University of Louisville School of Law 2020 Brandeis Brief

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.The . right of citizens of the United States to LOUIS vote shall n OF LAW | FALL 2020 UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE D. BRANDEIS SCHOOL or abridged by the United State on account of se zens CELEBRATING of the United St THE 100TH be denied or abridg ANNIVERSARY States or by any Sta of the 19th The right of citizen Amendment to vote shall not or abridg the United Stat any State on acGRADUATING count ofa Pandemic sex. Th of citizens of the During United States t hall not be denied GETTING TO KNOW New Faculty or abridged by t ited States or by an VOICES StateSTUDENT on accoun ex. The right of citiAdjusting to the “New zens Normal” of the Unite es to vote shall n be denied or abridged d by the Uni States or by any State on o acco The right of citizens of the he Un to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any

BRANDEISBRIEF

CONTENTS In this edition of the Brandeis Brief, we celebrate the achievements of women in the legal profession and their impact on our country.

02

THE 19th AMENDMENT

Dean Crawford celebrates the centennial of the 19th Amendment and acknowledges the work still to be done

06 CLASS OF 2020 VOICES Hear from new graduates about life in 2020

08

“As a law school, we know that we have the opportunity to effect change from the ground level.”

- Dean Crawford

INSIDE THE OFFICE

Take a look inside the office of Professor and Ackerson Law Clinic Director Shelley Santry

“ T h e c o u r t s h ave n ’ t stopped, and therefore

10 FEDERAL COURT OF APPEALS

we haven’t stopped.”

View our photos from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals oral arguments in the Allen Courtroom

12

MOTHERS ESQUIRE

How one alumna created a nonprofit supporting mothers in the law

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STUDENT MOTHERS

Stories of recent graduates about motherhood and law school

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02

ALUMNAE TIMELINE

Highlighting a few of our most influential and groundbreaking alumnae

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08

- S h e l l e y S a n t r y, Professor & Ackerson Law Clinic Director

“There is a huge (pay) gap between mothers and men — much bigger than the gap between women and men.”

- Michelle Browning Coughlin

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18

BRANDEIS MEDAL

A look at the 2019 Brandeis Medal event and winner Bob Woodward

20 PANDEMIC GRADUATION Messages to the Class of 2020

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18

NEW FACULTY

Meet the newest additions to the Louisville Law faculty

24 WOMEN-CENTERED SCHOLARSHIP

Explore the activities celebrating the 19th Amendment, women in the law and more

26 ATTORNEY GENERAL CEREMONY View photos from the swearing in of Daniel Cameron, our alumnus and Kentucky’s first Black attorney general

“I know it’s not been an easy road to get here and it’s definitely not ending as you had envisioned. But at the end of the day, you’re going to be an alumnus just like the rest of us.”

- Madison Shoffner, Law Alumni Council

28

28 CONGRESSIONAL STUDENT FORUM Kentucky lawmakers visit Allen Courtroom to talk with students

30 BREONNA TAYLOR’S LOUISVILLE Learn about the new course “Breonna Taylor’s Louisville: Race, Equity and the Law.”

“The greatest menace to freedom is an inert people.”

30

- Justice Louis D. Brandeis

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CELEBRATING

100 Years of Women

I WELCOME FROM Dean Colin Crawford

n 1911, N. Almee Courtright graduated from what is now the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville.

It’s important to note that Ms. C o u r t r i g h t g ra d u a t e d w i t h a l aw degree nine years before the 19th Amendment granted her the right to vote. Such examples of gender i n e q u a l i t y, o f co u r s e, a re l aye re d throughout U.S. history and indeed continue in the legal profession today.

Acco rd i n g to t h e 2 0 2 0 A m e r i c a n B a r A s s o c i a t i o n N a t i o n a l L aw ye r Population Survey, just 37 percent of our country’s attorneys are women.

We know that women are less likely to be equity partners or managing partners and that their billing rates and

This photograph from 1942 features, from left to right, law librarian Pearl Weiler (later Von Allmen), and law students Chester Hart, William (Bill) Harvin, and Shadrach (Shad) Boaz. Von Allmen was awarded faculty status in 1965, making her the School of Law’s first female faculty member.

