Accountancy

Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Theological Studies

Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration

Juris Doctor/Master of Divinity

Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration

Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health

Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Bioethics

Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Environmental Management

CARUTHERS FELLOWS ARE SECOND- AND

THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS SELECTED BY FACULTY TO SERVE AS MENTORS

TO FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS.


WHERE YOU EARN YOUR LAW DEGREE MATTERS


John L. Carroll Moot Courtroom • Features a 50-inch mobile display with annotation overlay and a document camera for displaying hard-copy and 3D objects • Used for guest speakers, award ceremonies, mock trials, continuing legal education and class meetings • Seats nearly 200 people

Hare, Wynn, Newell and Newton Advanced Advocacy Courtroom • Features a 60-inch display with annotation overlay and a document camera • Students can display content from notebook computers, interact with and annotate the information via the display

Trial Courtroom • Used for mock trials and classes • Equipped with smart boards for presentation, a computerized projection and sound system, digital video and a plasma television• Seats 66 people• Recently renovated

Lucille Stewart Beeson Law Library • More than 200,000 shelved volumes, 96,000 on microfiche; contains all federal and state judicial opinions and statutory codes • Law reviews from every American law school, the Federal Register and Code of Federal Regulations, United States Hearings and Reports, and selected foreign common law rulings • Designed to accommodate private study and discussion: 13 conference rooms, 474 study spaces, carrels with electrical connections, long tables and comfortable seating

CUMBERLAND SCHOOL OF LAW

FACILITIES

Cumberland School of Law’s

eDiscovery Institute and Review

Center, located in Lucille Beeson

Law Library, provides students and faculty

unmatched opportunities to engage with

and understand the role

of technology in the legal system.

All three courtrooms are used for the simulation trial final exam of the Advanced Skills in Trial Advocacy course. It is common to find students in advocacy skills with other students and coaches after hours.


The law school’s comprehensive approach to advocacy training teaches you to think strategically and tactically, in and outside the courtroom. You can participate in trial and appellate advocacy competitions in your first year.

Courses are offered for every aspect of advocacy: mediation, negotiation, drafting, complex litigation and

client counseling.

Beyond your first year, you may take courses in scientific and advanced evidence, complex litigation, mediation and negotiation, and legal drafting. These skills courses are limited to as few as eight students, ensuring your personalized instruction. Students who successfully complete a prescribed curriculum can earn a certificate in trial advocacy.

Alabama state law allows third-year students to handle real cases under supervision.

Trial Advocacy OpportunitiesAt Cumberland School of Law, you have opportunities for realistic jury trial training above and beyond most law schools. In the entry-level trial advocacy course, you will master the basics of each component of a trial. A full-time faculty member will teach you how to perform each skill. Outstanding guest attorneys will provide you with real-world demonstrations. Extensive, weekly hands-on exercises will allow you to practice and perform these skills until you master them through bench and jury trials.

Do you want to take your trial skills to the next level and incorporate the latest courtroom technologies? The Advanced Skills in Trial Advocacy course is the ultimate in realistic trial skills training and culminates in a jury trial before a real judge and jury of local citizens. Everything in this course is as realistic as possible, including direct and cross-examinations of witnesses, physicians, law enforcement agents, forensic scientists, document examiners and arson experts. In the final trial, you will use technology to present evidence and will watch juror deliberations via cameras.

Our comprehensive approach to advocacy training has led to rankings year after year as one of the top 15 law schools in the country for trial advocacy.

Trial Advocacy CompetitionsOur advocacy training includes our exceptional advocacy competition program. Beginning in your second semester, you may compete in various school-sponsored trial, appellate and other competitions. As a second- or third-year student, you may try out for teams that represent the law school at competitions throughout the country.

Cumberland School of Law is one of only a few law schools where students run intramural advocacy competitions. The Trial Advocacy Board and the Henry Upson Sims Moot Court Board oversee the student-run intramural competitions. Both boards have a chief judge, executive officers and members. The executive officers are responsible for scheduling, recruiting judges, problem selection and distribution, rules, and score tabulation. Board members judge preliminary rounds. The final rounds are judged by local attorneys and judges. Winners are eligible to represent Cumberland School of Law in national trial, appellate and alternative dispute competitions.

