BRANDEISBRIEF UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE LOUIS D. BRANDEIS SCHOOL OF LAW | FALL 2021
TAKE A LOOK inside the updated courtroom CELEBRATING 20 YEARS of the Central High Partnership GRADUATION 2020 & 2021 MEET THE NEW Dean of Student Affairs and Diversity
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Inside recent renovations at Brandeis Law. Completed in 1938, the Allen Courtroom has been the heart of the School of Law for nearly a century.
The courtroom has been the scene of historic moments such as a speech from Martin Luther King Jr. in 1967. Dozens of immigrants have become U.S. citizens during naturalization ceremonies there. And of course, the courtroom has served as a courtroom — most recently, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments there, about six weeks before the pandemic hit. With the advent of technology, the needs of legal education and practice have changed. Therefore, the School of Law is grateful to the generous donors who have made it possible to renovate and modernize the courtroom, now dedicated as the Breit Courtroom. T h e n ex t g e n e r a t i o n o f l aw s t u d e n t s w i l l benefit from a full-service audio/visual setup and new furniture, flooring and paint. These updates provide new function and style while maintaining the historic feel of the original courtroom.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT B R A N DE IS B R IE F - 2
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR DONORS Marc L. Breit John DeCamillis Robert Mattingly R. Harvey Johnston III Paul Casi, II & Karen Casi Winton & Hiestand
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COURTROOM DEDICATION
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20 years CELEBRATING
OF PARTNERSHIP
CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE THE CENTRAL HIGH PARTNERSHIP B R A N DE IS B R IE F - 4
WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO MAKE ON THESE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS? ROTHSTEIN: We want them not just to become lawyers, we want them to be engaged civically. The questionnaires at the end of the year indicate that this goal has been met. They are more aware of and interested in current events. They have developed analytical thinking and improved writing and communication skills that are useful in any higher education context and in life generally. WHY IS IT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR L AW ST U D E N TS TO B E I N VO LV E D I N TEACHING THE HIGH SCHOOLERS?
WHILE SERVING AS DEAN OF THE BRANDEIS SCHOOL OF LAW IN 2001, Laura Rothstein helped initiate a partnership between UofL and Central High School’s Law and Government Magnet. Now 20 years strong, the relationship between the two schools illuminates the value UofL places on community engagement. During a Louisville Bar Association event celebrating the partnership in October, Rothstein received an award as the 2021 LBA Diversity Trailblazer. We caught up with her to talk about her life’s work through the partnership. WHY DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED IN THE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP? ROTHSTEIN: I had gone to law school because of my interest in social justice and race and gender issues, so this was a program that was a priority for me from the beginning. The goal of the program was not just to create a pipeline of students to becoming lawyers, but to encourage these high school students to become civically engaged and active citizens and leaders in other ways. Initially, the program involved an essay contest, and having Central students visit the law school or attend special events. In 2005, law students began teaching at Central.
ROTHSTEIN: We began an enhanced program in 2007 by incorporating law student-taught coursework: Street Law for sophomores, Writing Skills for juniors, and Marshall-Brennan Civil Liberties for seniors. Each year about 25 law students receive public service and/or academic credit for this work. At the end of the year, law students often note that the experience has been eye-opening, and many say it is the best thing they did in law school. “ W E WA N T ( T H E H I G H S C H O O L S T U D E N T S ) N OT J U S T TO B E C O M E L AW Y E R S , W E WA N T T H E M T O B E ENGAGED CIVICALLY.” - PROF. LAURA ROTHSTEIN WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM? ROTHSTEIN: We would like to add a program at the undergraduate level where Central students who attend UofL stay connected and engage in other activities. This includes things like staying involved with the law school, preparing for the LSAT and remaining connected with each other. Since the program began, there has been a significant increase in the number of Central High Law Magnet students attending and graduating from law schools. These law schools include UofL, UK, Washington University St. Louis and University of Chicago. We also continue to work with other UofL departments to develop similar partnerships at Central. B RANDE I S BR I E F - 5
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with Dean Crystal Rae Coel, Esq. CRYSTAL RAE COEL is the University of Louisville School of Law’s Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Diversity.