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compensation fall short of men’s.

Women make up about a third of state and federal court judges.

As a law school, we know that we have the opportunity to effect change from the ground level. I am proud to report that, for the third year in a row, women outnumber men in Louisville Law’s incoming class. Of course, admitting women to law school is just the first step.

Also this year, I am proud to introduce two new full-time faculty members: Professor Shavonnie Carthens and Professor Sarah Ochs.

With their hiring, the faculty is now 44 percent female.

In this edition of the Brandeis Brief, we are celebrating the achievements of women in the legal profession and their impact on our country.

In addition, we cannot discuss U.S. h i sto r y w i t h o u t d i s cu ss i n g B l a c k history.

Indeed, while we celebrate the centennial of the 19th Amendment, we cannot do so without also acknowledging that this amendment — and the suffrage movement — did not guarantee equal access for Black women, who were still widely disenfranchised thanks to racist state voting laws.

Our country has a long and troubled racial history, and this year ’s o n g o i n g p ro te s t s a g a i n s t p o l i ce brutality and in support of racial justice have again pushed this ugly truth to the forefront of our national conversation.

As lawyers, we know that our prof e s s i o n h a s l o n g b e e n co m p l i c i t in upholding racist laws. But legal change has also helped change t h o s e l aws . A s a re s u l t , I d e e p l y believe that the role of lawyers is more important than ever. We have played — and will continue to play — a meaningful role in fighting injustice and advocating for equity.

In these pages, you will find stories of students and alums doing just that. You will also find snapshots of life as a law school during a global pandemic, key events from before we had ever heard the phrase “socially distant” and updates from our faculty.

I h o p e yo u e n j oy w h a t yo u f i n d inside. As always, please contact me at co l i n .c raw fo rd @ l o u i sv i l l e.e d u with questions, updates or just to say hello. One of my greatest joys as Dean is connecting with alums.

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CLASS OF 2020 Voices

ALIXIS RUSSELL

The end of Alixis Russell’s law school career didn’t turn out t h e way s h e ex p e c t e d .

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Russell and her fellow Louisville Law classmates returned from spring break to a drastically different landscape than the one they had left — virtual classes and exams, a pass/fail grading system for their final semester, and a postponed graduation.

And for Russell, the pandemic has meant something else: as a member of the Kentucky National Guard, she was called to state active duty.

The nature of these tasks made the call for social distancing difficult, Russell acknowledges.

During this mission, Russell didn’t attend her law school classes. She says her professors were supportive and flexible, as they were about her role with the National Guard all during law school.

That support has been invaluable during a mentally and emotionally draining time, Russell says.

“This time is very stressful and there’s a lot of anxiety. Soldiers are not exempt from that,” she says.

She explains that this means a unit is “called to do whatever the Commonwealth or the Governor needs you to do.”

“This time is very stressful and there’s Russell, whose role with the National Guard has been as a paralegal specialist working with JAG attorneys, was called to pack and load boxes for the Dare to Care Food Bank. Some of her fellow soldiers worked the loading docks and sorted donations.

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a l o t o f a n x i e t y. S o l d i e r s a re n o t exempt from that.” - ALIXIS RUSSELL

2 02 0 g ra d u ate L a u re n N o r t h w i l l b e a b l e to co n t i n u e wo r k i n g i n t wo o f t h e a re a s s h e i s most passionate about: voter engagement and advocating for the rights of women and girls.

North began the one-year fellowship in September — just ahead of the presidential election.

“Safe to say, this will be an exciting election season,” North says, noting that how the election will proceed in the wake of — or during — the coronavirus pandemic remains to be seen.

If/When/How matched North with Atlanta-based Women Engaged, a nonprofit that develops policy recommendations, conducts research and organizes initiatives with and for women and youth of color.

LAUREN NORTH

Thanks to a fellowship from national reproductive justice nonp r o f i t I f/ W h e n / H o w,

With Women Engaged, North’s focus is on voter engagement, including registration, conducting programming, developing priorities and working with community partners.

SUZY MARINO

One recent alumna at the U n i ve r s i t y o f L o u i sv i l l e School of Law credits her experience as a bone marrow donor with bringing her to law school.

