Cumberland School of Law

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Cumberland School of Law

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The official Facebook account for Samford University's Cumberland School of Law. Second, Lawyering and Legal Reasoning. Third, our location.

Founded in 1847, Cumberland School of Law is one of the nation's oldest law schools and is nationally recognized for trial advocacy and quality instruction. Our Juris Doctor curriculum trains students to practice in all areas of law, including corporate law, trial advocacy, health law, environmental law and public interest law. There are three components to the law school that combine to create its successful academic environment:

First, the collegial, scholarly interaction between its faculty and students. Known on and off campus simply as LLR, this comprehensive, cutting-edge writing course gives each first-year student hands-on experience in skills that range from the initial client interview through the preparation and presentation of an appellate brief. Cumberland School of Law is situated on Samford University’s campus near downtown Birmingham, one of the legal hubs of the Southeast. Our proximity to this dynamic market offers our students an environment rich with opportunities for externships and extracurricular activities that enhance the classroom experience. In addition to the Juris Doctor degree, Cumberland School of Law offers the Master of Laws (LL.M.) for lawyers and Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) for nonlawyers, both completely online. Cumberland School of Law is part of Samford University, which is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

11/03/2026

Great news from Samford University!

One of the nation’s leading Christian universities, Samford plays a vital role as an employer, investor, destination and source of talent for Alabama.

11/03/2026

Meet admission ambassador Ariel Dixon, a second-year law student from Saraland, Alabama! Ariel is interested in both civil and criminal litigation, with a particular interest in plaintiffs’ work and prosecution. She hopes to use her legal career to advocate for people experiencing difficult times and serve as a voice for their interests.

Learn more about Ariel and her Cumberland experience in our story!

11/02/2026

Coming up this Friday!

The best trial lawyers and the best journalists share a common skill: storytelling.

Join us and the American College of Trial Lawyers on Friday, Nov. 6, for the 2026 Jere F. White Jr. Trial Advocacy Institute, featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Rick Bragg as the keynote speaker. Along with six CLE hours, attendees will hear insights from both plaintiff and defense perspectives and receive a complimentary copy of Bragg's acclaimed memoir "All Over But the Shoutin'."

Even better, proceeds from the event help fund the Jere F. White Jr. Fellowship at Cumberland School of Law.

Learn more and register: samford.edu/go/advocacy-institute

10/30/2026

🎃 👻 Law school comes with plenty of unknowns.

Will I make friends? Will I find my place? Will I learn how to think and speak like a lawyer? Will I be ready when it's time to launch my career?

We asked our students what they thought was scary about law school. Watch as they share what once seemed scary and how the support, opportunities and community at Cumberland School of Law helped them build confidence along the way.

10/30/2026

Recently, members of our Alumni Advisory Board gathered on campus to share insights, offer guidance and support the continued success of our school. We are grateful for their leadership, expertise and commitment to helping shape what's next for Cumberland and the students we serve.

samford.edu/law/advisory-board

10/29/2026

In the October episode of Cumberland Research Radio, Robert Maddox, JD '00, visiting assistant professor of law, talks with Dean Blake Hudson about his practice advising banks and mortgage lenders and servicers. He discusses the role of state governments in addressing issues in the absence of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s oversight, as well as the roles of AI in legal practice and technology in the classroom.

Listen to "Banking and Financial Services Law: A View from Practice" on Spotify or Apple podcasts.

samford.edu/law/podcast

10/29/2026

Meet admission ambassador Emma Murphree, a second-year law student from Cullman, Alabama! After receiving her undergraduate degree from Samford, Emma knew she didn’t want to leave Birmingham.

She said, “Through tours, Open House and Admitted Student Day, I learned that Cumberland was a unique place where everyone was given individualized attention in order to foster personal and professional growth. All of the students I met were genuine about how much they loved Cumberland and what opportunities it provided them. From the very beginning, I knew that it would be a perfect fit for me!”

Learn more about Emma and her Cumberland experience in our story!

10/28/2026

⚖️🤝 The next opportunity could start with a single conversation.

Yesterday's Meet the Market event brought together Cumberland School of Law students and employers for an evening of networking, career exploration and relationship building.

Thank you to all the employers from across Alabama who came to campus and helped make this event possible. We are grateful for your commitment to mentoring, recruiting and investing in the future of the legal profession.

10/28/2026

Two teams from Cumberland School of Law recently competed in the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Student Division Negotiation Competition Regional Tournament, with students Hayden Stephens and Bailey Parsons advancing to the final round as the tournament's No. 1 seed. Tyler Varnadore and Taylor Slepian also represented Cumberland in the regional competition, which featured 20 teams from law schools across the region.

The ABA Negotiation Competition allows law students to develop and refine practical negotiation skills through simulated legal disputes and transactional matters. Student teams represent clients in a series of negotiations based on common facts and confidential client information.

Cumberland School of Law currently ranks No. 6 in the nation in the ABA’s top alternative dispute resolution (ADR) competition teams. Cumberland's strong showing in the October 2026 event reflects the law school's continued commitment to excellence in advocacy and ADR training.

samford.edu/law/news/2026/Cumberland-School-of-Law-Students-Advance-to-Final-Round-at-ABA-Negotiation-Competition

10/27/2026

Happy Pro Bono Month!

Service has long been a cornerstone of the legal profession, and at Cumberland School of Law, students are encouraged to use their legal education to make a meaningful impact both in the classroom and in the community.

This year, third-year students Harper Cook and Daniel Washington are serving as Cumberland's Public Interest liaisons in the Office of Clinics, Externships and Public Interest. In their roles, Cook and Washington help connect classmates with service opportunities while promoting a culture of public interest and pro bono engagement.

Learn more about what inspired their commitment to service, their goals for the year and how they hope to use their legal careers to make a difference.

samford.edu/law/news/2026/A-Commitment-to-Service-A-Conversation-with-Cumberland-School-of-Laws-Student-Public-Interest-Liaisons

Address

800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL
35229

Website

http://twitter.com/Cumberlandlaw, https://www.samford.edu/law/art-of-advocacy

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