Coel, who began her role in May 2020, is the first person to hold this new role at the School of Law. In addition to the traditional duties of an Assistant Dean for Student Affairs — such as academic advising, student events, wellness and counseling — Coel will also work with the School of Law community to develop and implement policies, training and programming to champion an inclusive and diverse law school. She is a graduate of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, with a B. A . in Mass Media Arts and Journalism. She has an M.A. in Speech Communication from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a J.D. from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Here, Coel shares more about her career journey, what brought her to Louisville and her goals for her new role.
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WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN THIS JOB? At my law school in the ‘80s, many students were either hyper-competitive or extremely nervous. Both led to some unhealthy behaviors and low self-esteem. I always believed that law school did not have be an environment where one felt compelled to conform to the high-pressure status quo to thrive. Therefore, what sparked my interest in this job was a love for humanity. I see this position as an opportunity to help promote an atmosphere of equity and inclusion. Everyone is welcome to stop by this office. Everyone should know they are valued. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND LAW SCHOOL? As I grew up, it was obvious that my strengths were in public address, writing and arguing. So, law school was always in the back of my mind as a possible career. In high school, my “friend” was excited that her brother was admitted to Villanova Law School. When I blurted, “Wow! I was thinking of law school too,” she turned her neck, scowled and said, “YOU? Law school?” Nasty comments were the catalysts for a lot of my accomplishments. I am grateful and humbled. HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE CHALLENGES FACING LAW STUDENTS CHANGE THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER? Mo s t o f t h e c h a n g e s a r e w i t h t e c h n o l o g y and family structures, which often mandate employment. During my 1980s orientation, we were told to never work during law school. Now, many students have to work, and that is challenging for physical and mental wellness. I am proud of students for navigating the difficult work/school/life balance.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT DEAN B RANDE I S BR I E F - 7 COEL
FACULTY ACTIVITIES
Bu t B ra n d e i s L aw i s t r y i n g t o c h a n g e t h e s e statistics by addressing barriers to opportunities and providing mentorship. Cameron Lyons and Lauren Neal, both secondyear students of color, engaged in unique summer experiences in 2021. Lyons was a fellow with the National Wildlife Federation and helped address equitable access to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Ne a l w a s a c o m m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t i n t e r n for Kentucky Waterways Alliance and a legal intern for the Kentucky Equal Justice Center. She created relationships between KWA and communities of color within Kentucky to give underrepresented communities a voice. Her work with KEJC involved legal research and writing to impact litigation and legislative housing and consumer law issues. “Representation can make a world of difference when it comes to bridging the gap of communication so that the cycle of exclusivity and marginalization stops. Having a seat at the table allows for those conditions to be replaced by t h e e m p owe r m e n t o f b e i n g p re s e n t a n d , moreover, being genuinely heard in shaping the conversations about the environmental injustices that affect these communities,” Neal says.
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Professor Tony Arnold talks with students Cameron Lyons and Frank Bencomo on the Ohio River at the UofL boathouse. T H E P E R C E N TAG E O F LAWYERS OF COLOR IN THE UNITED STATES IS DISPROPORTIONATELY LOW, with African Americans and Latino individuals making up roughly 5% each, according to the American Bar Association 2020 Profile of the Legal Profession. The numbers are even lower in the field of environmental law.
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Both students credit Professor Tony Arnold, Boehl Chair in Property and Land Use, for mentoring them and making the connections needed to land their summer experiences. “Professor Arnold has been the biggest mentor and encourager when it comes to my pursuits. He has been an amazing guide and wealth of knowledge on how to pursue my dreams,” Lyons says. Arnold says that when law students of color become interested in environmental law, they need mentors who will encourage their interests and connect them to valuable opportunities. Through the Resilience Justice Program, students can work with Arnold at the intersection of environmental justice, public policy and activism.
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R E C O G N I Z E D F O R C R E AT I N G POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES through distance and online education, a team of University of Louisville faculty earned the 2021 Blackboard Catalyst Award for Teaching and Learning.