W h e n M ay 2 0 2 0 g ra d u a te S u z y M a r i n o wa s an undergraduate student at San Diego State University, she signed up with Be the Match’s donor registry. She ended up donating bone marrow to the son of Beth McMasters (Class of 1994), a Louisville lawyer.

One year after the transplant — Marino’s senior year of college — she received a letter from her recipient. They began corresponding, and Marino planned to come to Louisville for a visit in February 2016. Just before she was set to arrive, her recipient, Owen McMasters, died at the age of 16.

Marino made the trip to Louisville anyway — attorneys at McMasters’ firm, McMasters Keith Butler, Inc., picked her up from the airport. She attended Owen’s visitation and ended up coming back to Louisville for a week at the end of her senior year.

During that trip, she spent time with McMasters and her fellow attorneys, all of whom were women.

“I met all these women who were vibrant and outgoing and who were attorneys,” said Marino. She had never considered law school — or moving to Kentucky — before she met the McMasters family. But she ended up moving in with them while studying for the LSAT. Louisville Law was the only law school she applied to.

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WONDER WOMAN

Socks

Santry wears these socks when she needs good luck. Plus: “If you roll up your pants and you run really fast, the capes on them will fly.”

INSIDE THE OFFICE of Professor Shelley Santry

W

hile much of the wo r l d s e e m e d to pause this spring, the Robert and Sue Ellen Ackerson Law Clinic continued its mission of representing clients in Emergency Protective Order hearings, divorce actions and housing cases.

Led by Professor Shelley Santry, the clinic provides a valuable service while providing law students with hands-on experience.

The clinic has remained open during the pandemic, with client meetings and court proceedings being held virtually or safely in person.

“The courts haven’t stopped, and therefore we haven’t stopped,” says Santry, adding that clinic students are gaining first-hand knowledge of how to operate in a quickly changing legal profession.

“No one really knows how to do this, but the good work will be the same,” says Santry. “We’re not stopp i n g , s o co ro n av i r u s , b r i n g i t .”

Here, Santry opens up her office and shares stories about the objects that inspire her work.

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THE

Thinker One of her daughters gave this model of The Th i n k e r t o S a n t r y. In the time of coronavirus, even The Thinker masks up.

BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGN &

Pride flag

“Everyone matters and everyone counts. These are constant reminders that not everyone is as for tunate as ever yone else. We’ve got to keep working together.”

NOTARY

Stamp

“ This was my father ’s o l d n o t a r y s t a m p. He was a city councilman in Evansville, Indiana.

It re m i n d s m e o f t h e fact that he devoted his whole life to help ing low -income people.

He worked for the Department of Labor to try to help people find jobs.”

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FEDERAL COURT OF APPEALS at Louisville Law

O Appeals.

n January 30, Louisville Law hosted the Sixth Circuit Court of

Judges John Bush, Chad Readler and Jeffrey Sutton h e a rd t h re e s e t s o f o ra l arguments in our Allen Court Room.

After the oral arguments, the judges participated i n a Q & A w i t h st u d e n t s .

Speaking to a packed house, they discussed topi c s s u c h a s t h e i r c a re e r paths, how to write effective briefs and what judges look for when hiring clerks.

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Michelle Browning Coughlin ( far left) and other members of Mothers Esquire presented oral arguments at the Florida Supreme Court in 2019 in favor of a parental continuance rule.

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MOTHERS Esquire

W

hen Michelle Browning Coughlin, a 2009 Louisville L a w g ra d u a t e , b e g a n h e r career as attorney, she was also a mother of two young children.

Embarking on a demanding career while trying to juggle the needs of young children, “I kept running into obstacles,” she says, explaining that with no family in town, she and her husband — a public school teacher — had to manage childcare alongside their careers. “I constantly felt like I was failing.”

Coughlin, who is now a partner at Louisville’s Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, looked for support in women lawyer groups but wasn’t able to find anything that spoke to the unique challenges she was facing as a lawyer and a mother.

So she started a Facebook group. She began by posting articles about motherhood and legal careers for the 30 or s o wo m e n w h o j o i n e d . A s t h e g ro u p

expanded, Coughlin gave more thought to her group’s impact and decided to devote more time to what is now MothersEsquire.

