Has Brandeis Legal Studies changed your life? Would you like to help those following in your footsteps thrive? Consider donating, no amount is too small!

To donate online, navigate to Brandeis University's online donations page. Select "Choose your Designation" and choose "Other." In the text box write in "Brandeis Legal Studies Gift Fund." If you would rather donate via check, please email melissamckenna@brandeis.edu!

Guberman Lecture

The Legal Studies Program invites you to join us for the annual Guberman Lecture!  This lecture, which is a collaboration between the Heller School and Legal Studies, honors lawyers and law-adjacent professionals who have committed their careers to the pursuit of social justice. Through their lecture, they inspire and share their wisdom with students, faculty, and alumni. Join us on April 24th at 6:00 p.m. in the Helller Schneider Zinner Forum!

The guest speaker this year will be Lauren Rikleen '75, one of two graduates in the first class of the Legal Studies Program. Lauren is the Executive Director of Lawyers Defending American Democracy as well as an experienced lawyer, author, consultant, trainer, speaker and expert on workplace issues. We are honored to host Lauren as the speaker this year and hope you will join us at the event!

February 13th Book Discussion

Mark your calendars for February 13th and join the Legal Studies Program and Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative for a book discussion! Author Jean Troustine will be coming to campus to discuss her latest publication Motherlove, a book of short stories about mothers who have teens that have killed other teens.

At the panel, Troustine will share her 30 years of experience and sit down with a mother of a teen who served time in prison and a young man who was convicted of murder. Join us to hear from these speakers!

Winter Lecture Series

Are you looking to learn more from Professor Breen? He is hosting a lecture series covering "Great Monuments" from January 26th through late March! This lecture series is available both via Zoom and at the Bedford Free Library. The virtual webinar link can be found here and the link to the first talk can be found here!

 Rap and Redemption on Death Row: Seeking Justice and Finding Purpose Behind Bars

“What leads someone to take another’s life? What do we owe those whom we incarcerate? What is, or what should be, the purpose of the United States carceral system? How can the impulses that lead to violences be transformed, and what role can art play in that transformation? Are there limits to redemption?”

Rap and Redemption on Death Row: Seeking Justice and Finding Purpose Behind Bars seeks to explore the answers to these difficult questions through the testimony of Alim Braxton (a.k.a. Rrome Alone)--a writer, rapper, and activist living on North Carolina’s Death Row in Raleigh. Please join COMPACT and BEJI on March 11th in the Rapaporte Treasure hall as they welcome Alim and author Mark Katz–the John P. Barker Distinguished Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill–to Brandeis University for a community book release and discussion. Free copies of Rap and Redemption on Death Row will be available to guests.

Period Product Packaging Pizza Party

Curious to learn more about menstrual equity?! Join us on Friday, February 7th, 1-3pm in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium to create care packages of period products for Brandeis students. Participants will also have a chance to learn more about the I AM bill, a piece of Massachusetts state legislation that works to combat period poverty.

Academic Exploration Day

The Legal Studies Undergraduate Department Representatives joined UDRs of all Brandeis programs to participate in the Academic Exploration Day on Sunday, January 26th. This event in Sherman Function Hall allowed underclassman and transfer students to connect with upperclassmen across all academic divisions.

February 3rd Book Discussion

On February 3rd, the Legal Studies Program co-sponsored a book discussion titled "Safety through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Antisemitism".

Moderated by Professor Sarah Mayorga, audience members heard from authors Shane Burley and Ben Lorber. These journalists explained that they "see antisemitism as a part of the infrastructure of oppression, playing a vital role, alongside capitalism, white supremacy, anti-LGBTQ bigotry, anti-immigrant xenophobia, and Islamophobia in reinforcing justice." We listened to their perspectives and joined them for a Q&A session!

Congratulations Marcy Waring!

We are excited to announce the recipient of the Kahn Fellowship for spring 2025! Congratulations to Marcy Waring, who will be continuing her proposal: “Autistic individuals, policing, and sentencing: “what happened?” and what now?”

ENACT Course Videos

Students enrolled in an ENACT class have the opportunity to win a $500 prize by submitting a video about their experience in the course. This video should be three minutes or less and address one of the following prompts: 

• What is the biggest lesson you learned and/or most empowering experience you had from your ENACT course?
• What is the best ENACT tool that you would want to teach a friend interested in civic engagement?

Submissions are due on April 15th at midnight. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to ENACT@brandeis.edu.

Intellectual Property for Innovators

We are so excited to share an update on the new Legal Studies course, Intellectual Property for Innovators in the form of a Q&A with Professor Melissa Johannes! Continue reading to learn more about what our students are working on this semester. 

How have your first few classes gone?

I've had so much fun in our first two classes! In the first session, we explored Apple’s intellectual property and how design thinking fuels innovation at Apple and other companies. We also practiced using empathy to identify the needs of Brandeis students. In the second class, students shared the needs they had identified—ranging from monitoring shower availability to avoiding post-shower frozen hair in winter. Working in teams, they brainstormed solutions. In an upcoming class, students will research whether their solutions are patentable - their first step in building an IP strategy around their ideas.

Why is it important for students to learn about intellectual property?

Intellectual property is crucial in today’s knowledge-based economy. Over the past 50 years, corporate assets have shifted from the tangible (factories, equipment) to intangible (intellectual property). Intangible assets now account for at least 90% of the market value of the S&P 500. Yet, how to protect these assets is still not widely understood. This class aims to close that gap.

What was the inspiration for the weekly "mystery snack" activity?

I wanted to make IP more tangible and relatable for my students. Food is something everyone can connect to, and who doesn’t enjoy a snack during a late class?

In our first week, we looked at the history of Life Savers candy and learned why no other hard candy uses the iconic ring shape (hint: trademarks!). In the second week, the "mystery snack" was Tostitos Scoops! tortilla chips. Students guessed the snack after seeing images from a patent on the process used to create them. We discussed how the chips are a great example of needs-based design - accommodating a generous amount of salsa without the drip - and why Frito-Lay's patent infringement lawsuit against a competitor didn’t succeed.

Next week, we’ll try some fruit and talk about why certain trees—like Hass avocados and Honeycrisp apples—are patented, and why others are not.

What do you hope students get out of the class?



I want students to leave with a practical, lasting understanding of intellectual property. Our hands-on activities and real-world case studies are designed to make the material both relevant and memorable. While the content itself excites me, I also hope students continue to develop their creative thinking, communication, and collaboration skills. After years of working as an attorney alongside scientists, engineers, and businesspeople, I’ve seen firsthand how valuable these skills are across fields. And, of course, I want them to have fun! I believe that students learn better when they’re enjoying themselves, so I try to make every class interactive and engaging.

Current students: are you interested in purchasing some Legal Studies swag? Please fill out the form linked below to demonstrate your interest and share your preferences!

If you already have some Legal studies merchandise, please send us photographs! We would love to feature you in a newsletter next semester!