The Brandeis Center works to combat anti-Semitism on college and university campuses across the nation, through, research, public outreach, legal advocacy, and most recently, our law student chapters. LDB President Kenneth L. Marcus and LDB attorney Aviva Vogelstein (center) with LDB law student chapter leaders at Northeastern following a discussion with Marcus on “Fighting the New Campus Anti-Semitism.” In a major new initiative launched last year, LDB is working to create an ever-growing nationwide network of inaugural chapters for students at select law schools throughout the United States. LDB currently has chapters at law schools all across the country, in cities including Atlanta, Boston, Charlottesville, Chicago, Ithaca, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, and St. Paul, and plans to expand even further. Fostering a new generation of leaders who share LDB’s mission, LDB chapters fill an important gap in American legal education, offer legal and educational opportunities that members seek, and provide a resource to other members of the university community. In turn, the chapters support LDB’s work to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism on college and university campuses. Brandeis Center law students assist Brandeis Center attorneys in monitoring colleges and universities around the United States to ensure compliance with federal and state civil rights laws that protect Jewish students from discrimination, harassment, and hostile environments. Since LDB is an equal opportunity organization, we welcome students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender or disability. LDB law student chapter members enjoy a range of programs and activities that enhance their law school experience and prepare them for successful careers. In meetings with students and professors nationwide, it has become clear that many law students are eager to combine their legal training with their interest in Jewish civil rights issues, including fighting the contemporary resurgence of global and campus anti-Semitism. LDB law student chapters will provide the means to make this happen. LDB law student leaders at UVA pose after an LDB event featuring “Our Soldiers Speak.” Some students are interested in educational programming, while others want to develop their research and advocacy skills. Some undergraduate students feel embattled by political controversies at their institutions, such as movements to boycott the State of Israel, and would like support from law students trained in applicable legal areas. Few law schools offer meaningful activities for students who share our mission. To be sure, some schools have active Jewish law students’ associations that provide important social, cultural and perhaps religious activities, but they seldom provide much substantive legal programming. LDB provides law students with all of these opportunities that are otherwise lacking in one’s legal education. With our help and through student leadership, LDB student chapters host speaker events, lead discussions, and host advocacy-oriented training sessions. Speakers may address such topics as: Jewish civil rights advocacy; campus anti-Semitism; international human rights law; Israel legal advocacy; and counter-terrorism legal policy. Working with the national office and associated lawyers, chapters will provide or facilitate training on relevant legal topics. Then, as issues arise, we support those chapters interested in engaging directly in legal and policy issues that arise, especially in their respective regions. LDB held a special event at the UN with Prof. Frances Raday, the first and only Israeli member of the UN Human Rights Council, and Chairperson-Rapporteur of the UNHRC’s Working Group on the Discrimination against Women in Law and Practice. This event coincided with the UN’s General Assembly informal plenary to discuss the rise in anti-Semitic violence worldwide. We invite leaders of successful law student chapters to attend our annual National Law Student Leadership Conference. LDB students, conference speakers, and LDB attorneys pose at the end of a very successful 2-day National Conference. This past December 2015, the LDB second annual National Conference was held in Washington, D.C. and provided not only intensive education and training, but also valuable networking opportunities, as well as discussions about career options. LDB law student leaders from University of St. Thomas pose with National Conference speakers: Cornell Law Professor and Author of the blog, Legal Insurrection, William Jacobson; President of the American Association of Jewish Lawyers & Jurists (AAJLJ) and Partner at Lewin & Lewin, Alyza Lewin; and Bar Ilan and University of San Diego Law Professor Abraham Bell. Involvement in LDB Law Student Chapters can also lead to professional opportunities. We provide our chapters with information on LDB legal clerkships, civil rights legal fellowships, and other opportunities. We envision these chapters as a source of education, training, engagement, and advocacy. Legal advocacy is a vital part of the Brandeis Center’s campaign to effect positive change on university campuses; it not only works to create a safe environment for Jewish and pro-Israel students, but also allows undergraduate and law student activists to engage in our activities and learn more about what they can do to help. The Brandeis Center provides a range of “best practice” materials for law students who want to learn more about fighting campus anti-Semitism, including issues relating to non-discrimination policies, the First Amendment, academic freedom, communications, and orientation and training. If you are interested in helping to organize an LDB law student chapter at your school, please contact LDB attorney Aviva Vogelstein at avogelst@brandeiscenter.com. The Brandeis Center is an independent, non-profit civil rights organization that combats campus anti-Semitism. For more information on Brandeis Center activity, visit our website, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, read our Blog, and sign-up for our monthly publication, the Brandeis Brief! The Brandeis Center is a tax-exempt institution under section 501(c)(3) of the United States tax code and receives contributions from individuals and foundations so that it can provide its services free of charge.