M o t h e r s E s q u i re , o f w h i c h C o u g h l i n i s founder and president, is a nonprofit with a mission to “achieve gender equity in the legal profession by improving promotion and retention rates of women in the law, along with championing equal pay and transparency regarding compensation practices in the legal profession.”

Coughlin outlines several obstacles faced by lawyers who are mothers: breastfeeding accommodations, parental continuance motions, paternity leave and pay inequity.

“There is a huge gap between mothers and men — much bigger than the gap between women and men,” Coughlin says.

Through advocacy and raising awareness a c ro ss t h e co u n t r y, M o t h e r s E s q u i re i s working to address these issues.

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STUDENT Mothers

AMI WAGNER EIGHT CHILDREN, AGES 23, 21, 17, 15, 13, 13, 11, AND 8

job would fit in my life as a single parent, whether I would be able to keep up with a challenging billable hour quota, or whether I would look for more flexibility and a schedule that did not have me in the office late every weeknight. I had to take into consideration the location of the firms I applied to in relation to my kids’ schools and be open during the application process about what my obligations and work schedule would look like. Calendaring my personal and family needs has been an important tool to balancing home and work. So far, I have found all of my clerkship and post-graduate employers to be understanding and supportive of my role as a parent and honestly, I wouldn’t want to work for someone who was not.

ELIZABETH MUWANGA FIVE CHILDREN, AGES 12, 12, 9, 5, 5

WHAT WERE SOME STRUGGLES OF BEING A LAW STUDENT AND A PARENT? Law school is a massive time commitment — the amount of reading alone is immense.

Kids are also a massive time commitment!

My most challenging experiences were finishing the 1L appellate brief and the 2L semester I took 17 credit hours, including Law Review Journal and a live client clinic.

No matter what, there were never enough hours in a day to do everything I wanted to do, and barely enough to accomplish all I needed to do. I wanted to be super-mom/ super-law student and sometimes I had to settle for well enough for today.

HOW DO YOU ANTICIPATE LIFE AS A PARENT STARTING A LEGAL CAREER? While I was applying for post-law school employment I had to consider how each

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WHAT DO YOUR CHILDREN THINK OF YOUR BEING A LAW STUDENT? E l i z a b e t h s h a re s t h at s h e h a s b e e n i n school for her children’s entire lives. She gave birth to her oldest children, 12-yearold twins, at age 16. Since then, she has earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s

degree in social work — she is a dualdegree law student and earned her MSSW while in law school.

Her oldest children, the 12-year-old twins, understand what it means to be a lawyer, and she has discussed the recent changes in the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court with them.

home into their shared office, and while her son does school work, she does household chores and stands by to assist him.

Then, it’s her turn for classes.

“It’s been challenging but we’re kind of in this groove.”

“ T h ey t h i n k l aw s c h o o l i s w h e re yo u g o to b e co m e a m e r m a i d .”

- ELIZABETH MUWANGA

As for her youngest children, five-year-old twins, “They think law school is where you go to become a mermaid.”

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS IN LAW SCHOOL? “You have to do what’s best for you. That might mean going part-time. Know you’re going to get your degree eventually.

“Look for a law school environment that is open. Tell your professor what is going on — all of the ones I’ve had have been very understanding.

“There’s nothing wrong with asking for help in law school.”

JESSICA MOORE ONE SON, AGE 12 WHAT HAS LIFE BEEN LIKE AS YOU AND YOUR SON BOTH NAVIGATE DISTANCE LEARNING? “Adaptation is the key word for everybody,” says Jessica. She and her son, who is autistic, are both enrolled in all online courses. She has converted a room in her

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN JUGGLING YOUR ROLES AS A PARENT AND A LAW STUDENT? “I miss the classroom experience and I miss my classmates desperately, but having the ability to sit down and do the work when I can do the work is great.”

“I can rewind the recordings and re-listen to lectures. I really feel like I’m grasping the concepts better. It’s nice to be able to sit down — even if it’s at 2 a.m. — to focus on Secured Transactions.”

Jessica and her son both classify as highrisk in terms of battling COVID-19, so the option for them both to learn virtually has been a source of relief — she doesn’t have to worry about transporting him to and from school and therapy or about finding backup childcare if she contracts the virus.

