Brandie Burris is a second-year student at the University of Minnesota Law School. She was recently elected editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Law Review. Burris is the first Black student to hold that position in the publication’s 104-year history.
“I am honored and pleased that my peers thought that I am the right leader for the role,” says Burris, who is also a first-generation law student. “I recognize that while I bring a wealth of experience and vision to the role, there have been so many outstanding Black law students who came long before me. A lot of people, a lot of my peers, were surprised to learn that my election was a historic first for Minnesota Law, but we’re thrilled this landmark moment has happened. I think that, if anything, this says a lot about the group of editors whom I’m working with collectively. It’s not just my legacy, but it’s Volume 106’s shared legacy together, and I hope that my tenure as the first African-American editor-in-chief at the Minnesota Law Review is followed by many more leaders from diverse backgrounds.”
Burris is a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she majored in public policy analysis. Before enrolling in law school Burris was managing director of policy for Educators 4 Excellence, a New York City-based organization dedicated to ensuring that teachers have a leading voice in the policies that impact their students and profession. She then spent three years as policy director of EdAllies, a Minneapolis-based organization that partners with schools, families, and communities to ensure that every child has access to a rigorous and engaging education.
