Cumberland School of Law

Cumberland School of Law 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 it

s 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.

Another Cumberland lawyer on the bench! Congratulations to Hunter Fikes, JD '14, who has been appointed as district judg...
06/01/2026

Another Cumberland lawyer on the bench!

Congratulations to Hunter Fikes, JD '14, who has been appointed as district judge in Marion County, Alabama, filling a vacancy left by the recent retirement of longtime District Judge Mark Hammitte.

thealabamanewswire.com/news/local/ivey-names-hunter-fikes-new-marion-county-district-judge/article_b02d8a6a-8cd3-46d9-bc1b-27330779331b.html

By: STAFF WRITER

05/29/2026

Cumberland School of Law recently hosted the second annual Cumberland Connection Program, welcoming 25 undergraduate students from 22 universities for an immersive introduction to law school and the legal profession.

Designed to expand access to legal education, the program provides students—many without prior exposure to the field—with hands-on learning, mentorship and guidance on the law school journey.

Through faculty-led sessions, advocacy exercises and connections with alumni and attorneys, participants gained valuable insight and confidence in pursuing legal careers.

🔗 Watch below and read more: samford.edu/law/news/2026/Cumberland-School-of-Law-Welcomes-Second-Cohort-for-Immersive-Pre-Law-Program

In the May episode of Cumberland Research Radio, Brigham Daniels, professor and co-director of the Wallace Stegner Cente...
05/28/2026

In the May episode of Cumberland Research Radio, Brigham Daniels, professor and co-director of the Wallace Stegner Center for Land, Resources and the Environment at The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, talks with Dean Blake Hudson about the environmental importance of, and threats to, the Great Salt Lake and federal, state and local efforts to save it.

Listen to "Saving the Great Salt Lake" on Spotify or Apple podcasts.

samford.edu/law/podcast

Since graduating from Cumberland School of Law in 2023, Capt. Walker McCrary has launched a career defined by service, l...
05/27/2026

Since graduating from Cumberland School of Law in 2023, Capt. Walker McCrary has launched a career defined by service, leadership and advocacy through the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps.

This month, McCrary is transitioning into a new role as trial counsel for the 16th Sustainment Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command at Smith Barrack Kaserne in Baumholder, Germany.

“While at Cumberland, I was able to develop my negotiation, adaptability and client control skills that have directly translated to skills needed to advise commanders on military justice, administrative and fiscal law issues.” McCrary said. “Cumberland’s advocacy program directly impacted my ability to advise commanders, lead soldiers and litigate within the military justice system.”

Read Capt. McCrary's story: samford.edu/law/news/2026/Walker-McCrary-Takes-on-Military-Counsel-Role

Cumberland School of Law's Dean's List recognizes excellence in academic achievement including students whose end-of-sem...
05/26/2026

Cumberland School of Law's Dean's List recognizes excellence in academic achievement including students whose end-of-semester GPA is 3.3 or higher.

Congratulations to the students who qualified for the spring 2026 Dean's List.

samford.edu/law/files/Deans-List.pdf

Associate Professor Maryam Stevenson is contributing to an important national conversation on health care access through...
05/26/2026

Associate Professor Maryam Stevenson is contributing to an important national conversation on health care access through her recent scholarly publication in the Georgetown Immigration Law Journal.

In her newest published article, “Doctor, Doctor: Reforming Physician Immigration Policy to Improve Access to Healthcare,” Stevenson examines how current U.S. immigration policies affect the availability of physicians, particularly in underserved communities. Drawing on her expertise in immigration law, she analyzes the structural barriers that limit foreign-trained doctors from practicing in the United States and proposes reforms aimed at strengthening the health care workforce.

Her work highlights the intersection of immigration law and public health, emphasizing how policy decisions can directly shape access to care. By identifying inefficiencies in existing visa programs and regulatory frameworks, the article outlines practical, policy-driven solutions to address physician shortages nationwide.

samford.edu/law/faculty/Cumberland-Law-Professor-Publishes-on-Physician-Immigration-Policy-in-Georgetown-Immigration-Law-Journal

Service is at the heart of Cumberland School of Law’s mission and the legal profession—and these students lived it out t...
05/22/2026

Service is at the heart of Cumberland School of Law’s mission and the legal profession—and these students lived it out this year.

Congratulations to our 2025–26 Spirit of Service Award recipients: Maddie Brown, Chandler Campbell, Maya Shah, Jordan Smith and Sydney Smith.

By volunteering more than 35 hours of service each, they gave their time to initiatives like wills clinics, and blood, food and clothing drives, and supported partners including Birmingham Jumpstart, Jefferson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Women’s Missionary Union, Angel Tree and more.

Their dedication to serving others makes a lasting impact in Birmingham and beyond!

Cumberland School of Law has expanded upon its 3+3 partnerships, signing an agreement with Jacksonville State University...
05/21/2026

Cumberland School of Law has expanded upon its 3+3 partnerships, signing an agreement with Jacksonville State University. This partnership creates an accelerated pathway for qualified students to earn both their undergraduate and law degrees in just six years, reducing time and cost to complete both.

Through the program, qualified students may complete their first year of law school coursework during their senior year, with those credits counting toward their undergraduate degree.

Learn more: samford.edu/law/news/2026/Cumberland-Expands-3-3-Partnerships-Announces-Accelerated-Pathway-with-Jacksonville-State-University

On Tuesday, we were honored to welcome participants from the 2026 Maynard Nexsen Pre-Law Internship Program to campus fo...
05/20/2026

On Tuesday, we were honored to welcome participants from the 2026 Maynard Nexsen Pre-Law Internship Program to campus for a day of learning and connection.

Designed to introduce undergraduate students to the legal profession, Maynard's program provides insights into the industry and exposure to a range of practice areas, while offering interns valuable professional development experience through projects, seminars and networking with attorneys and community leaders.

While on campus, students participated in a cross-examination class led by Matt Woodham, associate professor and co-director of advocacy programs, and joined a lunch discussion with Dean Blake Hudson. The visit was made possible through the collaboration of Cumberland alumna Stephanie Houston Mays, the firm’s chief talent and human resources officer, and associate professor Chinelo Dike-Minor.

Programs like this play an important role in preparing future law students for the legal profession.

As state legislatures begin exploring how to regulate artificial intelligence, coverage from Law360 is highlighting the ...
05/20/2026

As state legislatures begin exploring how to regulate artificial intelligence, coverage from Law360 is highlighting the work of Professor Tim McFarlin, whose scholarship has already helped chart the path for possible state copyrights and patents in AI-generated content.

The Law360 article, “States Eye AI Ownership Laws To Fill Federal IP Gaps,” examines efforts by lawmakers to address a growing gap in federal intellectual property law. Because federal copyrights and patents are presently only available for human creativity, content generated with AI tools can fall outside traditional legal frameworks.

McFarlin’s article, “The Unexplored Future of State Copyrights and Patents in AI-Generated Creations,” recently published in the Texas A&M Law Review, considers whether and how states could step in to fill that gap. What began as a theoretical exploration has quickly become a real-time legal issue. With Arkansas passing a first-of-its-kind AI content ownership statute in 2025, and with Iowa presently considering a similar law, McFarlin told Law360, “it’s now actually happening.”

Read the full story: samford.edu/law/faculty/McFarlin-Research-Gains-National-Attention-for-Anticipating-the-Rise-of-State-Intellectual-Property-Laws-for-Artificial-Intelligence

Address

800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL
35229

Website

https://www.samford.edu/law/art-of-advocacy

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