Cumberland School of Law’s tremendous success at local, regional and national competitions has contributed to our top ranking for trial advocacy.

ADVOCACY TRAININGA CUMBERLAND SCHOOL OF LAW FOUNDATION


Birmingham, Alabama, is home to a thriving legal community with more than 5,000 practicing attorneys, federal and state courts, and government agencies. Externships allow you to work with experienced lawyers and to apply what you have learned. These opportunities provide a firsthand view of a particular area of practice. You can enhance your advocacy skills through real-world practice in prosecutor’s offices, legal services programs, judge’s chambers and numerous other positions. Networking for future career options is also a vital aspect of these experiences.

Externships are open to all second- and third-year students. Every student who wants an externship has the opportunity to participate. Students work 120 hours during a semester and receive two credit hours.

OUR STUDENTS LEARN

BY DOING

Cumberland School of Law Externship Opportunities

Corporate Externship I and IICorporate legal offices, banking, construction, health, real estate and patent offices participate in this program.

Externship IStudents enrolled in any externship for the first time must also enroll in this class component, which meets one hour each week to address substantive topics such as negotiation, trial and other lawyering skills; professionalism and ethical issues; communication with supervisors and clients; work-place problems; and other issues applicable to all externs.

Government Agency Externship I and IIPlacements include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Internal Revenue Service, National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Judicial Externship I and IITo be eligible for an externship with a federal judge, students must be on the American Journal of Trial Advocacy, Cumberland Law Review or have other evidence of superior writing skills. Many judges and magistrate judges in the Northern District of Alabama participate in this program.

Judicial ObservationThese placements are in the office of a state court judge. Students are required to work a minimum of 56 hours and submit the following written work: a statement of goals at the beginning of the semester, a weekly report of hours with narrative description of activities, submission of a research paper and a reflective essay.

Litigation Externship I and IIStudents may be placed in the district attorney’s office, public defender’s office, Legal Aid Society and Legal Services of Metro Birmingham. Some of these placements require students to be certified under the Alabama Rule for Legal Internship and to have successfully completed the Basic Skills in Trial Advocacy course.

Public Interest Externship I and IIOrganizations such as the Coalition Against Violence, Birmingham Volunteer Lawyer Program and the YWCA Domestic Violence Clinic participate in this program.

Summer ExternshipsIn addition to the offices listed above, the Office of Clinical Education also works with students to secure externships outside the Birmingham area, helping them to network and broaden their experience in their field of interest.

Previous summer externships have included placement at the following:

• The United Nations

• The Hague

• Department of Justice, Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Section

• Federal Bureau of Investigation

• University of Ohio, Athletics Compliance

• San Francisco Bay Keepers

• Solo practitioners and small law firms across the country

• Judge Advocate General’s Office

• Offices of attorneys general, states attorneys’ offices, public defenders’ offices and federal judges’ offices across

the country


Public Service/Pro Bono Opportunities at Cumberland School of Law

Help the Homeless Program Help the Homeless Program is a partnership between Cumberland School of Law and the law firm of Baker Donelson. Students research and answer questions as assigned by attorneys at weekly clinics for the homeless community. In addition, students and attorneys hold attorney-for-the-day programs at District Court, where pro se litigants (self-representing parties) can ask questions.

Pro Bono WeekCumberland School of Law is an original partner with the Alabama State Bar taskforce in establishing Pro Bono Week throughout the state. Law school representatives have chaired the Pro Bono Week Committee, and the school continues to take a large leadership role. The law school hosts free clinics during the week, including wills and general needs clinics that serve more than 100 people. Law students are paired with attorneys to perform legal work and act as witnesses to documents.

Project Homeless ConnectProject Homeless Connect is held each spring for more than 1,000 people seeking assistance. Law students work with attorneys to help local residents clear up outstanding warrants or legal problems.

Summer Public Interest Fellowship ProgramThis fellowship program provides stipends to students who volunteer time at a public interest, government or nonprofit entity. Students can work anywhere in the country as long as they work 6–12 weeks in jobs that require legal skills.

