Peer advisors are upper class students who primarily mentor, support, and provide leadership to 1Ls throughout their first year of law school. They also provide guidance to transfer students, visitors, and LLMs. Peer Advisors are assigned to each first-year section of day and evening students. They work with the Office of Student Affairs during fall orientation to introduce new students to the law school. They plan activities throughout the year to help students become acclimated to the demands of academics and student life outside of the classroom, to become familiar with resources available at the law school and on the larger campus, and to explore all that the Baltimore-Washington region has to offer them. 

Become a Peer Advisor

Are you interested in taking on a leadership role within the law school? Do you have a desire to pass on to new students the wisdom you have gained from your law school experience? This is your opportunity to pay it forward! Please consider serving as a Peer Advisor during the upcoming academic year to provide advice and guidance to the next entering class. 

The Office of Student Affairs is seeking applicants who are enthusiastic, exercise good judgment, are creative, and are interested in building a strong sense of community at the law school. Our goal is to select four to five Peer Advisors for each first-year section of day and evening students. 

Peer Advisor Obligations 

  • Serve as a mentor to other students throughout the academic year as they acclimate to the law school community 
  • Attend welcome night events for new students in June and July (if you are available) and address new student questions by email, social media, online chat sessions, and panel programs 
  • Participate in a mandatory peer advisor orientation in mid-August just prior to fall orientation for new students 
  • Assist in the planning and implementation of new Peer Advisor orientation (veteran/returning Peer Advisors only)  
  • Participate in the mandatory fall orientation program for incoming students 
  • Act as a guide throughout orientation by introducing new students to what they can expect during their first-year of law school and familiarizing them with the student-life resources available to them 
  • Maintain regular contact with assigned first-year section and communicate information about student activities, academic advising, exam strategies, student leadership opportunities, summer opportunities, and course selection 
  • Help plan and participate in group activities with your assigned section of students 
  • Plan one event per month per semester for your section avoiding programming blackout, reading and exam periods.
  • Select a fellow Peer Advisor from your section to meet periodically with the Peer Advisor Coordinator who oversees Peer Advisor activities and programming 

2023-2024 Application Deadline and Interviews 

The 2023-2024 Peer Advisor application deadline is Wednesday, April 5, 2023. All peer advisors, returning and new, must complete the application. First-time applicants must interview to serve in this role. If selected to interview, the Office of Student Affairs will contact you. 

Interviews of first-time peer advisor applicants will be conducted between Monday, April 10 and Friday, April 21 and selections will be made shortly thereafter. Veteran/Returning peer advisors will not have to interview again but please complete the application form so that we have current information.  

Peer Advisor Training 

Training for 2023-2024 Peer Advisors will take place in May and August. Please contact Ann Kim in the Office of Student Affairs at a.kim@law.umaryland.edu or 410-706-2064 if you have any questions.