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LOUISVILLE ALUMNAE through the Years

LAURA M. DOUGLAS Class of 1974 First Black female grad, retired as Counsel from LG&E, and currently appointed by Mayor Fischer as Interim Co-Executive Director of TARC

N. ALMEE COURTRIGHT Class of 1911 First female graduate

BARBARA BUCHANAN LEWIS Class of 1962 First female Dean, 1982-1990

MELANIE BOOTES OATH SWEARING 2020

Melanie Bootes, Chief Legal Officer of KFC U.S. and a member of the Class of 1999, delivered welcoming remarks to the incoming Class of 2023 for the Oath-Signing Ceremony held during orientation in August.

Along with Dean Crawford, she led students in the oath swearing, marking their official entry into law school.

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VIEW FULL TIMELINE HERE

SUSAN DUNCAN Class of 1991 Dean, 2012-2017 First female Dean, University of Mississippi School of Law

JUDGE SARA WALKER COMBS

JUDGE ELLIE KERSTETTER Class of 2000 First Latina judge in Kentucky

Class of 1979 First woman to serve as Chief Judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals (2004-2010) First woman to serve on the Supreme Court of Kentucky

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2019 BRANDEIS MEDAL RECIPIENT

Bob Woodward

J

ustice Louis Brandeis wrote that “Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.”

With his decades-long career as an investigative journalist, Bob Woodward has certainly done his fair share of dispensing sunlight into the dark corners of U.S. politics.

In recognition of his public service as a journalist, Woodward received the 2019 Brandeis Medal, the highest honor from Louisville Law. “Your considerable and impressive body of work certainly reflects the values of Justice Brandeis, a man known for his commitment to free speech, transparency and honesty in government,” said Dean Colin Crawford upon presenting the award to Woodward.

The October 2019 award program featured a conversation between Woodward and NBC/MSNBC analyst Howard Fineman, a graduate of Louisville Law. The men discussed a wide range of issues, including Woodward’s interactions with the nine presidents about whom he’s written books and the lessons he learned from breaking the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post.

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QUARANTINE Graduating in the Pandemic

T

he Class of 2020 saw their law school careers end in a way unlike any class before them. Although the May graduation ceremony had to be postponed, we look forward to celebrating with the class when it is safe to do so.

Faculty, alumni and student leaders shared their well wishes and messages of support in a video to the Class of 2020.

Below are a few select remarks.

DEAN COLIN CRAWFORD “I couldn’t be more proud of all of you and I look forward to a day when all of us will get together and celebrate your magnificent achievement in person. I look forward to working with many of you in the years to come in this terrific legal community. Congratulations for all that you have accomplished. This is a magnificent time for you and my admiration for you is profound.”

MADISON SHOFFNER, LAW ALUMNI COUNCIL “On behalf of the Council, we want to say congratulations — and welcome to the club.

“I know it’s not been an easy road to get here and it’s definitely not ending as you had envisioned. But at the end of the day, you’re going to be an alumnus just like the rest of us. We at the Council cannot wait to see what your future holds. We are so proud of you. Congratulations!”

CONNOR CAFFERTY, 2019-2020 SBA PRESIDENT “I know this isn’t the end to law school that we all imagined, but it is certainly an end that is unique and that will make an interesting story for many years to come as we all enjoy long and successful careers.”

CHIEF JUDGE DENISE CLAYTON, KENTUCKY COURT OF APPEALS Judge Clayton was scheduled to deliver the May 2020 commencement address.

“My word for you today is integrity. That word has roots in both French and Latin.

“The first definition you’ll see of integrity in the dictionary is reflective of its French roots and that definition has integrity as meaning the quality of being honest and fair.

“However, the second definition is likewise important and it’s reflective of its Latin roots.

That definition is integrity is a state of being whole or complete.

“As you go forward in your personal and professional life, it is important for you to model both of those attributes. Your completeness and your honesty are benefits to you and to your clients and to the community.

“Congratulations and I look forward to seeing you in court.”

