The University of Louisville presented the Brandeis Medal to on Feb. 5, during a reception at Louisville’s Marriott Hotel Downtown.

The Brandeis Medal, awarded annually since 1983, honors a recipient chosen for their devotion to economic, social or political justice and for advancing the cause of public service in the legal profession. Sotomayor, an alum of Princeton University and Yale Law School, is the seventh Supreme Court justice honored with the medal, following Harry Blackmun, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Sandra Day O’Connor and John Paul Stevens.

“We selected Justice Sotomayor to receive the Brandeis Medal because she brings tremendous dignity, respect and compassion to the bench. She is a fierce defender of liberty,” said Dean of Louis D. Brandeis School of Law Melanie B. Jacobs. “Every student who is in this room who was at the law school today and got to interact with Justice Sotomayor is nodding and thinking of the way in which she touched them.”

The “people’s justice”

Appointed by Barack Obama in August 2009, Sotomayor became the first Hispanic and third woman to serve on the high court. Aptly, Sotomayor was introduced at the Brandeis event by , the first Hispanic law professor at UofL, and like Sotomayor, a native New Yorker from the Bronx. Trucios-Haynes said Sotomayor has served as a personal mentor and role model for the marginalized, underserved and disadvantaged in her 15 years on the bench, writing impassioned rulings and dissents on issues of race, gender and ethnic identity.

Sometimes dubbed “the people’s justice,” Sotomayor is known for decisions such as legalizing same-sex marriage and upholding the Affordable Care Act, as well as her concern for the rights of criminal defendants and criminal justice reform.

In providing greetings from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said the Supreme Court holds “a sacred duty to rule without bias or favor to any person or party.” The justices of the Supreme Court are “the very foundation of a functional system of government, one that’s designed to serve the people and not just the powerful.”

welcomed Sotomayor who then participated in a question-and-answer session with Jacobs.

The justice spoke candidly about her upbringing in an impoverished, high-crime housing project in New York City. She also discussed the positive influence of her grandmother and how life experiences had informed her philosophies on law and life.

“I felt loved, I never felt poor,” she said. “It was a hard life, but it was a life filled with joy. Poor people are not bad people, they’re just poor, but many people don’t understand the difference. They think poverty is your own fault.”

The law is not black and whiteÌę

Sotomayor described the delicate balance of interpreting the law, noting how she has encountered defendants who made bad choices, yet were willing to change their behavior. Other times, she met defendants unwilling to see their wrongs.

“Our judgment as a society must understand this difference,” she said. “That’s what my childhood taught me. The law is not black and white, it’s gray, and in that gray area is where judges and lawyers work.”

When asked how she has been successful in considering both sides of an issue, the justice responded, “We have to have balance in facing our problems, and the only way to have that balance is to be open to both sides of the conversation.

“Justice (Clarence) Thomas and I, for example, are well-known for frequently being on the opposite side of issues, but no one is more loyal to the people he works with and loves.

“The fundamental difference between us is that he believes every person is capable of lifting themselves up by the bootstraps, while I understand from my life experiences that some people need help getting their boots up so they can reach their bootstraps,” Sotomayor said. “If you start from the proposition that most people have good in them, it’s easier to find common ground.”

On another topic, Jacobs asked Sotomayor what is needed to restore eroded trust in the judiciary.

“The court would garner better support if it acted more slowly in undoing precedent,” said Sotomayor. “If we as a court go too far ahead of people, our legitimacy is going to be questioned, and I think the immunity case is one of those situations. I don’t think Americans have accepted that anyone should be above the law in America — even the president.”Ìę

Inspiring the next generation

While in Louisville, Sotomayor met with law students, a rare opportunity for the aspiring attorneys. She also visited students in the Central High School Law and Government Magnet Program, a UofL Signature Partnership program in which high schoolers are taught by Brandeis School of Law students to encourage minority participation in the legal profession.

Third-year law student Andi Dahmer explained how special it was to hear Sotomayor’s lived experiences come to life, and asked the justice this question: In a period of such uncertainty both domestically and abroad, what is one thing that brings you hope for the future with regard to the rule of law?

“In response, without missing a beat, she looked at us and said ‘you,’ meaning the youth, the students in the room,” Dahmer said. “I thought it was a very profound answer, and I was so honored that she said students of our generation give her such hope.” Ìę

Dahmer also said she was awestruck by the friendly presence of Justice Sotomayor.Ìę

Carcyle Barrett, also a third-year law student, felt a deep connection with Sotomayor’s journey in terms of challenges and aspirations. Both Barrett and Sotomayor hail from working class families in New York with migrant or immigrant parents.