Other Opportunities to Get Involved

Alabama Center for Law and Civic EducationThe Alabama Center for Law and Civic Education is dedicated to educating young citizens in the areas of civic knowledge, skills and responsibilities. It is a nationally recognized resource and training center for teachers, school resource officers and community leaders. There are two programs in which Cumberland School of Law students can get involved: We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution and Cumberland Street Law.

Center for Children, Law and EthicsThe Center for Children, Law and Ethics produces influential scholarship, projects and advice on children’s issues. Activities include advocating for children and families, consulting on best practices concerning children, training tomorrow’s child advocates, producing cutting-edge scholarship and media on children’s issues, and proposing policy and practice changes that will benefit children and families. The center combines the interest and involvement of students; local, national and international advisers; and the well-known scholarship of professor David Smolin.

Cumberland Community Mediation CenterEstablished in 2005, the Cumberland Community Mediation Center offers free, confidential mediation to all communities surrounding the law school. The center’s cases come from Alabama’s largest county court system, Jefferson County, including Circuit Court, Family Court, District Court and Small Claims Court. On average, the center performs at least six mediations a month.

OUR STUDENTS LEARN

BY DOING GOOD


INTERNATIONAL STUDYCumberland School of Law offers opportunities for students to study abroad, and for non-U.S. students to study on Samford University’s campus. Students gain an international perspective by studying and living in a legal system and culture different from their own. These programs also enhance the international perspective of host students by bringing students from other nations to campus.

NORWICH, ENGLANDUnder a cooperative arrangement between Cumberland School of Law and Norwich Law School at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, British law students spend a year at Cumberland School of Law after their second year of legal studies. In return, two Cumberland School of Law J.D. graduates are awarded full-tuition scholarships for studies toward an LL.M. degree at Norwich Law School, and various partial-tuition scholarships are awarded.

HYDERABAD, INDIACumberland School of Law students can study for a semester in an Indian law school under a cooperative arrangement between Samford University and NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, India.

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLANDEvery summer, Cumberland School of Law administers a five-week study abroad program at Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge, England. The summer program allows students to compare U.S., British and European Union law. Additional participants of the Cambridge program are foreign-educated graduate lawyers, judges, prosecutors and legal educators who are part of Cumberland School of Law’s master of comparative law (M.C.L.) program, who spend two summers taking courses at Cumberland School of Law, learning about the U.S. legal system and culture.


OUR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS RECEIVE FIRST-RATE CAREER PREPARATIONYou will learn to create an effective legal resume, excel in the interview room and conduct a job search that is both thorough and efficient.

Career Development OfficeThe realities of the legal job market require that career decision-making be an ongoing, developmental process. Our Career Development Office teaches you about the practical aspects of law practice, provides training in conducting efficient and thorough job searches, and helps you match your skills, interests and experiences to the needs of the legal market. Our goal is to provide you with professional development opportunities that enable you to obtain satisfying work and make meaningful contributions to your employers beginning on day one.

Professional Foundations ProgramThe Career Development Office’s Professional Foundations program is a series of interactive classroom and career counseling sessions designed to prepare first-year students for the challenges of the legal job market. This program, which begins directly after orientation, utilizes peer mentorships and consolidated instruction to give first-year students the necessary skills to conduct an efficient job search for summer employment. Following Professional Foundations, first-year students can participate in a variety of professional development opportunities including mock interviews, job fairs, legal seminars, organized networking opportunities and on-campus interviews.

Career Development Advisory Board (CDAB)Early in your first year, we will group you with a CDAB member. CDAB members serve as mentors and advisers on issues related to succeeding in law school, identifying and securing part-time, short-term and permanent legal work, and building the legal and career development skills to maximize your marketability. Each CDAB member offers a unique background and perspective on the job search.

WE BEGIN WORKING WITH YOU BEFORE

CLASSES BEGIN AND CAN HELP YOU NARROW

CAREER CHOICES AND TAILOR PREPARATION

ACCORDINGLY. OUR STAFF MEETS EVERY

INCOMING STUDENT TO PROVIDE ADVICE ON

SUCCEEDING IN LAW SCHOOL.


