Cumberland School of Law

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Academic Administration

Blake Hudson, Dean; Professor
Jill E. Evans, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Professor
Lynn D. Hogewood, Assistant Dean for Academic Success and Bar Success
Emily Bonds Davey, Director, Clinics, Externships, and Public Interest
Kerry P. McInerney, Director, Graduate and International Law Programs; Administrative Faculty
Gregory K. Laughlin, Director, Lucille Beeson Law Library; Associate Professor
Sara L. Williams, Visiting Director, Advocacy Programs; Administrative Faculty

Faculty

Jeffrey M. Anderson, Professor; Director, Legal Research and Writing Program
LaJuana S. Davis, Professor
Michael E. DeBow, Professor; Stephen Everett Wells Chair in Municipal Law
Brannon P. Denning, Starnes Professor of Law
Alyssa A. DiRusso, Whelan W. and Rosalie T. Palmer Professor of Law
Paul Kuruk, Professor; Lucille Stewart Beeson Chair in Law
Edward C. Martin, Professor; Director, Law School Technology
Timothy McFarlin, Professor
Tracey M. Roberts, Professor; Director, Assessment
William G. Ross, Professor; Albert P. Brewer Chair of Ethics and Professionalism
David M. Smolin, Harwell G. Davis Professor of Constitutional Law; Director, Center for Children, Law, and Ethics
Ramona C. Albin, Associate Professor
Chinelo E. Dike-Minor, Associate Professor
Layne Keele, Associate Professor
Matthew Woodham, Associate Professor; Assistant Director, Trial Advocacy
Robin W. Andrews, Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing
William Dorton, Assistant Professor
Brooke M. Nixon, Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing
Emily K. Price, Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing
Maryam Stevenson, Assistant Professor
Laura D. Taaffe, Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing
Lane H. Woodke, Assistant Professor
Alicia Gilbert, Visiting Assistant Professor
Quykerita “Keta” Harmon, Acquisitions Librarian
Leigh A. Jones, Reference Librarian
Grace L. Simms, Information Technology Librarian

History

Cumberland School of Law, founded in 1847 as part of Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, is one of the oldest law schools in the country. The law school was acquired by Howard College, now Samford University, in 1961. 

Accreditation

Cumberland School of Law has been accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) since 1949 and has been a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) since 1952.

The master of studies in law with a concentration in health law and compliance and the master of laws with a concentration in health law and compliance are accredited by the Compliance Certification Board (CCB)®. Since the American Bar Association does not accredit master’s degrees, these programs are not accredited by the A.B.A., nor are graduates of these programs eligible to sit for the bar examination. See the Law (Graduate)  section for more information.

Overview

The Cumberland School of Law is nationally recognized for trial advocacy and quality instruction. The curriculum trains students to practice in all areas of law, including corporate law, trial advocacy, health law, environmental law, and public interest law.

Curricular Options

The Cumberland School of Law offers the following degree/certificate options:

Master of Laws (LL.M.): A fully online, 31-hour master’s degree program designed for attorneys interested in the areas of financial services regulatory compliance, health law and compliance, higher education law and compliance, or legal operations.

Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.): A fully online, 34-hour master’s degree program designed primarily for non-lawyers interested in the areas of financial services regulatory compliance, health law and compliance, higher education law and compliance, or legal operations.

Juris Doctor (J.D.): A 90-credit doctoral degree program, the classic degree for a practicing lawyer.

Certificates: Four online, 15-hour certificates in the areas of financial services regulatory compliance, health law and compliance, higher education law and compliance, or legal operations. Students who later choose to pursue the M.S.L. or LL.M. degree may be able to apply courses completed as a part of the certificate to their degree program.

For additional information, please contact the law school admissions office:

Office of Law Admission
Cumberland School of Law
Samford University
Birmingham, Alabama 35229
Tel: (205) 726-2702 or (800) 888-7213
Email: lawadm@samford.edu
Website: http://samford.edu/cumberlandlaw

Departments and Program Offerings