The Certificate in Health Law is a series of offered by Brandeis in collaboration with . Applicants do not need an undergraduate degree to qualify. Certificate offerings include a suite of 11 courses and enrollees can create a customized certificate. Organizers said the courses will tackle timely topics such as health care fraud and abuse, end-of-life decisions, HIPAA, security and patient care issues.

Brandeis School of Law Dean Susan Duncan said the certificate will help people understand the legal, regulatory and ethical issues related to health law.

“There’s a tremendous need for a curriculum that explains and educates workers on the complexities of health law,” Duncan said. “This online program makes it much easier for professionals to get the training and education they need while they complete the course at their own pace.”

Most courses can be completed within 60 days. The cost for the certificate is $10,000 with discounts offered to employers who have multiple employees enrolled. Individuals can also enroll in those courses that match their areas of interest at $1,300 per course. Ěý

The online courses are taught by UofL faculty, legal professionals in the industry and practicing attorneys. iLaw is a law school online company that has developed and provided programs and courses to more than 20 percent of all accredited law schools in the United States.

The university announced April 27 that will be the next dean.

He is currently the Robert C. Cudd Professor of Environment Law at Tulane University. He also directs Tulane’s International Development Studies in the School of Liberal Arts and the Payson Graduate Program in Global Development in the School of Law.

“I look forward to Colin’s arrival,” said Acting Provost Dale Billingsley. “His extensive research, global view and focus on finding solutions to important and current legal issues are a perfect fit for UofL.”

Until Crawford officially begins his new role, law professor Lars Smith will lead the school July 1 to Dec. 31, 2017, as interim dean. is associate dean for academic affairs and the Samuel J. Stallings Professor of Law for the school. HeĚýreceived the Distinguished Faculty Award in 2011 and has traveled and taught widely, focusing on intellectual property law.Ěý

Crawford, a native of Denver, joined Tulane in 2010. He previously taught at Georgia State University College of Law where he founded and co-directed the Center for the Comparative Study of Metropolitan Growth. He has been a visiting professor at many universities, including the University of the Andes in Bogotá, Colombia; the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil; the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, also in Brazil; and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

He was a Fulbright scholar at the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. During the current spring semester, he is visiting at the Carlos III University in Madrid, Spain, where he holds that university’s Santander Chair of Excellence.

“I am honored and delighted to be able to join the University of Louisville community as the next dean of the Brandeis School of Law. Louisville and Brandeis have long and impressive traditions, and I look forward to building upon the solid foundation laid by my predecessors,” Crawford said. “For me, this is a homecoming of sorts. My father was born and partly raised in western Kentucky and the state has always had a special place in my heart. So the chance to work with Louisville faculty, staff, students, alums and the larger community is an unparalleled and very special opportunity indeed.”

Crawford earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from University of Cambridge and a law degree from Harvard University.

He is an expert in international development and law and has lectured and written worldwide on environmental and urban issues and related topics. His teaching and research focus is on land-use issues, particularly comparative and cross-cultural environmental justice concerns, with an emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean.

In a note to the campus community that announced Crawford’s appointment, Billingsley thanked Susan Duncan who has served as interim dean of the law school for the past five years.

“Many changes and improvements were accomplished during her tenure as dean. We wish her the very best as she takes on a new challenge as dean of the University of Mississippi School of Law,” Billingsley said.

As part of the , Murray State undergraduate students majoring in political science can apply to Brandeis Law and make their senior year also count as their first year of law school. The accelerated curriculum means students will have one less year of coursework, tuition and expenses.

Brandeis Law has already solidified a similar agreement with Kentucky Wesleyan College. That partnership in February.

“We want to help students jump-start their legal education,” said Brandeis Law Dean Susan Duncan. “We’re thrilled to have Murray State as a partner and to know we are doing our part to help college students reduce costs and begin their legal careers more quickly.”

Murray State, located in Murray, Kentucky, has more than 10,000 students and includes five regional campuses.

“This partnership is a great step forward for providing our students with an accelerated pathway in furthering their academic pursuits,” said Staci Stone, interim dean of Murray State University’s College of Humanities and Fine Arts. “Our recruiting efforts will be strengthened as well, allowing us to offer this innovative program to prospective students interested in law school.”

UofL’s law school hopes to continue expansion of the 3+3 program as a way to encourage more students to pursue a law degree and trim academic expenses.

The course, led by Professor , is built on the concept of the Brandeis Brief, a style of brief that incorporates social science research into legal arguments.Ěý

In the course —Ěýwhich was limited to three students during this initial offering —Ěýstudents worked with local attorneys and Brandeis Law alumni Dan Canon (’07) and Joe Dunman (’12)Ěýto write an amicus brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The students were dedicated and willing to learn,” Marcosson says. “They put in a tremendous amount of work, and I’m very proud of them.

“It was exactly what I hoped for —Ěýand more.”

The brief was written on behalf of the National Association for Public Defense and the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and petitions the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision by the Kentucky Supreme Court. The brief argues that the Kentucky Supreme Court limited the ability of defense counsel to make its case in its opening statement, Marcosson says.Ěý

The students researched the value of opening statements and the impact they have on juries while experiencing first-hand the rigors of writing a brief for the Supreme Court.Ěý

“How often does a law student get an opportunity to submit a brief to the United States Supreme Court? Not only was this experience exciting, it compelled me to do my absolute best work,” says 3L Abby Braune, one of the students in the class. “So much of law school is theory; it was a nice change to take on a challenge that has a real-world impact.”

Marcosson credits Dean with advocating for this new course.Ěý

“Without her, it never would have happened,” he says.

Weber’s election is part of Brandeis School of Law SBA President Rudy Ellis’ objective of increasing the school’s involvement within the ABA. Ellis asked Weber if he would be interested in running and helped him navigate the election process.

“I was interested because I have experience working in a regional and national organization (College Democrats). I know that it’s difficult to make a national organization relevant when representatives are not frequently on campus,” Weber said. “I enjoy that challenge and hope to share the resources possessed by the ABA with law students across this circuit.”

Weber’s term is one year.

As outlined by the ABA’s Student Division, the job description is as follows: “The 15 Circuit Governors are regionally elected leaders on the Law Student Division Board of Governors. Governors are the liaison between local ABA representatives on campus and the Division; they are an intermediary for students to go to when they need help. Governors generally perform the functions and duties needed to effectively serve their Circuits’ constituencies. They also serve on the Division’s Board of Governors.”

Weber said his goal is to align the Brandeis School of Law more closely with the ABA national organization, and ensure students know the benefits from the network and resources the ABA has to offer.

“I think it would be beneficial for our students to cooperate with other schools and students,” he said. “I hope to be able to bring ideas and best practices from other schools to help improve the student experience at Brandeis.”

Weber, a Louisville native, studied Political Science at the University of Louisville and participated in campus groups such as SGA, McConnell Scholars, Sigma Chi and others before working two years in Nashville with Teach For America.

He is spending the spring semester working as a legal intern in the UofL Legal Counsel office.

“It has been very enjoyable because it involves a lot of different types of law, government relations and issues facing higher education,” he said. “It’s a position where I feel like I can make a difference for the University and the community I love.”