As Maryland Carey Law welcomed the incoming Class of 2027 last fall, the school also celebrated a new milestone: the awarding of the inaugural Bertram L. Potemken Attorney-CPA Scholarship, which was established earlier that summer through a generous gift from the Attorney-CPA Foundation. The scholarship honors the legacy of Bertram L. Potemken, JD-CPA, and encourages students to explore the dynamic and rewarding intersection of law and accounting.
The first recipient of this prestigious award, Travis Dover ’27, arrived on campus eager to begin his legal education, and he was met with the exciting news that he had been named the inaugural Potemken Scholar. A graduate of Washington and Lee University with a double major in Economics and Religion, Travis brought with him a wealth of academic and professional experience. Prior to law school, he worked at KPMG, where he earned multiple “Encore” awards for exceptional client service. He also serves as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve and held a leadership role as executive director of Washington and Lee Student Consulting, a pro bono business advisory group on campus.
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Now, following a successful first year at Maryland Carey Law, Travis is spending the summer as a 1L summer associate at Ballard Spahr LLP in Baltimore, a longstanding partner of the law school. As part of the firm’s innovative 1L program, Travis is also gaining in-house legal experience with the general counsel’s office at McCormick & Company, one of Ballard Spahr’s corporate clients. This dual placement offers him a robust and practical view of business law from both firm and in-house perspectives.
Looking ahead, Travis is enthusiastic about continuing to build his foundation in business law. Inspired by the Potemken Scholarship and his interactions with the American Academy of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants (AAA-CPA), he is now considering sitting for the CPA exam to further enhance his credentials.
A Growing Partnership with the AAA-CPA
The Potemken Scholarship marks the beginning of a broader and growing collaboration between Maryland Carey Law and the American Academy of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants (AAA-CPA). As part of this emerging partnership, members of the Maryland Carey Law community were recently invited to attend the AAA-CPA’s annual education and networking conference. This was a unique opportunity to connect with professionals working at the intersection of tax, law, and accounting.
Victor Agbar ’28, an evening student with a background in economics, was among those who seized the opportunity to attend. Fresh off completing his first year, Victor found the conference to be a valuable way to expand his professional network and deepen his understanding of career possibilities. Maryland Carey Law was also featured during a special luncheon at the conference, spotlighting the law school’s commitment to supporting students interested in tax and business law.
Reflecting on the law school’s collaboration with the AAA-CPA, Heather Terech, managing director of the Business Law Program, noted: “This partnership directly contributes to the breadth of educational opportunities available through the law school’s nationally recognized Business Law Program and reflects the law school’s continued commitment to increasing opportunities for students to explore specialized career pathways and tap into distinct professional networks.”
Training the Next Generation of Tax Leaders
Maryland Carey Law has been recognized as a leader in tax law education. With a distinguished tax faculty that includes Professor Donald B. Tobin, Professor Daniel B. Goldberg, and Professor Andrew Blair-Stanek, as well as a robust team of adjunct and visiting professors, the law school provides students with rigorous academic training and practical, real-world experience.
Through the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, a core component of the school’s nationally ranked Clinical Law Program, student attorneys represent clients in disputes with the IRS and the Maryland comptroller, including cases docketed in the U.S. Tax Court. Under the supervision of alum and expert tax attorney Beverly Winstead ’08, students gain invaluable litigation and client counseling experience.