Brandeis Law’s Jamie Abrams and UofL School of Dentistry’s Valerie Harris and Marija Sasek worked together to design a law-dentistry medical malpractice expert witness deposition simulation for law and dental students. Work to develop the project began several years ago, and the team launched the simulation while Abrams was a visiting professor at the University of Baltimore in Fall 2020. University of Baltimore law students and University of Louisville dental students spent one month in their respective courses preparing for the simulation. Law students studied negligence, products liability and lawyering skills to prepare to take and defend the depositions of medical experts – the dental students. Dental students studied dentistry standards of care, patient care ethics and practice management to prepare to
testify as dueling expert witnesses for the plaintiff or the defendant in the civil lawsuit. “BY ROLE PLAYING AS PROFESSIONALS I N ST E A D O F ST U D E N TS , I T B U I LT A STRONGER PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY, PRIDE AND CAMARADERIE IN THE RESPECTIVE DISCIPLINES.” -PROFESSOR JAMIE ABRAMS In October 2020, the groups convened via Zoom for a live deposition simulation that included participants from multiple cities, universities and departments. A second virtual dental-law simulation including all first-year UofL law students and fourth year UofL dental students – about 250 people – took place in October 2021. In the simulation, students spilt into a dozen deposition groups, each containing upper-level mentors, faculty observers and UofL School of Law alumni facilitators. The students conducted the deposition and the expert witnesses for both sides presented their affirmative testimony and then were subject to cross examination by the opposing side.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR FROM PROF. ABRAMS ABOUT THIS AWARD
More than 200 people participated in the law-dentistry medical malpractice expert witness deposition simulation.
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CLASSES OF 2020 AND 2021 CELEBRATE COMMENCEMENTS
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AFTER D E L AYS CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC, the Class of 2020 finally was able to c e l e b ra t e g ra d u a t i o n o n April 24, 2021.
T h e c e r e m o n y, h e l d a t Louisville’s Marriott East, celebrated the Class of 2020’s theme: Resilience. “Congratulations on this milestone accomplishment. We all know that 2020 brought challenges in ways we did not expect. Through it all, you managed to graduate from law school and begin your careers in the law. That is no small feat, and I hope you are as proud of yourselves as I am,” said outgoing Dean Colin Crawford to the graduates. “The grit, dedication and agility you displayed t h i s p a s t ye a r w i l l s e r ve yo u we l l i n yo u r professional and personal lives. As lawyers, we know intimately the need to advocate and
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persevere through challenging times, and you have displayed these abilities mightily.” Ju d g e D e n i s e C l a y t o n , c h i e f j u d g e o f t h e Kentucky Court of Appeals and a 1976 Brandeis Law graduate, delivered the commencement address. Her remarks focused on the need for lawyers to be prepared, to seek wisdom from more experienced practitioners and to be able to own up to and learn from mistakes. On May 6, the Class of 2021 celebrated its commencement. That class’s theme: We Are the Champions. At a ceremony at Cardinal Stadium, the Class of 2021 heard from commencement speaker Sam Aguiar, 2007 graduate and a plaintiff ’s attorney perhaps most well-known for serving as a lawyer for Breonna Taylor’s family. Aguiar counseled the graduates to remember that as lawyers, they have the power to change people’s lives. He encouraged them to respect this power and to use it for good. Many thanks to Dean Crystal Coel and her staff in the Office of Student Affairs and Diversity for making these graduation ceremonies so special.
Sam Aguiar, 2007 Brandeis Law graduate, and an attorney for the family of Breonna Taylor, delivered the commencement address at the 2021 graduation ceremony.
SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM
2020 GRADUATION
SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM
2021 GRADUATION
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GETTING TO KNOW
OUR ALUMNI SUPPORTERS Brandeis Law graduates set the bar for investing in the future.
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BRANDEIS ALUMS AND FRIENDS:
It is my privilege to write you this brief note about the Dean’s Advisory Board (“DAB”) which has been in existence for just over two years. I became Chair effective in August 2021 and our modus operandi is to be “advisory to our Dean, collaborative with our law school, and support student success” as our esteemed Vice Chair Cece Hagan so accurately phrased. Our distinguished Board i n c l u d e s 16 t a l e n t e d a n d c o m m i t t e d m e m bers that support our Dean’s leadership in endeavors such as development (scholarships, infrastructure, special projects), nominations & governance, and strategic opportunities. As an example of the DAB’s impact, we were successful in securing private resources to begin the multi-stage infrastructure project in the law school. These efforts have culminated in the new, state-of-the-art, courtroom unveiled in December 2021, as well as several other muchneeded renovations to elevate our law school and support our faculty and students. This effort is ongoing with many opportunities for alums to collectively contribute. In this edition of the Brandeis Brief you will find ways to connect with, and support, Brandeis, or you may call the law school at 502-852-7189 and ask for Wendell Clark.