CUMBERLAND LAW REVIEW Founded in 1970, this publication is designed to provide the legal community with comprehensive legal analysis of national and regional topics authored by legal scholars, judges, attorneys and students. Every fall, the law review hosts a symposium.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRIAL ADVOCACY Founded in 1977, this journal is the oldest law review publication in the nation dedicated to the art of trial advocacy. It serves the needs and interests of the courtroom advocate with analysis of the demands and issues of litigation faced by practicing attorneys from prominent attorneys, judges and professors. Every spring, the journal hosts a symposium.

Our two student-edited law publications are cited on Westlaw® and LexisNexis®.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONSAlabama Defense Lawyers AssociationAmerican Journal of Trial AdvocacyBlack Law Students AssociationChristian Legal SocietyCordell Hull Speakers ForumCumberland DemocratsCumberland Environmental Law SocietyCumberland International Law Students AssociationCumberland Law ReviewCumberland RepublicansCumberland Society of the ArtsCumberland Student Bar AssociationFederalist Society

Florida Student Bar Association Georgia Student Bar AssociationHenry Upson Sims Moot Court BoardHispanic Interest Law Students AssociationHonor CourtIntellectual Property SocietyJoint-Degree Students of CumberlandMilitary Justice SocietyPhi Alpha DeltaPublic Interest & Community Service OrganizationSports and Entertainment Law SocietyTrial Advocacy BoardWomen in Law

The Cordell Hull Speakers Forum, named for the Nobel Peace Prize winner and Cumberland alumnus, is a student-run program that attracts nationally renowned speakers in the fields of law, business, media and politics.

The Thurgood Marshall Symposium, sponsored by the Black Law Students Association, is held in honor of Black History Month and features a lecture by a distinguished guest.

GET INVOLVEDBring your dog to law school? If it’s Rascal Day, yes!Rascal Day is a favorite tradition at the law school, honoring a mongrel pup named Rascal who faithfully attended classes from 1933 to 1937. He was awarded the rare degree of doctor of canine jurisprudence by the students.

Every year, Rascal Day brings together students, faculty, families, and, of course, dogs for a day of fun festivities that capture the spirit of the Cumberland Law School experience and its ability to develop well-rounded lawyers.


FACULTY

J. Mark Baggett ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND LAWPh.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel HillJ.D., University of Alabama School of Law M.A., University of AlabamaB.A., magna cum laude, University of Alabama

Teaching and research interests: Literature and language, legal research and writing

Robin Andrews, LLR INSTRUCTOR J.D., summa cum laude, Cumberland School of LawM.S., education, Jacksonville State University

B.S., education, Jacksonville State University

Teaching and research interests: Legal research and writing, public school law, special education law

T. Brad Bishop PROFESSORJ.D., cum laude, Cumberland School of LawM.A., communication and rhetorical theory, University of Alabama B.A., speech and dramatic arts, Samford University

Teaching and research interests: Contracts, municipal court practice and procedure

Gov. Albert Brewer DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF LAW AND GOVERNMENT AND PROFESSOR EMERITUSLL.B., University of Alabama School of LawA.B., political science and history, University of Alabama

Teaching and research interests: Professional responsibility, law office practice and management, Alabama constitutional law

Judge John L. Carroll PROFESSOR OF LAWLL.M., Harvard Law SchoolJ.D., magna cum laude, Cumberland School of LawB.A., Tufts University

Teaching and research interests: Mediation, evidence, trial practice, ethics and professionalism, e-discovery and evidence

LaJuana S. Davis PROFESSORJ.D., Harvard Law SchoolB.A., Georgia State University

Teaching and research interests: Criminal law and procedure, appellate advocacy, business crimes, interviewing and counseling and postconviction remedies, women’s rights, right to counsel

Michael E. DeBow PROFESSORJ.D., Yale Law School M.A., University of AlabamaB.A., University of Alabama

Teaching and research interests: Property, business organizations, administrative law, legislation and local government

Cumberland School of Law’s faculty is known for its care of students. Faculty

members possess a wealth of knowledge and experience, and have a passion

for sharing it. In addition to being accomplished scholars, all Cumberland

School of Law faculty practiced law before becoming educators. Faculty

members promote student interaction beyond the classroom by setting office

hours, and encouraging students to seek advice, counsel and conversation.