“She had to navigate spaces where her potential was doubted by people, but in her persistence, she didn’t let anyone stop her,” said Barrett. “It resonates for me that her presence and diverse representation on the Supreme Court is needed to help shape the law.”

Further, Barrett said she was encouraged by the justice’s comments that success isn’t just about talent.

“She told us it’s about resilience, authenticity and staying true to your values,” Barrett said. “I think Justice Sotomayor’s ability to remain grounded and connected to her roots while holding on to her position is a reminder that you can succeed without compromising who you are.”

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Representative Lewis was awarded UofL School of Law’s highest honor, the Brandeis Medal, in 2000. He again visited campus in 2013 as part of the Kentucky Author Forum. In 2018, his civil rights work was recognized in a Law School Diversity Forum.

The Brandeis Medal honors individuals whose lives reflect Justice Brandeis’ commitment to the ideals of individual liberty, concern for the disadvantaged and public service. Representative Lewis was recognized because of his “lifelong commitment to human rights, preservation of personal dignity, and unfailing support of social justice, and one of the most courageous persons in the Civil Rights Movement.” Ìę

“On the day of his passing, Representative John Lewis joined in a bipartisan letter to Secretary of łÉÈËֱȄ Betsy DeVos asking her support for grants to support teacher preparation about civics. This letter exemplifies his tireless advocacy for social justice and civil rights. He died only hours later after a long battle with cancer,” said Professor Laura Rothstein, co-chair of the Brandeis Medal Committee.

During Representative Lewis’s 2013 visit to the University of Louisville for the Kentucky Author Forum about his trilogy graphic novelÌęMarch, he was interviewed by Rachel Maddow at the event at the Kentucky Center. For his on-campus interview, Louisville Law Professor Enid Trucios-Haynes had the honor of interviewing Congressman Lewis.Ìę Ìę

Attendees at that event included four Law and Government Magnet students from Central High School, who were part of the partnership of the Brandeis School of Law with Central High School. Ìę

“Congressman Lewis clearly enjoyed the presence and energy of the young people in the room, knowing that these young people were critical to the work of social justice and civil rights,” Rothstein said.

Woodward has shared in two Pulitzer Prizes, first in 1973 for the coverage of the Watergate scandal with Carl Bernstein, and again in 2003 as the lead reporter for coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Woodward will receive the medal during an Oct. 16 dinner and presentation at the Louisville Marriott Downtown, 280 W. Jefferson St. During the presentation, Woodward will have a conversation about his life and career with Howard Fineman, Louisville law graduate and journalist.

The dinner and presentation are 6 to 8:30 p.m. A cash bar will precede the dinner. Tickets are $100 per person and available through Oct. 9. After that date, tickets are $125.Ìę

The Brandeis Medal is awarded to people whose lives reflect a commitment to individual liberty, concern for the disadvantaged and public service. The honor is given in tribute to Justice Louis D. Brandeis, a former U.S. Supreme Court justice from Louisville and the namesake of the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law.

Woodward is the author or co-author of 19 books, all of which have been national non-fiction bestsellers. Thirteen of those have been No. 1 national bestsellers. He has written books on nine of the most recent presidents, from Nixon to Trump. “Fear: Trump in the White House” (2018) was both a New York Times and international No. 1 bestseller. It broke the 94-year first-week sales record of its publisher, Simon & Schuster, and sold over two million copies its first three months in the U.S. alone.

Kagan told the audience of about 350 that while she wasn’t entirely sure she was going to like law school, she ended up loving it.

“From the first week, I knew I just loved studying and thinking about law,” she said. “The most important thing, I think, about law school is that it teaches you how to think.”

The Brandeis Medal is the law school’s highest honor. It recognizes those who reflect ideals similar to those of Justice Louis Brandeis: individual liberty, concern for the disadvantaged and the importance of public service.

Law school Dean Susan Duncan said this year is especially important for the law school because it marks the 100^th anniversary of the nomination and confirmation of the school’s namesake, Louis D. Brandeis.

“In addition to tracing her seat on the Supreme Court to Justice Brandeis, her work in the areas of individual freedoms, equal opportunity and human rights reflects his life’s values,” Duncan said.

Kagan was interviewed by law school professors Laura Rothstein and Justin Walker. Rothstein is a former dean of the law school and dedicated to the legacy and history of Justice Brandeis.

Walker knew Kagan when he was a student at Harvard Law School and she was school’s dean.

Kagan regaled the audience with stories about the lighter side of her work as a Supreme Court Justice.