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DEANS ADVISORY BOARD OFFICERS: Marc Breit (Chair), Cece Hagan (Vice Chair), Robert Brown (Immed. Past Chair) MEMBERS: Hon. McKay Chauvin, Hon. Denise Clayton, Bruce Dudley, Tawana Edwards, Colleen Hartley, Gulam Zade, Harvey Johnston, Aaron Marcus, Jonathan Helfat, Mary Barrazotto, Dustin Meek, Barry Hines LAW SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS: Lars Smith (Interim Dean), Wendell Clark (Sr. Director of Development) LAW ALUMNI COUNCIL OFFICERS: Christy Ferko (President), Madison Shoffner (Preisdent-Elect), Jon Hollan (Secretary), Paul Casi II (Immediate Past President) MEMBERS: Gulam Zade, Philip Longmeyer, Dallas Selvy, Jaime Nelson Oxholm, Jessica Wilkett Barnes, Kellie Money, Benjamin Straus, Christie Moore, Katie Reisz, David Lee Vish Jr., Gregory L. Finch, Emily Meyer, Kelly Rowan, Matthew Bunnell, Jordan M. White, Tacasha Thomas, Mashayla Hays, Scott E. Powell, Kelly Reeves, Ryan Nafziger, Chad Graham, Kevin Imhof, Logan Wood
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THE INVESTITURE OF SHELLEY SANTRY
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AS DIRECTOR OF THE ROBERT AND SUE E L L E N AC K E R S O N L AW C L I N I C S I N C E 2009, PROFESSOR SHELLEY SANTRY has guided hundreds of law students as they learn the ins and outs of family court.
With her April 2021 appointment as a Jefferson County Family Court Judge in Division 2, nowJudge Santry continues her work in family court, now from the bench. W h i l e Ju d g e S a n t r y s e r v e s h e r t e r m , t h e Ackerson Clinic is in good hands with Interim Director Heend Sheth. Sheth, a 2010 Brandeis Law graduate, joined the clinic in 2018 as a staff attorney. Sheth’s legal career has been focused in the area of domestic violence. She started her career first as a Victim’s Advocate in Jefferson County ’s Domestic Violence Intake Center and later as an Assistant Jefferson County Attorney in the Domestic Violence Unit, prosecuting cases of domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and sexual assault.
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“THE CLINIC STUDENTS ARE GREAT. THEY’RE RECEPTIVE, EAGER, KIND AND EMPATHETIC.” -HEEND SHETH INTERIM DIRECTOR, ACKERSON LAW CLINIC
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SBA LEADERSHIP
Left to Right: Will Jones - VP of Finance, Ha Nguyen - Executive VP, Jesten Slaw - President, Cameron Lyons - ABA Representative, Colby Birkes - VP of Communications
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TO READ THE FULL Q&A
Student leaders reflect on the significance of their roles.
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THE STUDENT B A R A S S O C I AT I O N LEADERS for the 20212022 academic year are uniquely poised to serve a new generation of law students. The members of the Class of 2022 have experienced law school life both pre- Covid and during the ongoing pandemic. They have seen life, the legal field and law school change before their eyes. The lessons they have learned these past few years will serve them well in today’s shifting legal landscape. Below, we catch up with a few SBA leaders to hear their perspectives. HA NGUYEN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT What are some major challenges faced by today’s law students? The concern for the present and the future such as COVID, the transition into a hybrid model of legal learning and the ever-growing uncertainty of the legal field. How this affects students and professionals mentally is a taboo concern that, really, should have been normalized and addressed yesterday. What would you like Brandeis alumni to know about the Class of 2022? T h e C l a s s o f 2 0 22 c o m p r i s e s s t r o n g , k i n d professionals. We are more than capable of surpassing the standards set before us. WILL JONES VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE What do you hope to achieve via SBA this year? I hope to work with my peers to create a new “normal” that brings in some of the old traditions but modernizes the law school experience, while mending the relational gaps created among the classes due to the pandemic.
