Who we are and what we do
The Marshall-Brennan Project at the Boyd School of Law trains law students (Marshall-Brennan Fellows) to teach constitutional law to Las Vegas public high school students from culturally diverse, historically marginalized communities. We partner with the LVNBA and local schools to spread constitutional and civic literacy.
Through the program, high school student Scholars learn about the structure of government, read actual Supreme Court cases about public schools, apply cases to novel facts, and develop strong oral advocacy skills. Champions of classroom moot court rounds advance to the Regional Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition held every November at Boyd. Guided by Marshall-Brennan Fellows, finalists from the regional competition go on to face Scholars from across the nation at the National Marshall-Brennan High School Moot Court Competition each spring.
For talented Scholars, Marshall-Brennan unlocks new opportunities and equips them to step into civic life.
For Boyd Law students, it offers hands-on experience as instructional leaders of constitutional law to a lay audience.
Since the Boyd Law chapter launched in 2026, law students have delivered constitutional literacy instruction to dozens of high school students in Clark County.
Inquiries should be directed to Project Director and Professor of Law Maryam Ahranjani.
Why It Matters
- It opens doors for young people from communities historically underrepresented in higher education, helping them build a stronger understanding of how the legal system works, strengthen their critical thinking, and discover career paths they may not have considered.
- It pushes law students to refine essential lawyering skills — like breaking down dense legal concepts into clear, accessible language for everyday audiences.
- It advances the law school's broader mission of preparing lawyers who are committed to serving their communities.
Maryam Ahranjani
Professor of Law and Director of the Marshall-Brennan Program at Boyd Law
maryam.ahranjani@unlv.edu
Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project
The Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project is a premier law-related education initiative designed to strengthen constitutional and civic literacy. Launched at American University Washington College of Law in Washington, DC in 1999, the Project has spread to law schools and communities across the country.