Briana Murphy, a member of the Class of 2025 at The University of Alabama School of Law, shares how her involvement with the Alabama Law Public Interest Institute has allowed her to make significant contributions to her community. A violinist who graduated with a Master of Music degree from Belmont University, Briana spent several years as a touring musician, opening for the likes of Chris Stapleton and Tanya Tucker. She was also an actress who appeared on the ABC hit drama “Nashville.”
During the pandemic, Briana’s friend Zoe unexpectedly passed away from COVID-19. This tragedy inspired Briana to seek more substantial ways to make a difference in the world. Motivated by the positive effects Zoe — a schoolteacher—had on her students, Briana decided to attend law school so she could have the skillset necessary to spark change in her own way.
Ultimately, Briana chose to attend Alabama Law over other notable institutions because of the strength of its Public Interest Institute. For the past 25 years, the Institute has fostered generations of advocates like Briana who are seeking to enact positive change through service to their communities. It connects Alabama Law students with pro bono service opportunities and offers funding for students who are working in unpaid summer internships at public interest organizations.
Briana got involved with the Public Interest Institute early in her 1L year by participating in the annual community service activity organized by the Public Interest Institute during orientation. The Institute continued to impact her law school experience by facilitating funding opportunities for her summer internships—providing valuable opportunities to build her expertise and experience while still in school. During the summer following her 1L year, Briana served in the Crimes Against Children Unit at the Nashville District Attorney’s Office, and during her second summer, Briana was named a Justice John Paul Stevens Fellow, which allowed her to work at the Tennessee Justice Center. In that position, she worked under several licensed attorneys to win an appeal before an administrative law judge on behalf of a client with disabilities—a significant achievement for any law student.
Briana is graduating with her JD this spring and will receive the Order of the Samaritan Award—the highest public interest honor bestowed by Alabama Law—and the Public Interest Law Certificate. She will continue to use the skills and perspectives she gained in law school as a clerk for Judge Hope T. Cannon of the Northern District of Florida. Ultimately, she has plans to engage in efforts to eliminate maternal healthcare deserts in the Southeast U.S.
The Public Interest Institute plays a major role in the overall experiential learning opportunities afforded to students at Alabama Law. Between extensive pro bono service, externships, and the Law School’s seven legal clinics, Alabama Law students provide 50,000+ hours of service each year to communities across Alabama and throughout the Southeast.
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Public Interest Institute at Alabama Law is raising funds for its summer grant program. This program provides funding for students who are working in unpaid summer internships at public interest organizations, making it possible for students like Briana to engage in these impactful public interest internships that make a difference in our state and nation. Donate to the Alabama Law Public Interest Summer Grant Program today.