The University of Maryland School of Law and the University of Baltimore School of Law offer a Juris Doctor (J.D.), a degree that is required to practice law in the United States. Besides the Juris Doctor, both schools offer Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees that are pursued following the receipt of either a J.D. or, in some cases, another graduate degree.
University of Maryland School of Law offers an LL.M. degree for students possessing a Juris Doctor to further their studies in one of several legal specialties. University of Baltimore School of Law offers two different LL.M. degrees: a Master of Laws in the Laws of the United States, and a Master of Laws in Taxation. The Master of Laws in the Laws of the United States provides insight into United States law for foreign-trained lawyers who possess the equivalent to a Juris Doctor. The Master of Laws in Taxation educates students possessing either a Juris Doctor or an undergraduate degree in accounting in the area of tax law.
Founded in 1816, the University Of Maryland School of Law is the third-oldest law school in the United States.
The University of Baltimore School of Law was founded in 1925 as part of the then-private University of Baltimore. The law school became a public institution in 1975 when the University of Baltimore became part of Maryland's state university system.
The University of Baltimore School of Law and the University of Maryland School of Law are both located in Baltimore. The city of Baltimore offers a diverse cultural and professional location for law students to immerse themselves in both academic and leisurely pursuits. Both schools are located in close proximity to Baltimore-Washington International Airport and less than an hour from Washington, D.C.
As of 2009, the University of Baltimore School of Law has approximately 1,000 students. According to the University of Maryland School of Law's website, the school had over 800 students in 2008.
Although Maryland only has two law schools within the state's borders, residents have easy access to Washington, D.C., which has six law schools: American University Washington College of Law, the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, the George Washington University Law School, the Georgetown University Law Center and the Howard University School of Law.