Brannon P. Denning ASSOCIATE DEAN AND PROFESSOR OF LAWLL.M., Yale Law SchoolJ.D., magna cum laude, University of Tennessee College of LawB.A., magna cum laude, Sewanee: The University of the South

Teaching and research interests: Constitutional law and the United States Supreme Court

Alyssa DiRusso WHELAN W. AND ROSALIE T. PALMER PROFESSOR OF LAWJ.D., University of Texas School of Law, Order of the CoifB.S., Carnegie Mellon University, Phi Beta Kappa

Teaching and research interests: Wills, trusts and estates, estate and gift tax, estate and trust administration, taxation of nonprofit organizations

Andrew Robert Greene VISITING FACULTYJ.D., Catholic University of America School of LawA.B., Georgetown University

Teaching and research interests: Environmental law, natural resources, sea/ocean/coastal law, international environmental law, torts and property

Bob Greene joined the faculty in 2006 after a 36-year legal career focused principally on federal and state environmental law. He served as deputy regional counsel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV in Atlanta, Georgia, coordinating civil enforcement matters and resolving legal and policy issues. After moving to Birmingham in 1991, he was a partner in a prominent Alabama law firm representing major business interests and heading the firm’s environmental practice group. He also chaired several citizen committees, which led to the creation of the Freshwater Land Trust and Railroad Park. “I challenge students to put themselves in the shoes of their clients; what must be done legally, ethically and humanely to resolve the problems that have brought the client in the door? I often remind them of the words of John W. Davis: ‘We [lawyers] smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men’s burdens and by our efforts make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.’” In 2008, Greene was a Fulbright Scholar at the Odessa National Academy of Law in Ukraine. He has been a frequent lecturer on environmental law topics at continuing law education programs and abroad. He has served as chair of the Environmental Law Sections of both the Georgia and Alabama state bars.


FACULTY

Robert J. Goodwin J. RUSSELL MCELROY PROFESSOR OF LAWJ.D., Washington University School of LawB.A., University of Missouri

Teaching and research interests: Criminal law, evidence, scientific evidence

Herman N. Johnson ASSOCIATE PROFESSORJ.D., Columbia Law SchoolM.A., international affairs, Columbia UniversityB.A., economics, Duke University

Teaching and research interests: Civil rights, civil procedure, employment law, equitable remedies, evidence, complex litigation and federal courts

Paul Kuruk PROFESSORLL.B., summa cum laude, University of GhanaBarrister of law, Ghana Law School M.S., law, Temple University School of LawS.J.D., Stanford University Law School, Fulbright Scholar

Teaching and research interests: Commercial transactions, international business transactions, human rights and trade

Gregory K. Laughlin LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF LAWJ.D., cum laude, University of Missouri School of Law, Order of the CoifM.S., University of Illinois at Urbana—Champaign B.A., magna cum laude, Missouri State University

Teaching and research interests: Information access and control

David J. Langum RESEARCH PROFESSORS.J.D., University of Michigan Law SchoolLL.M., University of Michigan Law SchoolJ.D., Stanford University Law SchoolM.A., history, San Jose State UniversityA.B., history, Dartmouth College

Teaching and research interests: Evidence, property, legal history (including the history of the American West)

Lynn H. Hogewood DIRECTOR OF ACADEMIC SUPPORTJ.D., Cumberland School of LawB.S., history, Samford University

Teaching and research interests: Legal research and writing; nonprofit organizations; wills, estates and trusts

D. Wendy Greene PROFESSORLL.M., The George Washington University Law SchoolJ.D., Tulane University Law SchoolB.A., cum laude, Xavier University of Louisiana

Teaching and research interests: Comparative slavery, constitutional law, critical race theory, employment law, employment discrimination, equitable remedies, race relations law, real property

Doris “Wendy” Greene is nationally known for her cutting-edge research and writing on issues related to race, gender and law. In 2014, she was one of 12 named an “Emerging Scholar” by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.

