Orientation
Save the date! Orientation for new law students, transfer students and our international LLM students will be several days/evenings during the week of August 12. You will be the first class to start in our new law school building and we can't wait to welcome you.
Please be sure to take your summer vacations BEFORE this week so you don't miss this important part of your law school experience.
We look forward to greeting you as you embark on this very exciting time in your life. We encourage you to review the information on this page so you are well-prepared for your first semester. Please check back frequently, as we will be updating this page with more details including a schedule of orientation events. If you have any questions, please contact Rebecca Bainum, director of Academic Services. Please read the Welcome from our Dean!
Getting Ready
We know that many of you are eager to start preparing for your law school adventure. Here's how:
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Get started on your Orientation reading assignments!
You have two reading assignments to complete before you arrive on campus for Orientation. First, read and understand the Honor Code which will be administered during orientation. You must read it before you arrive so you will be prepared to take the Honor Code Pledge. Second, read Gray v. Martino, a short case that will be the topic of discussion at your "mock class" session. You'll be called on, so be ready! You're going to learn how to read and understand a law case.
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What else can I do to get ready?
The best thing you can do this summer after completing your two reading assignments is relax. However, if you want to get a bit ahead of the game, here are some suggested activities. None of them are required (except the administrative matters; you can do those during Orientation week if you choose).
1. Get the most out of your first year of law school
Please read Charles R. Calleros's Law School Exams : Preparing and Writing to Win (Aspen). Read the entire book prior to Orientation, then re-read the applicable sections during Orientation and the fall semester as they become relevant. This book is available on Amazon .
2. Refresh your basic knowledge about government
It is important that you refresh your recollection regarding the basics of American government and the judicial system. Some sources for this include:
- Re-read Calleros, Law School Exams , pp. 23-30 (in Chapter 4)
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Take a Computer Assisted Legal Instruction lesson. CALI lessons are interactive experiences that you run on your computer. To run a CALI lesson you must register. The School of Law's authorization code is BALTUVstu14 (case sensitive). We are located in Maryland and we are a CALI member. You are not required to save or turn in your score.
Click on this CALI lesson: Where Does Law Come From, by Diane Murley . - Explore these websites:
Understanding Federal Courts Overview of the U.S. Legal System
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3. Wrap up these administrative matters:
- Undergraduate Transcript : Remember that we must receive an official copy of your undergraduate transcript.
- Transportation or Parking : Sign up for a parking account , or figure out your public transit route before orientation.
Things to do before you arrive on campus
Before you come to the first day of class, be sure you've done the following (much of which you can knock out during orientation!). Classes start on Monday, Aug. 20, and you'll be jumping right in on the substance of the class.
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Get your Bee Card
Your University of Baltimore ID, the Bee Card, serves as your parking pass, library card, student ID, gym membership card and Campus Cash. It's easy to get, but you should plan to get it before you start classes. If you'll be driving to campus, sign up for a parking account with your Bee Card.
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Figure out your Transportation to UB
You'll be here a lot, so now is the time to figure out how you're going to get here every day. You have lots of options: you can certainly drive to UB and park, or there are a variety of public transportation options. Whatever you choose, make sure you get your Bee Card and make sure you have a reliable way to get here in time for classes and exams.
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Buy your books and complete your first class assignments
Our on-campus bookstore stocks all of your class materials. The bookstore, located in the Fitzgerald on West Oliver Street, has virtually everything you'll need as a student. You can also visit the bookstore online. To find out what books you'll need for your classes, go to the syllabus for each class or you c an take your course schedule with you to the bookstore and find your books that way. They are stocked in the bookstore by faculty name, course name and section number. Do not purchase books until Aug. 1, since the composition of the class may change. Your schedule is subject to change until that time.
Once you know which professors you will have this fall, you can prepare for class by reviewing the first class assignments that will be posted after Aug. 1. A syllabus with assignments for each class will be available on the Current Students webpage (listed by course name).
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Access your official UB e-mail account
Once you are registered for classes, you will receive a letter providing you with your University of Baltimore law school e-mail account. The University of Baltimore requires the use of the ubalt.edu account in all official communications. You may choose to redirect your ubalt.edu account to an outside, personal account, but you must check your ubalt.edu account regularly so that you don't miss any important information. If you have not received information about your account, e.g.your network ID and password), contact the Office of Technology Services at 410.837.6262.
Other helpful information
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Will I have class everyday? What is my schedule?
Your specific class schedule will be available in late July - classes are assigned by the Office of Academic Affairs. But here is what you can expect in terms of your class time: JD Day division - You will have class every day of the week (including Friday). From Monday through Thursday, you can expect to be in class from 9am until 4:30pm; on Friday you will be in class from 9am until 11:45am. JD Evening division - You will have classes four nights per week, Monday through Thursday. LLM -LOTUS students - You will have class Monday and Wednesday afternoons and Tuesday and Thursday mornings. All students will have additional weekly sessions with LAW Scholars that are not included in the times stated here.Also, there are blocks of time during each day, including lunchtime, where you will not have class and you can use that time for studying or eating.
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Are there lockers for storing my books?
Yes, there are student lockers on the second floor of the School of Law. The Student Bar Association will be available at the beginning of the semester to facilitate locker rentals.