She said the justices are a collegial group who often go to lunch together and avoid allowing legal disagreements to divide them.

She called Justice Sandra Day O’Conner — who often solicited people for her morning aerobics class — a “hoot” and recalled late Justice Antonin Scalia as “incredibly enthusiastic, warm and wonderful.”

Kagan gave especially high praise to late Justice Thurgood Marshall as a master storyteller with a great sense of humor and “the most important lawyer of the 20^th century.” Kagan clerked for Marshall when he was on the high court.

On the topic of contributions made by Justice Brandeis, Kagan said, “I love the way he writes. I think he (was)Ìęa brilliant, brilliant writer. He believed in facts and knew the way the world works. There’s a kind of wisdom in his opinions.”

Kagan was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2010 to replace Justice John Paul Stevens. She is the youngest sitting justice and her resume includes legal counsel and adviser to President Bill Clinton, Harvard Law School’s first female dean and the nation’s first female solicitor general.

is the court’s 112th justice and fourth female justice.

Other U.S. Supreme Court justices who were awarded the Brandeis Medal include Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harry Blackmun, Sandra Day O’Connor and John Paul Stevens.

Check out video from the ceremony below.Ìę

The Rev. PaulÌęBrandeis Raushenbush is a great-grandson of Justice Brandeis. When Brandeis Medal recipient and Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan was unable to attend the event,ÌęRaushenbush agreed to share some insights about his family’s legacy of justice and public service.

“This is the constant theme of our family — that nothing matters if it doesn’t serve the people,” saidÌęRaushenbush, who is a Baptist pastor serving as senior vice president of public engagement at Auburn Seminary in New York City.Ìę

Raushenbush’s past roles include executive editor of global spirituality and religion for The Huffington Post andÌęeditor ofÌęBeliefNet. He is former associate dean of religious life and the chapel atÌęPrinceton UniversityÌęand co-founderÌęof PORDIR, the Program on Religion, Diplomacy, and International Relations at theÌęLiechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination at Princeton University.

Brandeis’ groundbreaking Brandeis Brief — in which he referenced social science and economic studies when arguing a case — contributed to his reputation as “the people’s attorney.” AndÌęRaushenbush said that theme of staying connected to the real world has lived on in his family as they work for justice in their various careers.

He also spoke about Justice Brandeis’ concern for the people in his own community and his love of Louisville and the University of Louisville.Ìę

“He cared deeply about the institution, and he cared that it was in this place that mattered so much to him,”ÌęRaushenbush said. “If you really want to understand Brandeis … you come back to Louisville.”

And if you want to honor Brandeis’ legacy, work to make Louisville a place of justice and caring, he said.

The Brandeis School of Law did just that last night, as it donated more than 100 meals to The Healing Place, an addiction recovery program in Louisville. The meals were left over from guests who registered for the event but did not end up attending.

“We are so appreciative that Rev. Raushenbush shared some insights about his family’s commitment to justice,” said Dean Susan Duncan. “The law school is proud to carry on that legacy of being an engaged member of the community.”

The discussion is part of the law school’s celebration. Kagan is the 2016 recipient of the prestigious award.

Walker was asked to lead the dinner discussion because he knew Kagan when he was a student at Harvard Law School and she was the dean. He took a class with Kagan and remembers her as a tough instructor who adhered closely to the old fashioned version of the Socratic method.

After graduated from law school in 2009, Kagan recommended him for the two clerkships he received, the first for Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (2010-11), and the second for her colleague,ÌęJustice Anthony Kennedy of the U.S. Supreme Court (2011-12).

“I’m very excited and so honored to lead the question and answer session with Justice Kagan,” said Walker.

Walker teaches legal writing at UofL. He went to Harvard after completing an undergraduate degree from Duke University in political science. In addition to his clerkships for Justice Kennedy and Judge Kavanaugh, he was a Pentagon speechwriter for former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. His interests include volunteering as executive director of an educational nonprofit called the , which teaches elementary-school kids that they can make a difference in the world. He also enjoys visiting Civil War battlefields, watching his 100 favorite movies, and rooting for the Chicago Cubs.

UofL News had the chance to talk toÌęWalker about his experience and hisÌęupcoming Q&A session Kagan:

UofL News: How did you first meet Justice Kagan?

Walker: She gave a speech during orientation at law school. She was the dean, and it was clear she was a different kind of dean than Harvard had seen in older days. She talked about a vision of law school that was nothing like “The Paper Chase.” Yes, you work hard.Ìę Yes, you are challenged. But you do it without fear of failure. You do it by learning from your classmates, not competing against them. You do it in a way that’s fun, because exploring big ideas should be fun. Even if it’s hard … Especially if it’s hard!

