For law student Kevin Franz, his time in Miami will come to an end when he receives his law degree in May. Kevin has accepted a judicial clerkship with Circuit Court Judge E. Allen Shepherd in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. While he is excited to return home and start his new job, the decision to leave Miami was difficult because of his fondness for the law school and the city of Miami.

During his final semester of law school, Kevin is completing a clinical placement with the State Attorney's Office where he has gained a great deal of courtroom experience. "The Litigation Skills class and the Clinical Placement program are the two most practical and valuable programs that UM has to offer. It has been an excellent training ground for my career aspiration to practice criminal law and to eventually become a judge." Kevin has also worked as a judicial clerk for a judge in Maryland (summer 2003) and in 2004, he was a summer associate with Hyman, Kaplan, Ganguzza, Spector & Mars, P.A. in Miami.

Kevin graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park in 2001 with a degree in Sports Management. During the year between completing his bachelor's and starting his JD, he worked as a counselor for Rein Teen Tours and as a law clerk. In addition to the Litigation Skills and Clinical Placement program, during law school, Kevin participated in the summer abroad program in London, served as the director of the Student Mentoring Program, and was a member of the Orientation Committee, the Ambassador Program, and the Entertainment and Sports Law Society. "When I was an incoming law student, the mentoring program helped me adjust to law school and Miami and it made me feel more connected to the student body. I became a mentor during my second year and I was responsible for coordinating the program last year. Each year the number of mentors has increased and it really an essential service to acclimate students to the difficulties of law school."

When he's not studying or engaging in courtroom activities, Kevin likes to spend his free time writing, directing and starring in movies. He has made two films and is planning on expanding his filmmaking skills when law school ends.