Most of all, I hope to help all law students have fun and remember why they came to law school. We are all in this together. What would you like Brandeis alumni to know about the Class of 2022? The Class of 2022 is a resilient group; we determined to obtain justice, overcome injustices and to do what is necessary regardless of person sacrifice and nay-sayers. As the legal industry evolves to become more technologically a p p ro p r i a t e a n d i n c l u s i ve, we a re we l l o n our way to carry the torch as challenges have refined us, not overcome us. We are motivated and enlightened for our journeys as advocates, leaders, and agents of change. COLBY BIRKES VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS What do you hope to achieve via SBA this year? In one phrase, I hope that SBA makes Brandeis a n d e nv i ro n m e n t t h a t i s c o n d u c i ve t o t h e success of all individuals. Practically, that is a hard thing to achieve, as everyone has different needs and interests. But it is possible if we approach each situation with multiple lenses and take the necessary time to think through each response we make. Why did you enroll in law school? When I was 15 and getting my first job, my twin brother, who suffers from epilepsy, was doing the same. He was offered a job with a large corporation and was ecstatic. But when they found out he had epilepsy they revoked the job offer, and at the time, the ADA did not recognize epilepsy as a protected class so there was no legal recourse available. For the first time, I saw my brother think he could not accomplish anything he set his mind to, and his hope and confidence quickly drained from his personality. I told myself from that moment on that I would make it my life’s mission to ensure no other individual and family felt that way. B RANDE I S B R I E F - 1 7
NEW FACULTY CASSIE
CHAMBERS ARMSTRONG
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C ASS I E C H A M B E R S ARMSTRONG is a 2015 graduate of Harvard Law S c h o o l , w h e re s h e wa s President of the Legal Aid Bureau. She subsequently was selected to be a S k a d d e n Fe l l ow a n d with that award worked for two years as an attorney at Louisville Legal Aid Society and the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, where she represented victims of domestic violence in family law matters, designed and implemented a c o m p re h e n s i ve p ro g ra m t o p rov i d e l e g a l services to rural victims of domestic violence and litigated appeals on poverty law issues. Most recently, Professor Armstrong worked as an Associate at the Louisville firm of Kaplan Johnson Abate & Bird LLP. Before that, she clerked for Judge Amul Thapar, now at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and then
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a Judge at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. She also clerked briefly for Judge Phillip Shepherd of the Franklin Circuit Court. P r o f e s s o r A r m s t r o n g r e c e i v e d a B. A . f r o m Yale College, summa cum laude, in 2010, an M.P.H. from Yale in 2011 and an M.Sc. in Public Management and Governance from the London School of Economics in 2012. She is a native Kentuckian, having grown up in eastern Kentucky. Her book, Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains was published by Random House in 2020. She was elected to Louisville Metro Council’s District 8 seat in June 2020. Since 2018, she has been Vice Chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party.
Two new faculty join Brandeis Law’s team of diverse nationally recognized talent.
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PROFESSOR CJ RYAN, JD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law and an affiliated scholar at the American Bar Foundation.
D r. R y a n t e a c h e s Decedents’ Estates & Trusts, Secured Transactions, and Law & Economics. He has previously taught Property, Tax, and Statistics f o r L aw ye r s. I n a d d i t i o n t o w r i t i n g i n t h e doctrinal areas in which he teaches, much of his research centers on corporate governance, the legal profession, the economics of higher education, and technology transfer.
Georgetown Law Review, Illinois Law Review, and SMU Law Review — specialty journals at NYU, Georgetown, and Notre Dame, and peerreviewed journals, including the Journal of Legal Education and Research in Higher Education. He is a recognized expert in legal education, trust law, non-profit law, and the law surrounding student loans. His scholarship has been discussed in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Above the Law, and Inside Higher Ed, among other media outlets. He received an A.B. from Dartmouth College, a M.Ed. from the University of Notre Dame, a J.D. from the University of Kentucky, and a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University.
An interdisciplinary scholar, he has written more than 20 articles that have appeared in law reviews — such as the Alabama Law Review,
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NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS CLINIC
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W I T H A J U LY 1 EXECUTIVE ORDER from Gov. A n d y B e s h e a r, Kentucky studentathletes will now be able to earn money from endorsements that use their name, image or likeness.