A prolific speaker, Greene has presented her scholarship on comparative slavery and race relations law, critical race theory, employment discrimination, and law and literature at more than 50 academic conferences domestically and abroad.

“My published works fall into (and cut across) three general categories: employment discrimination law, comparative slavery and race relations law, and critical race theory. In particular, I am most excited about exploring marginalized yet significant issues—at the intersection of race and gender—that impede one’s full inclusion and participation in the workplace and in society at large. My aim is to proffer innovative, practical and theoretical solutions to these socio-legal problems.”

She’s generous with her time as well as her talent. Greene chairs Cumberland School of Law’s Faculty Development Committee, and is involved in the mentorship of aspiring and junior law faculty in a variety of professional communities.

Michael D. Floyd PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIESJ.D., with distinction, Emory University School of Law, Robert W. Woodruff Fellow, Order of the CoifM.S., with distinction, New York UniversityA.B., magna cum laude, Princeton University

Teaching and research interests: Commercial law, bankruptcy, consumer protection, real property, aging and the law

Jill Elysa Evans PROFESSORJ.D., Northwestern University School of LawM.A., management, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern UniversityB.A., University of California—Irvine

Teaching and research interests: Environmental law, torts


FACULTY

R. Thomas Stone Jr. PROFESSORPh.D., University of TennesseeLL.M., University of Illinois at Urbana—ChampaignJ.D., Emory UniversityB.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Teaching and research interests: Antitrust, business organizations, contracts, economic analysis of law, government regulation of business

Henry C. Strickland III DEAN AND ETHEL P. MALUGEN PROFESSOR OF LAWJ.D., Vanderbilt University Law SchoolB.A., summa cum laude, Presbyterian College

Teaching and research interests: Alternative dispute resolution, civil procedure, conflict of laws, constitutional law, remedies, arbitration and legal education

Howard P. Walthall LESLIE S. WRIGHT PROFESSOR OF LAWLL.B., Harvard Law SchoolA.B., magna cum laude, Harvard College

Teaching and research interests: State constitutional law, state and local taxation, commercial law, bankruptcy, business organizations

Woodrow Hartzog STARNES PROFESSOR OF LAWPh.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel HillLL.M., with highest honors, The George Washington University Law School J.D., cum laude, Cumberland School of Law B.A., Samford University

Teaching and research interests: Privacy law, media law, Internet law, intellectual property (copyright, patent and trademark), torts and contracts

Woody Hartzog is an internationally recognized expert in the area of privacy, media and robotics law. He has been quoted or referenced in numerous articles and broadcasts, including NPR, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and USA Today. His work has been published in scholarly publications such as the Columbia Law Review, California Law Review and Michigan Law Review, and popular national publications such as Forbes, Wired, Bloomberg, New Scientist, The Atlantic and The Nation.

He’s also a pretty terrific professor.

“I’m a traditional kind of professor in the classroom. I rely on Socratic dialogue and old-fashioned case analysis. My research focuses on legal problems created by new technologies. I try to make sense of how technology impacts people’s lives and identify the proper role of the law in this context. I want to know whether, why and how the law should protect privacy in the modern age.”

David M. Smolin HARWELL G. DAVIS PROFESSOR OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR CHILDREN, LAW AND ETHICSJ.D., University of Cincinnati College of Law, Order of the CoifB.A., New College of the University of South Florida

Teaching and research interests: Bioethics and biotechnology, intellectual property, international human rights, children’s issues, family and juvenile law, constitutional law, estates and trusts, criminal law

Andrea L. Shaw INTERIM DIRECTOR OF LAWYERING SKILLS AND LEGAL REASONINGJ.D., with honors, Cumberland School of Law

B.A., Florida State University

Teaching and research interests: Legal research and writing, environmental issues in real estate

