{"id":5424,"date":"2026-02-19T16:56:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T16:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/?p=5424"},"modified":"2026-03-09T14:15:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T14:15:50","slug":"deans-letter-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/deans-letter-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Dean&#8217;s Letter"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5424\" class=\"elementor elementor-5424\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-70909d2e elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"70909d2e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cfda4ba\" data-id=\"cfda4ba\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f6ff771 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2f6ff771\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"image-padding alignright wp-image-5425\" style=\"margin-left: 25px;margin-bottom: 15px\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2026\/02\/LaVonda.Reed_.cropped2-231x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"454\" data-wp-editing=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2026\/02\/LaVonda.Reed_.cropped2-231x300.jpg 231w, https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2026\/02\/LaVonda.Reed_.cropped2-790x1024.jpg 790w, https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2026\/02\/LaVonda.Reed_.cropped2-768x996.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2026\/02\/LaVonda.Reed_.cropped2-700x908.jpg 700w, https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2026\/02\/LaVonda.Reed_.cropped2.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dear Alumni,<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For 100 years, the University of Baltimore School of Law has been defined by purpose: preparing graduates not just to think like lawyers, but to practice as lawyers. Our new strategic plan gives shape and structure to that identity, affirming what our community already knows: UBalt Law produces practice-ready lawyers who serve, lead, and make a difference.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As we conclude our centennial celebration, this issue of <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">our magazine<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> offers a powerful reflection of who we are at this moment and where we are headed. The stories you will read illustrate our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ubalt.edu\/law\/about\/strategic-plan.cfm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">strategic plan<\/a>\u00a0in action, rooted in access, experiential learning, scholarly impact, and engagement with Baltimore and the broader legal Maryland community.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In this Winter 2026 issue, you will learn about students stepping into real responsibility through our nationally recognized clinical and experiential programs, representing clients and communities with care, professionalism, and purpose. You will also read about faculty scholarship that analyzes pressing legal and policy questions, strengthens public understanding of the law, and reinforces our role as a thought leader committed to the public good.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This academic year marks my second year as dean, and I am encouraged by the progress we are making together. Everything we do has a place within our strategic plan framework\u2014from supporting students, to recruiting and elevating exceptional faculty, to strengthening financial aid and employment outcomes in a challenging funding environment.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The stories in this issue also reflect our growing engagement with alumni and our community, including new initiatives like the Rule of Law Series, which underscores UBalt Law\u2019s unique role in advancing civil discourse and legal understanding beyond the classroom. At a time when the value of higher education is being widely questioned, these stories affirm the importance of a legal education.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As we honor 100 years of impact, I am deeply grateful to the alumni, faculty, staff, students, and partners who bring this mission to life every day. Together, we are not only celebrating UBalt Law\u2019s legacy, we are shaping its future.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4542\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2024\/09\/IMG_0155-300x111.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2024\/09\/IMG_0155-300x111.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2024\/09\/IMG_0155-768x283.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2024\/09\/IMG_0155-700x258.jpg 700w, https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1270\/2024\/09\/IMG_0155.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">LaVonda N. Reed<\/span><br \/><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dean<\/span><br \/><span data-contrast=\"auto\">University of Baltimore School of Law<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-496de2d7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"496de2d7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4223649e\" data-id=\"4223649e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b977a0c elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"1b977a0c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-45e4d696 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"45e4d696\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6393128e\" data-id=\"6393128e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-400d83c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"400d83c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4>Share this story with your network:<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a2f1bec elementor-share-buttons--view-icon-text elementor-share-buttons--skin-gradient elementor-share-buttons--shape-square elementor-grid-0 elementor-share-buttons--color-official elementor-widget elementor-widget-share-buttons\" data-id=\"7a2f1bec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"share-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_facebook\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-screen-only\">Share on facebook<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFacebook\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_twitter\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-screen-only\">Share on twitter<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTwitter\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_linkedin\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-screen-only\">Share on linkedin<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLinkedIn\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_email\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fas fa-envelope\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-screen-only\">Share on email<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmail\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear Alumni,\u00a0 For 100 years, the University of Baltimore School of Law has been defined by purpose: preparing graduates not just to think like lawyers, but to practice as lawyers. Our new strategic plan gives shape and structure to that identity, affirming what our community already knows: UBalt Law produces practice-ready lawyers who serve, lead, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3596,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5424"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3596"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5424"}],"version-history":[{"count":64,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5498,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5424\/revisions\/5498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/lawmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}