Left: Lauren North Right: Alana Johnson

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GETTING TO KNOW New Faculty

SHAVONNIE CARTHENS Assistant Professor TEACHING

Lawyering Skills WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO LOUISVILLE LAW? I came to Louisville because i t w a s o bv i o u s t o m e t h a t B ra n d e i s h a s a s p e c i a l c u l ture. The law school culture is created by people who are extremely committed to ensuring student success, and dedicated to supporting faculty and staff in reaching their p ro fe ss i o n a l g o a l s . I n a d d i tion, Louisville is a place that welcomes people and ideas from a range of backgrounds and perspectives. I came here because I thought that I could positively contribute to that rich culture, and I anticipated t h at my fa m i l y a n d I wo u l d thrive in Louisville.

QA &

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT FOR YOUR FIRST YEAR HERE?

This first year is sure to be a challenge, but I’m excited for the opportunity. In general, I’m looking forward to meeting colleagues from the university community and working with them over the coming year.

Specifically, I’m excited to help students learn legal research, analysis and communication skills. Seeing their growth and development gives me a true sense of professional purpose.

READ MORE about Professor Carthens

Daniel J. Canon is best known as lead co u n s e l f o r t h e Ke n t u c k y p l a i n t i f f s in the landmark Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges and as counsel for the plaintiffs in the pioneering Kentucky and Indiana marriage equality cases of Bourke v. Beshear, Love v.

Beshear, and Love v. Pence

DAN CANON Visiting Assistant Professor B R A N DE IS B R IE F - 22

Professor Canon oversees live client and experiential learning. He teaches Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and has taught Civil Procedure and Lawyering

Skills.

READ MORE about Professor Canon

CASSIE

CHAMBERS ARMSTRONG

Visiting Assistant Professor

SARA OCHS Assistant Professor TEACHING

Lawyering Skills WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO LOUISVILLE LAW? While there are many things that I look forward to as a new Brandeis Law faculty member, above all I am most excited to be joining such a supportive, caring community of faculty, staff, and students. Even in my few short weeks at Brandeis, it has been readily apparent that the Cardinal Community is one founded in respect and empathy, and I could not have asked for a warmer welcome during such unpredictable times.

READ MORE about Professor Ochs

IS THERE ANY SCHOLARSHIP YOU’RE WORKING ON THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? My research focuses on the international prosecution of at ro c i t y c r i m e s . M y cu r re n t p ro j e c t , t i t l e d P ro p a g a n d a Warfare on the International Criminal Court, explores the impact disinformation campaigns and legitimacy challenges leveled against the International Criminal Court have had on its operations, including its adjudication of politically sensitive cases and i t s c a s e s e l e c t i o n p ro c e s s .

Specifically, I intend to analyze the potential effects of the highly publicized, deteriorating relationship between the United States and the International Criminal Court, which recently culminated in the U.S. Government’s authorization of sanctions against Court personnel.

Eugene Mazo is a nationally recognized s c h o l a r o f e l e c t i o n l aw w h o w r i te s about voting rights, campaign finance, redistricting, legislation and the theory and practice of democracy, both in the United States and around the world.

M o s t r e c e n t l y, C a s s i e C h a m b e r s Armstrong worked as an Associate at the Louisville firm of Kaplan Johnson A b a te & B i rd L L P. B e f o re t h a t , s h e clerked for Judge Amul Thapar, now at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and then a Judge at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

In addition to her J.D., from Harvard Law School, Professor Armstrong has an M.Sc. from the London School o f E c o n o m i c s , a n M . P. H . f ro m Ya l e U n i v e r s i t y, a n d a B . A . f r o m Ya l e University.

READ MORE about Professor Chambers Armstrong

He has a J.D. from Stanford Law School, a Ph.D. from Oxford University, an M.A. from Harvard University and a B.A. from Columbia University.

EUGENE MAZO Visiting Associate Professor

READ MORE about Professor Mazo

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WOMEN-CENTERED Scholarship

A

t Louisville Law, we are fortunate to have faculty and students who are interested in exploring and celebrating the role of women in the law and in civil discourse. Below are a few examples of events from the past year that focused

WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF BLACK WOMEN IN ITS HISTORY

on women as changemakers.

This year marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote nationally. The story of the long battle too often excludes the role of Black women who played significant roles in the ratification efforts.