UofL News: As dean, what did Kagan do to improve students’ experience?

Walker: Well, she was a reformer – a careful but fearless reformer. The first-year curriculum changed in big ways for the first time in about 100Ìęyears, with new courses on things that are pretty important to being a lawyer, like legislation and regulation. She also brought in so many new teachers for us that one parody joked there were no professors left to teach at any other law schools. She improved student life in less academic ways, too – a new student center; a renovated gym; a skating rink in the winter. Those last few weren’t too controversial of course, but the new curriculum, the faculty hires, the culture changes – those pivots you can’t make with just a snap of the fingers. They’re more like turning around an aircraft carrier. And she did some of them under fire.

UofL News: It sounds like you admired her a lot.

Walker: I admire her for the battles she picked as dean, and for the way she won them.

UofL News: What was it like to take her class?

Walker: She taught an Administrative Law class at eight o’clock in the morning – so you had to really want to be there, and we did. Her style was Socratic, so she didn’t lecture a lot. She asked questions. Very tough, very probing questions and hypotheticals, not completely unlike how she asks now at oral arguments. But it was fun, because it seemed like she was having fun. I think she wanted to find out whether you could play ball – whether you could think on your feet and see different sides of a question and defend a position and maybe take a hit.

UofL News: When you were clerking for Justice Kennedy, you saw Justice Kagan ask questions at nearly 70 oral arguments. What was she like?

Walker: She has an ingenious way of zeroing in on an advocate’s biggest weakness, and exposing it in a way that’s crystal clear. When I was clerking, her chair was on the side of the bench with Justices Kennedy, Ginsburg, and Alito, and if you were an advocate with weaknesses in your argument, I think that was the side of the bench you needed to worry about the most.

UofL News: How is your teaching affected by what you’ve learned from Justice Kagan?

Walker: Two things. First, as a legal writing teacher, I use her opinions all the time. We read them for their clarity, for their power, and even for their humor. When she wrote about the constitutionality of a police dog sniff, she wrote about when “a sniff is up to snuff.” And when she wrote about the licensing rights for Spiderman, she wrote about “a web of precedents.” Second, big picture, I give my students the same advice she gave us that very first day of law school: Expect to be challenged, but exploring big ideas should be fun.ÌęÌę

UofL News: What will you ask Justice Kagan when you interview her at the Brandeis Medal dinner?

Walker: What is your name? What is your quest? What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow? Just kidding.

The medal is the law school’s highest honor and is awarded to people who champion the ideals of individual liberty, concern for the disadvantaged and public service. The award is a tribute to Louis D. Brandeis, a former U.S. Supreme Court justice from Louisville and namesake of the law school.

Kagan’s appointment to the high court by President Barack Obama was confirmed by the Senate in 2010 to replace Justice John Paul Stevens. She is the youngest sitting justice and her resume includes legal counsel and advisor to President Bill Clinton, Harvard Law School’s first female dean and the nation’s first female solicitor general. is the court’s 112th justice and fourth female justice.

To make her Louisville visit even more special, she traces her Supreme Court seat to Justice Brandeis: When Brandeis resigned, he was replaced by Justice William Douglas. When Douglas resigned, he was replaced by Justice John Paul Stevens. And when Stevens resigned, his seat was filled by Kagan.

“It’s an honor to confer this award on Justice Kagan,” said Brandeis School of Law Dean Susan Duncan. “In addition to tracing her seat on the Supreme Court to Justice Brandeis, her work in the areas of individual freedoms, equal opportunity and human rights reflects his life’s values. She’s also a great role model for our students because of her well-deserved reputation as a brilliant legal scholar and writer.”

Kagan will receive the medal Sept. 15 at a that starts at 6 p.m. in the ballroom of the Seelbach Hilton Hotel, 500 S. Fourth St. The cost is $100 per person. Registration is available until Sept. 12 and .

Kagan is the sixth Supreme Court justice to receive the Brandeis Medal since its inception in 1982. Others have included Justice Harry Blackmun (1983), Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (1992), Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2003), Justice Stephen Breyer (2004), and Justice John Paul Stevens (2013).Ìę

The Brandeis Medal was established to recognizeÌęindividuals whose lives reflect Justice Brandeis’ commitment to the ideals of individual liberty, concern for the disadvantaged, and public service. The medal is cast in the likeness of Justice Brandeis as a reminder of his contributions and dedication to the law.Ìę