On a fall Saturday morning, Mohammad Arshad, an information systems senior, greeted clients arriving at the Erickson School of Aging Studies looking for a fresh start with the help of UMBC’s first Expungement Clinic. After completing the intake forms, Arshad passed the files to pro-bono lawyers and staff from Maryland Legal Aid and pro-bono lawyers from the Baltimore County Bar Association. They carefully reviewed each client’s criminal records to determine eligibility for clearing or sealing certain charges or offenses that can create barriers to jobs, housing, and education
When Jessica Cook, associate director of the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar Program, noticed that Loyola University has this program, she connected with Molly Timko, UMBC’s pre-law academic advisor, and discussed bringing the program to UMBC. They established the clinic with funding from UMBC’s Center for Democracy and Civic Life. As soon as a call was made for 20 student volunteers, the response was overwhelming.
Sometimes it’s hard to get internships as an undergraduate student, notes Timko. “The exposure to public interest law—doing law for the greater good—and to network with lawyers in various fields broadens students’ understanding of what being a lawyer can look like beyond arguing in a courtroom,” says Timko, a licensed attorney in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and New York. In her role at UMBC, Timko provides career pathway counseling and law school application support for UMBC students of all majors, as well as alumni.
“It was the first time I saw a law-related volunteer opportunity on campus,” said Arshad. He serves as the senate president of the Maryland Student Legislation (MSL), a model Maryland General Assembly. Currently, there are 15 college delegations, governed by the Council of States, a group of six college students elected by MSL members. Arshad serves as the lieutenant governor.
This experiential learning experience teaches students how to draft original legislation and debate bills, navigate parliamentary procedures, and understand the legislative process. At the end of the year, all of the legislation adopted by the students is shared with members of the Maryland General Assembly for their review. “As someone interested in the legal field, I saw the Expungement Clinic as a meaningful way to deepen my understanding of the legal process.”
The expungement clinic was streamlined to assist as many clients as possible. No appointment was needed. Lawyers arrived equipped with laptops and printers, prepared to complete and file paperwork. Angus Derbyshire, director for Pro Bono at Maryland Legal Aid, who spearheads expungement clinics across Maryland, reported that 14 clients were served at the UMBC Expungement Clinic, and 10 of them had cases that were deemed potentially eligible for expungement. “This resulted in the preparation of 24 expungement petitions, which is a meaningful outcome for both the clients and the community,” said Derbyshire.
As a first-generation college student, Arshad had never seen the legal process in action firsthand, let alone been part of it. What surprised him most was the collaboration and community focus. “I had always assumed legal work was mostly done behind the scenes, but this clinic showed me how much personal interaction and empathy are involved,” said Arshad, who plans to practice intellectual property law defending the rights of inventors, entrepreneurs, and developers. “It also gave me a better understanding of expungement and how access to legal resources can significantly improve someone’s future opportunities.”
All majors to the legal field
Despite the overwhelming response from volunteers for the expungement clinic, Timko has noticed that many students still assume a political science major is required to pursue a career in law. Like Arshad, Timko is a first-generation law student with a major outside of political science. She majored in anthropology and art history, with a minor in Italian, but wasn’t sure if she wanted to pursue a Ph.D. in either field. “During my master’s program in higher education and student affairs administration, I studied abroad in South Africa and took a course on social reform in post-apartheid South Africa. It sparked my interest in education and advocacy law,” says Timko.
One of Timko’s bigger goals is to help students discover their spark. “It’s important for students to know you can major in anything. There are so many ways to be a lawyer. There’s the stereotypical trial lawyer, but there are also lawyers focused on research and writing that never set foot in a courtroom,” says Timko who is also the advisor for UMBC’s Pre-Law Society that helps student prepare for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and network with area schools. “You don’t have to be super extroverted or argumentative to be a really good lawyer.” There is also no expiration date on when you can decide to pursue a legal career.
This is why she was excited when Shannon Ziegler ’14, fine arts, and Alexander Langsam ’22, biology, reached out to her for guidance on applying to law school. Both had initially worked in their respective fields, which unexpectedly led them in new directions—Ziegler in the financial technology industry and Langsam in civil service, which then spurred in them an interest in law.
After completing the pre-med track at UMBC, Langsam dove into studying for the Medical College Admission Test and worked as a medical assistant. When he saw firsthand the challenges faced by providers and patients, he pivoted and decided to pursue a master’s in public health policy instead, while continuing to work in civil service. There, he spent time learning about the work of the general counsel, which confirmed for him the impact lawyers can have at the federal level.
“I had never considered law school before, so when I began to think of it as a possible career, I looked up UMBC pre-law advising and emailed Molly out of the blue. She guided me through the law school application process,” said Langsam. “If you can, expand your career options beyond your degree because there are so many things you can do in this world that may not be obvious in undergrad.” He will complete his masters in May and continue to the University of Baltimore Law School in the fall.
Ziegler is about to finish her first year of law school at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. In the decade before law school, she balanced being a business manager for Baltimore’s Center Stage by day and acting by night. She then checked off living in Chicago from her bucket list, where she worked at Venmo, launching a career at the crossroads of financial regulation and technology, the topic of her law school admissions essay.
Timko is on the Law School Admission Council directory as an undergraduate pre-law school advisor and receives an alert when an alum takes the LSAT. As soon as she was sent Ziegler’s results, she touched base with her. “It had been so long since I left UMBC that I didn’t think of reaching out. Molly gave me great advice on how to focus my application better and what to prioritize in my search,” said Ziegler. “She helped me slow down to think about what my goals are. I found that reframing really helpful.”
Making the LSAT accessible
At the core of the pre-law advising programming is a mission to create a supportive community where UMBC’s law school hopefuls can develop the skills, strategies, and confidence to navigate the various steps between studying for the LSAT and the first year of law school. This spring, Megumi Fukuzawa ’23, political science, who is currently studying for the LSAT, understands the need for support. Like many undergraduate students, Fukuzawa’s schedule was jam-packed. Whenever she carved out time to study for the LSAT, she felt lost and discouraged. “I needed help understanding the materials and advice about how to study effectively,” said Fukuzawa, a research assistant at the Howard County Historical Society’s Archives and Historical Center. “The only flyer I saw on campus was during my junior year, advertising a $1,000 introductory LSAT course. At that point, the LSAT felt like a massive wall I couldn’t break through.”
Thanks to a professional development grant from the American Studies Department, she was able to access study materials during her senior year. This spring, Fukuzawa asked Timko if she could lead an LSAT preparation information session.“By hosting this LSAT prep information session, providing free tutoring, and forming an online study community for UMBC LSAT students, I hope to make LSAT prep, and by extension, a legal education, more accessible to UMBC students and alumni,” said Fukuzawa. Arshad is also championing the need to help fund LSAT preparation materials, for Fukuwaza, himself, and other pre-law students who can’t afford expensive study aids. Arshad is collaborating with peers and community members on a long-term solution to establish a UMBC partnership with an LSAT coaching provider to offset LSAT preparation costs.
Advocacy and fairness are Arshad’s core values. They have defined his student work as well as his career plans to practice intellectual property law. “My background in systems and data gives me a unique perspective on how legal services, like the Expungement Clinic, can be streamlined and made more accessible through innovation,” said Arshad. “Volunteering at the expungement clinic made me think about how I can apply my tech skills to create more efficient and equitable legal solutions.”
Learn more about UMBC’s Expungement Clinic and pre-law advising.
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