COMPARATIVE #METOO MOVEMENT Professor JoAnne Sweeny spent the 2018-19 academic year at the University of Turku in Finland as a Fulbright Scholar. While there, she taught two classes, Comparative Constitutional Law and Freedom of Expression. She also presented her research on comparative #MeToo movements in the United States and Europe and joined a feminist legal scholarship group.

In January 2020, she presented “The #MeToo Movement in Comparative Perspective” for Louisville Law’s Faculty Speaker Series.

Organized by Professors Les Abramson and Laura Rothstein, this panel conversation gave a general overview of the suffrage movement both nationally and in Kentucky and reframed that history by telling the stories of some of the key “hidden figures” of the movement. It connected that history to the voting rights activities of the 1960s and voting in 2020 and the Black Lives Matter movement. Professor Enid Trucios- Haynes contributed to the panel.

ABA 19TH AMENDMENT EXHIBIT Louisville Law was proud to host this exhibit from the American Bar Association.

“100 Years After the 19th Amendment: Their Legacy, and Our Future” featured historic photos and artifacts and details the story of the battle for ratification and outlines the challenges that remain.

The exhibit was on display in the Law Library in September, along with a curated collection of related publications by Professor Robin Harris.

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WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE

The Untold Story of

Black Women in Its History

MODERATOR Rachel Platt, Director of Community Engagement Frazier History Museum

WOMEN’S LAW CAUCUS DISPLAY In recognition of Women’s History Month in March, the Women’s Law Caucus at Louisville Law asked law school student organizations to participate in a celebration of women who have made their mark in various areas of the law and society. The exhibit was on display at the law school in early March.

“We can recognize the strides we’ve made and what it took to fight,” says caucus President Maha Danyal (pictured above, second from the left), noting the importance of intersectionality.

PANELISTS Margie Charasika, President League of Women Voters of Louisville Jermaine Fowler, Creator of Humanity Archive Educational website Enid Trucios-Haynes, Professor of Law, Brandeis School of Law Marsha Weinstein, President, National Collaborative of Women’s History Sites

FIELDING QUESTIONS Cherie Dawson-Edwards, Chair and Associate Professor, UofL Department of Criminal Justice

JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG DISPLAY The Law Library is featuring an exhibit about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The display includes photos and other items from her February 11, 2003, visit to the law school, as well the Brandeis Dinner later that evening, where she received the Brandeis Medal. The display also features items from later in her career, after she became known as The Notorious RBG.

MISSED THE EVENT?

WATCH ONLINE

The display will be up until the end of the Fall 2020 semester.

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ATTORNEY GENERAL Swearing-in Ceremony

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ust after midnight on January 6, 2020, Daniel Cameron was sworn in as Kentucky’s 51st Attorney General.

for the Eastern District of Kentucky and entered private practice at Stites & Harbison and Frost Brown Todd.

Dean Colin Crawford delivered welcoming remarks, applauding Cameron’s role as a public servant and the importance of public service to the School of Law’s namesake, Justice Louis D. Brandeis.

Cameron, a 2011 graduate of the University of Louisville School of Law, is the state’s first African American Attorney General and the first Republican to hold that office in more than 70 years.

His swearing-in ceremony was held in Louisville Law’s historic Allen Court Room and was attended by a crowd of supporters and colleagues. Also in attendance were Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who offered remarks during the ceremony, and Denise Clayton, Chief Judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals and 1976 a graduate of Louisville Law. Judge Clayton administered the oath.

As an undergraduate student at the University of Louisville, Cameron was a McConnell Scholar; he later served as the senator’s legal counsel.

In law school, Cameron was president of the Student Bar Association and a member of the Louisville Law Review. After law school graduation, he clerked for the Hon. Gregory Van Tatenhove, of the U.S. District Court

JUDGE DENISE CLAYTON D e n i s e C l ay to n , C h i e f Judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals and a 1976 graduate of Louisville Law, administered the oath to Attorney General Cameron.

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CONGRESSIONAL Student Forum

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ongressman James C o m e r ( K Y- 1 ) a n d Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) shared their time and expertise at a Congressional Student Forum at the School of Law on February 20.

