Experiential Learning

Brandeis Law offers several for-credit experiential learning opportunities designed to extend students' understanding of the legal profession beyond the classroom. These hands-on upper-level educational experiences give students the ability to engage with the community, widen their professional networks and practice essential legal skills in a supportive and collaborative environment, preparing them to be effective and engaged members of the legal community after graduation.

All students must complete at least 6 credit hours of experiential learning opportunities, at least 2 of which must be earned in "live-client courses," i.e., clinics or externships. Live-client courses demand substantial dedication, requiring 56 hours of work per credit hour earned; e.g., to earn 3 credit hours requires 168 work hours.

Clinics

Brandeis Law's law clinics provide a structure educational experience in which students apply classroom knowledge to actual cases and develop practical skills under the supervision of our dedicated clinical faculty. By interacting directly with clients, students enhance their communication and interpersonal abilities while providing valuable pro bono services to the community. Participation in the clinics allows students to explore various practice areas and helps them to foster a lifelong commitment to ethical legal practice.

Four of the clinics are located in Brandeis Law's downtown clinical suite:

416 West Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Suite 200
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 852-6556

Robert & Sue Ellen Ackerson Law Clinic (Domestic Violence): Third-year law students represent survivors of domestic and dating violence in protective order hearings in Jefferson County Family Courts.
For more information, contact Heend Sheth (heend.sheth@louisville.edu) or Molly Stanley (molly.stanley@louisville.edu).

Mediation Clinic: Second- and third-year law students mediate cases among pro se litigants concerning issues arising from the Jefferson County Family Courts.
For more information, contact Spoorthy Kailas (spoorthy.kailas@louisville.edu).

Immigration Law Clinic: Second- and third-year law students assist foreign nationals who are eligible to live and work in the United States obtain the documentation necessary to prove their eligibility.
For more information, contact Chris Kozoll (christopher.kozoll@louisville.edu).

Housing Clinic (Eviction Defense): Third-year law students represent low-income defendants in eviction cases in Jefferson County District Court.
For more information, contact Jeff Metzmeier (jeffrey.metzmeier@louisville.edu).

Two additional clinics have separate physical spaces but the same dedication to serving unmet legal needs in the community:

Entrepreneurship Clinic
For more information, contact Will Metcalf (will.metcalf@louisville.edu).

Trager-Brandeis Elder Law Clinic
For more information, contact Lee Shaw (aaron.shaw@louisville.edu).

Externships

Similar to clinics, externships allow students to assist actual clients and develop practical skills for course credit but with a crucial difference: instead of being supervised by Brandeis Law faculty, the students are supervised by experienced attorneys out in the field. Brandeis Law's close relationships with the legal community, including its association with the Louisville and Kentucky Bar Associations, provide students with direct access to a wide spectrum of legal practitioners, judges and agencies.

Public Interest Externships

  • Indiana Department of Child Services
  • Kentucky Commission on Human Rights
  • Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
  • Kentucky Equal Justice Center
  • Legal Aid Society of Louisville
  • Louisville Metro Council

Criminal Justice Externships

  • Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney
  • Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy: Rural Public Defense
  • Kentucky Innocence Project
  • Louisville Metro Public Defender
  • Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney
  • United States Attorney’s Office

In-House Counsel Externships

  • Signature Healthcare: Transaction, Litigation and Compliance Teams
  • University of Louisville Clinical Contracts Division
  • University of Louisville Office of Technology Transfer
  • University of Louisville Office of University Counsel

Other Externships

  • American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kentucky
  • Immigration Externships
  • Judicial Externships
  • Tax Externships

Simulation Courses

Simulation courses likewise offer students a dynamic, hands-on approach to legal education, bridging theory with real-world practice, though in a more traditional classroom setting. Through simulated scenarios, students engage in immersive experiences, ranging from trial practice and contract drafting to negotiation and client counseling sessions.

Simulation courses provide a safe space for students to develop crucial legal skills, such as effective communication, critical thinking and strategic decision-making, under the guidance of expert faculty. By actively participating in simulations, students gain practical insights into the complexities of legal practice, preparing them to navigate the challenges they will encounter in their future professional careers.