Brandeis School of Law Celebrates the Class of 2025 at Convocation Ceremony

On May 11, 2025, the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law celebrated the Class of 2025 with a heartfelt and inspiring Convocation ceremony at the historic Louisville Palace Theatre. The event honored the accomplishments, service, and resilience of this year’s graduates, as well as the community that supported them.

Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Crystal Rae Coel opened the ceremony by acknowledging the support behind every graduate. “This is your moment and this is your memory,” she said. “You overcame many challenges… We could not be prouder of you than we are right now.”

Dean Melanie B. Jacobs urged the new graduates to carry forward the legacy of Justice Louis D. Brandeis, known as the people’s lawyer. “Being a lawyer also means a greater responsibility to our republic as a citizen and as a leader,” she said. “Your voice carries so much more weight as a lawyer, and I implore you to use it.”

She also commended the Class of 2025 for living out the school’s values through action. Collectively, the class completed nearly 4,800 hours of public service during their time at Brandeis School of Law. Several students also served in fellowships and clinics that provided free legal support to Kentuckians in need.

SBA President Andi Dahmer, who graduated magna cum laude, reflected on how the Brandeis community shaped their class. “We have grown not only professionally and intellectually, but also in courage and conviction,” Dahmer said. “Let us continue this community of collegiality, and most importantly, let us use what we have learned to shape a more just society.”

The keynote address by Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Brian C. Edwards echoed that call. Citing civil rights legend Charles Hamilton Houston, Judge Edwards reminded graduates of their responsibility to the greater good: “Our world is in need of lawyers who are, in the words of Charles Hamilton Houston, problem solvers.”

He continued, “You will be one of a precious few individuals with the privilege to ensure that the rule of law is utilized not just to punish, but to protect and to improve the lives of your neighbors.”

Brandeis School of Law alumnus and Alumni Council President Matthew L. Bunnell (’20) welcomed the class into a growing network of more than 7,000 graduates. “Each of you planted the seed for your legal career when you decided to take the LSAT. And now today, you eat the fruit,” he said. “This is not the end of your growth—it’s the first harvest.” He encouraged the new alumni to remain connected to the law school community and support future students by mentoring or serving on the council.

As the ceremony closed with the hooding of each graduate and a joyful video tribute, the Class of 2025 stepped forward—not just as lawyers, but as leaders, advocates, and stewards of Justice Brandeis’s enduring vision: that the law must serve the people.

To view more moments from the celebration, visit the full Convocation photo album on Flickr.