Deborah Young PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR ADVOCACY AND CLINICAL EDUCATIONJ.D., cum laude, University of Michigan Law SchoolCorning Traveling FellowB.A., summa cum laude, University of Kentucky, Phi Beta Kappa

Teaching and research interests: Criminal procedure, evidence, trial advocacy

Edward C. Martin PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR OF LAW SCHOOL TECHNOLOGYJ.D., University of Tennessee College of LawPostgraduate studies, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityPostgraduate studies, Middle Tennessee State UniversityB.S., University of Tennessee

Teaching and research interests: Torts, products liability, professional responsibility, damages, law and technology

Brian Noble LLR INSTRUCTORJ.D., summa cum laude, Cumberland School of Law

B.S., political science, University of Mississippi

Teaching and research interests: Legal research and writing, appellate advocacy, pre-trial practice and procedure, employment discrimination law

William G. Ross LUCILLE STEWART BEESON PROFESSOR OF LAWJ.D., Harvard Law SchoolA.B., with distinction, Stanford University

Teaching and research interests: Professional responsibilities, civil procedure, constitutional law, American legal history


Cumberland School of Law has been preparing exceptional lawyers for more than 165 years. Our 8,600+ alumni are junior associates, associates, partners in major law firms and solo practitioners. They also work for corporations, nonprofit agencies, government offices and, increasingly, in nontraditional jobs that require legal expertise.

Cumberland School of Law is proud to offer the Student Success Mentoring Program (SSMP), a unique program giving students and alumni a stronger network for support and guidance. SSMP pairs students with outstanding alumni who give them real-world insight into the practice of law.

ALUMNI WHATEVER YOUR GOAL, CUMBERLAND SCHOOL OF LAW CAN HELP YOU ACHIEVE CAREER SUCCESS.

Representative Martha Roby ’01Martha Roby is serving her second term as representative in Alabama’s Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to being elected to Congress, she worked as an attorney and served as a city councilwoman in her hometown of Montgomery. Republican leaders selected Roby as one of only four freshman members to serve on the Majority Transition Team.

Roby later served as chair of a subcommittee on military oversight and investigations, a rare honor for a second-term member of Congress. She recently became a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, which has oversight on government spending. She is the first representative from the Second District to serve on this key congressional committee.

In a recent commencement address, Roby urged Cumberland School of Law graduates to give a high priority to public service in their careers and to be ready for such opportunities. “The call may come when you least expect it,” she said, “and it doesn’t necessarily mean elective office. Public service is something beyond charity, and it’s an essential part of American life.”


MEET THE MAGIC CITY: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

Nicknamed the Magic City because of its rapid growth after the city was

founded in 1871, the metro Birmingham area has a population of about

one million people in a seven-county area. Birmingham boasts incredible

opportunities for career, service, community and fun.

More than 5,000 practicing attorneys are located in the metropolitan area, with a large number of major law firms mak-ing their headquarters in Birmingham. Midsized and smaller firms, as well as solo practices, round out Birmingham’s lively legal landscape, providing a multitude of convenient job opportunities for Cumberland School of Law students.

The New York Times calls Birmingham a “hot spot for residents and visitors.” Birmingham pairs a vibrant foodie culture with an outstanding music and performing arts scene.

There are many fun (and often free) things to do and see in Birmingham. Here are some of our favorites:Alabama Theatre Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Birmingham Museum of Art Birmingham ZooOak Mountain Park

Pepper Place Farmer’s Market Railroad ParkRed Mountain Park Regions Field

Rickwood Field Sidewalk Film Festival Sloss FurnaceVulcan Park and Museum

To see more of what Birmingham has to offer, go to meetmagiccity.com


SAMFORDUNIVERSITY: ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COLLEGE CAMPUSES IN THE SOUTH

Samford University is Alabama’s top-ranked private university. Samford was founded in 1841 and has an enrollment of nearly 5,500 students representing 47 states and 29 countries. Samford offers 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with 166 undergraduate majors, minors and concentrations.

With more than 50 Georgian-Colonial buildings set on a manicured 200-acre campus, Samford is an idyllic place

to earn your law degree.


