Seventeen Dean’s Fellows to mentor first-year students for 2024-2025

LAWRENCE – Seventeen students from the University of Kansas School of Law have been chosen to be Dean’s Fellows for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The Dean’s Fellows are a group of second and third-year law students selected to mentor first-year peers. Dean’s Fellows offer academic support and guidance, serving as resources for students navigating the transition to law school. Dean’s Fellows are selected through an application and interview process that considers their academic performance, rapport with classmates, and campus and community involvement.

“I am excited to work with such an incredible group of Dean’s Fellows this year! These leaders are committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for 1Ls in Green Hall. Although the Dean’s Fellows are engaged in several activities and student groups at the law school, they always make time to answer questions and regularly check in on their sections,” said Leah Stein, co-head Dean’s Fellow.

"One thing we’ve tried to prioritize this year is building relationships early. 1L can be challenging, so we have encouraged students to build a support network by getting to know their Dean’s Fellows and fellow section members. The Dean’s Fellows have done a great job planning events for the section within the first few weeks of the semester,” said Ethan Richardson, co-head Dean’s Fellow.

The 2024-2025 Dean’s Fellows are listed below.

Lane Barrette is a second-year law student from Basehor. He attended KU where he received a bachelor’s in political science and theater performance. In addition to Dean’s Fellows, Barrette is a staff editor for the Kansas Law Review, competes in Moot Court through the Shook, Hardy & Bacon Center for Excellence in Advocacy and is a member of OUTLaws & Accomplices.

Liam Bigbee is a third-year law student from Seattle, Washington. He attended Texas Christian University where he studied business management and Spanish. During his time at Green Hall, he’s most enjoyed participating in the 1L oral arguments, Bluebook Relays, traffic court, intramurals, transactional law competition and finding a strong community.

Neelie Browne is a third-year law student from Olathe. She received her bachelor’s in Spanish and psychology from KU. In addition to Dean's Fellows, she is the founder of Balance and Well-Being, a member of the Public Interest Law Society, Women in Law and OUTlaws & Accomplices.

Chrissy Crowell is a third-year law student from Lake Saint Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Rockhurst University with a degree in political science and criminal justice. At KU Law, Crowell is a member of Balance and Well-Being, Women in Law, OUTlaws & Accomplices and Public Interest Law Society. During her time at Green Hall, she has interned with the Missouri Public Defenders in their Appellate/Post Convictions Relief division in Kansas City and currently works at the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office as a legal intern.

Keegun Gose is a second-year law student from Abilene. He is a proud Jayhawk, having completed his bachelor’s degree in history at KU in 2020. Since graduating, Gose has worked in Colorado and at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. During his first year at KU Law, he served as the Student Bar Association (SBA) 1L class representative. He currently serves as the SBA executive vice president. During his 1L summer, Gose worked as a legal intern at the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender Office.

Noell Hinsley is a second-year law student from Omaha, Nebraska. She attended Grand Canyon University of Phoenix, where she studied government and participated on the GCU dance team. Hinsley moved to Kansas not only to attend KU Law but to continue her passion for dance as a cheerleader for the Kansas City Chiefs. She is also a member of Women in Law at KU.

Sydney Hoffman is a third-year law student from Overland Park. She graduated from KU with a bachelor’s in political science and a minor in business. Hoffman is a member of the LEAD: Legal Education Accelerated Degree Program, a returning Lawyering Skills TA, the vice president of the Business and Tax Law Society and has competed at the UCLA Transactional Law Competition. Hoffman has worked as a compliance assistant at OneDigital Retirement + Wealth and a summer associate at Husch Blackwell.

Hailey Hower is a second-year law student from Council Grove.  She attended Kansas State University where she studied business management and minored in leadership studies. In addition to being a Dean's Fellow, she is a member of Women in Law and the Federal Bar Association. Hower spent the summer after her 1L year working at Pottroff & Karlin in Manhattan.

Skylee James is a third-year law student from San Diego, California. She attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she played D1 softball and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology. Before joining KU Law, James worked in immigration law. In addition to Dean’s Fellows, she is an active member of the Moot Court Council and OUTLaws & Accomplices.

Michael O’Keefe is a second-year law student from St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s in biological sciences. In addition to Dean’s Fellows, O’Keefe is a staff editor for the Kansas Law Review and a member of the Sports Law Society and the Business and Tax Law Society.

Ethan Richardson is a third-year law student from Leavenworth. He returned to his alma mater to study law after he received a bachelor’s in marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship.  While at Green Hall, Richardson has been involved in the Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies. He has also worked in his hometown at the Leavenworth County Attorney’s Office.

Paulina Rivera-Soto is a second-year law student from Logan, Utah. She graduated with a bachelor’s in political science and a minor in Latin American studies from Utah State University. Rivera-Soto is the president of the Hispanic American Law Students Association (HALSA) and a member of Women in Law. She spent her 1L summer interning for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Jack Roberts is a third-year law student from Kansas City, Missouri. He attended the University of Arkansas where he received a bachelor’s in accounting and finance. Roberts is an articles editor for the Kansas Law Review and is involved in the Balance and Well-Being club.

Yuvia Serna is a third-year law student from the Chicago suburbs. She studied at the University of Kansas where she received a bachelor’s in political science and Spanish with a minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Using her passion for immigration law, Serna has interned at the National Immigrant Justice Center, under the Immigrant Legal Defense Project, and currently works at Hoppock Law Firm in Shawnee. At KU Law, she is a member of the Mock Trial Council and involved in the Hispanic American Law Student Association (HALSA) and Balance and Well-Being.

Leah Stein is a third-year law student from Dodge City. Before joining the law school, Stein received her bachelor’s in sociology at KU. Along with Dean’s Fellows, she is the symposium editor for the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy and a member of the Moot Court Council, Women in Law and the Federal Bar Association.

Rachel Vande Kieft is a third-year law student from Rochester, Minnesota. Prior to joining KU Law, she received her bachelor’s in political science from Wichita State University. Vande Kieft is not only a Dean’s Fellow but also an articles editor for the Kansas Law Review, a member of Women in Law and a tutor for 1L students. Her professional experience includes working as a summer associate with Martin Pringle in Wichita and at Polsinelli in Kansas City.

 Cody White is a second-year law student from Troup, Texas. Before joining KU Law, he received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Texas at Tyler and served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 16 years. White is an officer in both the Native American Law Students Association and the Military and Veterans Law Society at KU Law.