In anticipation of this executive order, Brandeis Law added an NIL focus to its Entrepreneurship Law Clinic this fall. Founded in 2012, the clinic has historically provided law students with hands-on experience by partnering them with students enrolled in the Entrepreneurship MBA program at UofL’s College of Business. Over the years, the clinic has specialized in assisting students with things like articles of organization, operating agreements, opinions of counsel, independent contractor agreements and option agreements for technology. Now, the clinic will also assist UofL students, including student-athletes, as they encounter legal issues when setting up a brand and marketing that brand over social media. T h e c l i n i c i s r u n b y Wi l l Me t c a l f, w h o i s a l s o a s s o c i a t e v i c e p re s i d e n t f o r re s e a rc h development and partnerships in the Office of Research and Innovation. Beginning this fall, the Law School will also hire an intellectual property law expert as an adjunct professor to provide necessary training and assistance to clinic students as they work with their clients. B R A N DE IS B R IE F - 20
To emphasize the experiential learning aspect of the clinic, the clinic is run like the corporate department of a law firm, with weekly firm m e e t i n g s c ove r i n g a g re e m e n t s, a c c o u n t i n g, intellectual property (including NIL), ethics, FDA approval and other topics. Students also receive support from law school faculty and a number of local firms and meet with MBA professors to get an understanding of their clients’ ideation process. In addition, clinic students will have the opportunity to work with the other NIL entities on campus to improve their understanding of NIL issues and better represent their clients. While student-athletes may encompass a more visible proportion of UofL students seeking access to these types of services and resources, the NIL legal clinic and the Sport Administration NIL curriculum is not solely for athletes or Sport Administration students. All UofL students who may have NIL needs, including “influencers”, eSport athletes, budding fashion designers, or media content creators can all benefit from e n h a n c e d k n ow l e d g e a n d re s o u rc e s re l a t e d to NIL. Additionally, students seeking future employment in college athletics or service provider roles assisting college athletes with NIL opportunities can benefit from the educational services obtained through this initiative.
2021 DISTINGUISHED FACULTY AWARD THIS YEAR, THREE BRANDEIS LAW FACULTY were presented with a Distinguished Faculty Award for excellence in one of three areas: Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity; Distinguished Service and Distinguished Teaching. These significant awards reflect the depth and breadth of talent at Brandeis Law. LAURA MCNEAL
OUTSTANDING SCHOLARSHIP, RESEARCH AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY In light of recent national civil unrest, Professor McNeal’s equity-focused scholarship is especially timely and impactful to communities, especially communities of color. Her groundbreaking scholarship has uniquely positioned her to make meaningful contributions to the national debate on race, law, implicit bias, and constitutional rights as a highly sought-after legal expert on high profile cases, such as the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Trayvon Martin, and other instances of police brutality as a legal analyst on several national networks. McNeal has also presented her scholarship at several prestigious institutions such as Harvard Law School and Columbia University. LISA NICHOLSON
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Throughout her community engagements and service, Professor Nicholson has selected projects appealing to her interest in social justice, inclusion, and equity. Her goal is to change negative behaviors that affect underrepresented populations, or at least to raise awareness of those behaviors’ effect on others. To Professor Nicholson, the purpose of law schools is to teach not only what the law is, but also to teach what the law can be, and how law school graduates can play a substantial role in helping the law to evolve and improve. Monitor with Kentucky Civic Engagement Table. CEDRIC MERLIN POWELL
DISTINGUISHED TEACHING Professor Powell’s classroom is characterized by openness, rigor and engagement as students work to understand the Blackletter law, its underlying concepts and themes, and far-reaching policy implications. Professor Powell tells his students that they must be committed to high quality work, not simply as a source of professional pride, but in the service of their clients in a learned profession. B RANDE IS B R I E F - 2 1
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DEVELOPMENT Supporting the School of Law secures valuable fellowship opportunities that help our students grow as professionals.
ONE OF THE BEST WAYS that our students develop practical skills and have access to networking opportunities is via our fellowships. We offer three fellowships focusing on human rights, environmental resilience and ordered liberty. If you would like to donate to support these student fellows, please visit B I T. LY/ G I V E L O U I S V I L L E L AW OR SCAN BELOW
HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY PROGRAM
Under “Select a Designation,” mark “Louis D. Brandeis School of Law.” In the “Additional Details” box, please note to which fellowship you would like to direct your gift.
RESILIENCE JUSTICE
ORDERED LIBERTY PROGRAM B RANDE I S B R I E F - 2 3
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