Cumberland School of Law has rolling admission, and completed admission files are reviewed in the order in which they are received. You are encouraged to submit your application early in the process.

Submit your application through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) at samford.edu/cumberlandlaw/apply

Admission Requirements• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university • Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score (taken within the last five years)• Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report through LSAC. Make arrangements for LSAC to receive and compile

letters of recommendation, transcripts from all colleges and universities attended and LSAT score in a CAS report.• Cumberland School of Law’s official application, completed by the required deadline. A completed application

includes a personal statement, a résumé, any required addenda and a CAS report.

Financial Aid, Scholarships and FellowshipsCumberland School of Law recognizes the rising costs of legal education, and makes every effort to manage costs and to ensure students receive high-quality legal education. Federal financial aid and scholarships provided by the law school are separate from one another. Federal financial aid is loans administered through the federal government. Scholarships are funds provided by the law school based on merit.

Federal Financial Aid The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is used to determine eligibility for need-based federal financial aid that is administered by Samford University’s Office of Financial Aid.

• Submit the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov. • The federal school code for Samford University is 001036. • The priority FAFSA application deadline is March 1. • Federal Stafford Loans allow eligible students to borrow up to a maximum amount each academic year. • Federal Graduate Plus Loans supplement costs associated with your education up to the estimated law student budget amount.

For additional information, contact Samford University’s financial aid office at 205-726-2905, 1-800-888-7245

or samford.edu/go/aid.

APPLY


Flex-Time StatusDesigned for individuals who need to ease into the rigors of law school, the Flex-Time option enables you to complete a law degree in five years or less. Flex-Time is ideal for nontraditional students, professionals with flexible employment status who wish to maintain some level of employment while carrying a slightly reduced course load or parents of school-age children who have additional responsibilities to tend to while in law school.

Students attend classes during the weekdays alongside full-time students. There are no weekend classes.

Scholarships and Fellowships The Scholarship Committee makes scholarship selections based on the information you provide in your application. Scholarship awards are based on a variety of criteria, from overall outstanding scholarship, leadership, academic achievement and diversity to various alumni-sponsored awards. Admitted students who are selected to receive scholarship assistance are notified by email and phone.

No scholarships are available for flex-time students during their first two semesters of study.

Scholarships are offered in the form of full- or partial-tuition merit scholarships. Merit scholarships range from a few thousand dollars to full tuition.

Second- and third-year students may be eligible to receive endowed, need-based, merit or leadership scholarships, made possible through the generosity of Cumberland School of Law alumni and friends. There are more than 50 leadership scholarships and numerous need-based awards annually. A Peer Scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving student as a gift from the graduating third-year class.

The Rodney Max Mediation Fellowship recognizes the interest, achievements and scholarship of Cumberland School of Law students in the areas of mediation. The Max Fellow receives this yearlong award and works for the director of the Cumberland Community Mediation Center.

The Jere F. White Jr. Fellowship offers a unique learning experience to an entering student who demonstrates

superior academic performance, a strong record of service, and exceptional potential for professional and

personal leadership. The White Fellow receives a full-tuition scholarship, a $5,000 annual stipend, and

tuition and lodging for the summer Cambridge study abroad program at Sidney Sussex College in England.

In addition, the White Fellow joins law school faculty at the annual Southeastern Association of Law Schools

Conference following the second year of law school. The White Fellow is invited to join Cumberland School

of Law’s Inn of Court and to participate in the Works-in-Progress Colloquia. Preference is given to applicants

who have served in the military, Peace Corps, Teach for America or other programs benefiting underserved

communities.

CUMBERLAND SCHOOL OF LAW AWARDS NEARLY $3 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS EACH ACADEMIC YEAR. EVERY FULL-TIME FIRST-YEAR LAW STUDENT IS AUTOMATICALLY CONSIDERED FOR MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS.

SAMFORD.EDU/CUMBERLANDLAW · 44

IS CUMBERLAND SCHOOL OF LAW THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU? VISIT CAMPUS IN PERSON AND FIND OUT.

Contact us to schedule a visit: [email protected] or 1-800-888-7213

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