The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law held the Class of 2026’s Hooding Ceremony at the historic Hippodrome Theatre on May 15. Maryland Carey Law Dean Renée Laurent hosted the proceedings with University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce Jarrell in attendance to confer degrees on the JD, LLM, and MSL candidates.
Laurent offered opening remarks, expressing pride in the graduates and encouragement as they launch their careers. “Graduates, you are amazing and have worked incredibly hard to get here,” said the dean. “We are so proud of you.”
Attendees enjoyed a keynote address both serious and comedic from the Hon. Brendan Hurson ’05 (left), a district judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. In his address, Judge Hurson gave students encouraging advice about practicing law during this divisive time in history.
“Stay focused and be the good lawyer you learned to be,” said the federal judge. “Good lawyers know that on the other side of most issues is another person who feels just as strongly as they do...Good lawyers try to find common ground.”
Judge Hurson graduated from Maryland Carey Law Order of the Coif and was a highly engaged student. He served on the Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender, and Class, competed on the National Trial Team, and advocated for his peers as president of the Student Bar Association. Since graduating in 2005, he has returned to the law school to teach Criminal Procedure and Written and Oral Advocacy.
The ceremony’s student speakers were day program class president Rasul Wright and Student Government Association president Danielle Basdekis, who mused on their law school experiences and provided inspiration for their peers.
Basdekis praised the sense of community at Maryland Carey Law, saying the strong network is part of what makes the law school special.
“When I first started my search for law schools, Maryland Carey Law stood out to me,” said Bazdekis. “Everyone talked about how much they enjoyed their law school experience because of the Maryland Carey Law community. It is rare you hear so many different actors at a law school talk about community.”
Wright spoke about how he used to wish a superhero would swoop in and fix what’s wrong in the world. Law school changed that.
“As I look around this room, I see a room full of heroes,” he said. “Heroes who don’t need to possess supernatural powers to fix complex issues. Heroes who possess the courage and confidence to transform rejection into opportunity. Heroes who are here to usher into existence the change we hope to see in the world.”
Students were hooded in law school purple by faculty members then walked the stage to shake hands with the dean and Judge Hurson. Families and friends clapped and cheered. One exuberant dad yelled, “That’s my daughter!” Another audience member called out, “We love you!”
Members of the high-achieving class were honored the previous day in Maryland Carey Law’s annual Recognition Ceremony where graduation prizes and Latin Honors were announced. Students also learned which of their peers earned the William Strobel Thomas Prize, which is awarded to the graduate recognized by the faculty as having achieved the highest grade point average in the class. This year’s recipient is Elizabeth Harnish-Nisly (right), who also received the Public Service Award and the Community Scholar Prize.
More intimate celebrations throughout the week recognized individuals who graduated from specialty areas and programs, including Business Law, Criminal Law, Cybersecurity & Crisis Management, Dispute Resolution, Environmental Law, Health Law, Immigration Law, and Intellectual Property. The National Trial Team also held its annual medallion ceremony.
To welcome the Class of 2026 to the alumni community, the Maryland Carey Law School Club (MCLSC), the law school’s leadership giving society, hosted a celebratory toast for the class earlier in the week. Speakers included the Hon. Karen C. Friedman ’97, MCLSC co-chair and Tamika Tremaglio ’95, Board of Visitors chair, who welcomed the graduates to the alumni community, and Chukwukpee Nzegwu ’20, MCLSC co-chair, who offered the traditional celebratory toast.
In their remarks, Friedman and Tremaglio emphasized the importance of the connections forged in the classroom, which continue long after graduation. The two highly distinguished attorneys met on their first day of orientation more than 30 years ago. They became fast friends in law school and have remained close ever since.
Student Bar Association Executive Vice President Tabonnie Nesmith ’26 was the event’s student speaker. She also recalled the first day of orientation and her feelings of excitement combined with uncertainty.
“Law school changed me in ways I never expected,” she said, referring to the confidence she gained as co-captain of the Thurgood Marshall Trial Team and through three years of SBA service with the support of peers, faculty, and alumni mentors.
“What makes this law school special,” Nesmith concluded, “is its people.”
Pictured l-r: Dean Renée Laurent, Tabonnie Nesmith '26, Chukwukpee Nzegwu '20, the Hon. Karen C. Friedman '97, and Tamika Tremaglio '95 toast the Class of 2026