The event was co-sponsored by Louisville Law, the Department of Political Science, The Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship and the Institute for Civility in Government.

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BREONNA TAYLOR’S Louisville

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he death of Breonna Taylor in March helped spark a global movement and elevated #SayHerName to a national rallying cry.

To respond to this moment of reckoning, the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law offered a 14-week class called “Breonna Taylor’s Louisville: Race, Equity and Law” In Fall 2020.

The class is the brainchild of Dean Colin Crawford and is open to law students who have finished their first year.

The class features different speakers who discuss topics such as housing, reparations and policing. Students are tasked with introducing amendments to laws that may secure systemic inequality.

In a letter to the law school community on June 1, Crawford illustrates why a course like this is an important part of legal education, writing in part: “… these events remind me of our national commitment to equality of treatment before the law, a principle included in the 14th Amendment over a century ago. The inequities that led to its passage, as recent events demonstrate, are tragically still with us. For my part, I therefore hope that this historical moment will lead all of us to re-examine the persistent disparities and inequities that too often characterize the structure and practice of our institutions, enabling systematic oppression of particular groups, and especially of

African Americans. I hope that many of you feel the same. The current events show us that we still have far to go to be able truly to claim to be ‘one nation, undivided, with liberty and justice for all.’

Lawyers can help change that reality.

Lawyers will be evermore important in the coming months and years.

More will be demanded of us as we are called upon to dedicate ourselves, as officers of the court and as those who translate our highest principles into laws and regulations, to the cause of justice applied equally and fairly for all people, no matter what they look like or their station in life. As Justice Brandeis famously said, ‘The greatest menace to freedom is an inert people.’ This is no time for us as a people – and as lawyers – to be inert.”

“We’re the only law school in this city, so it’s really important that we engage,” Crawford told Wave 3 TV. “I’m really hoping [the students] will come up with a solution of their own and feel they’ve been empowered to think about these matters differently and use law as a tool for positive change.”

SELECTED TOPICS JUVENILE JUSTICE DR. CHERIE DAWSON-EDWARDS, PROFESSOR AND CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

LEGAL SERVICES & INSTITUTIONS NEVA POLLEY-SCOTT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF LOUISVILLE

LAND USE EVON SMITH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, ONEWEST NIKKI LANIER, SR. VP, FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF ST. LOUIS

EMPLOYMENT DEMETRIUS HOLLOWAY, MEMBER, STITES & HARBISON PLLC

REPARATIONS SENATOR GERALD NEAL

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FOLLOW US Social media

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ollow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the School of Law’s happenings. We share photos, videos and stories about students, faculty, alumni and events.

Check out some of our most popular posts from the past year and make sure to follow along!

JOIN THE CONVERSATION @BrandeisSchoolofLaw @LouisvilleLaw @LouisvilleLaw @LouisvilleLaw B R A N DE IS B R IE F - 32

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT for the Next Generation of Law Students

BUILDING RENOVATIONS

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he School of Law’s building h a s a r i c h h i s to r y, b u t a fa ce l i f t i s i n o r d e r. H e l p u s b u i l d o n o u r t ra d i t i o n w h i l e e d u c a t i n g a n ew generation of lawyers.

To help, please Contact Wendell Clark, Senior Director of Development: WENDELL.CLARK@LOUISVILLE.EDU

SCHOLARSHIPS

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ill Jones, a second-year student and scholarship recipient, talks with U.S. Circuit Judge Jeffrey Sutton at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. bit.ly/givelouisvillelaw Please note GØ416 when you donate.

STUDENT RELIEF FUND

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any Louisville Law students h ave t a ke n a f i n a n c i a l h i t d u e to the coronavirus pandemic.

Please consider donating to the student emergency fund to support them. www.give.louisville.edu/law-emergency-fund

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YOUR GIFTS MATTER The CARES Act did several things to encourage charitable giving. For example, it allows itemizers, during 2020 (Only), to get an income tax deduction for charitable contributions up to 100% of their Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). Charitable contributions above this amount can be carried forward for five years subject to the 60% of the AGI limit in those years. The availability of this and how it works is dependent on each individual’s particular circumstances, so we encourage you to talk to your tax advisors now about whether you can take advantage of this.

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