By Dalila Bevab
Louisville natives and identical twins Jordan and McKenley Butler have been inseparable their entire lives and will continue their shared academic journey from Bellarmine to the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law in Fall 2022.
Jordan, a senior political science and psychology major, and McKenley, a senior political science and psychology major and African and African American diaspora studies minor, have known they wanted to be lawyers since they were children.
Jordan said having her own lawyer to represent her and her sister in custody battles and legal conflicts between their parents made her realize how important it is for people to have someone trustworthy and caring represent them and advocate for their rights.
She said at a young age she saw how impactful lawyers can be because her lawyer made big decisions for her that had both positive and negative impacts on her life.
“There were times when my family was torn apart by decisions made high up in the system, so it showed me how important it is to see people and clients on a more human level,” Jordan said.
McKenley said she knew law school was an avenue for enacting change.
She said, “Law lies at the root of so many social justice issues, so better understanding how these systems work and how they need to change is what fuels me.”
Jordan said Brandeis was the twins’ first choice school because she and McKenley are passionate about Louisville and the work that needs to be done in the city.
“We feel we have a lot to offer the place that has offered so much to us,” Jordan said.
Jordan said she originally wanted to pursue a career in family law because of her own experiences with it but she is also interested in criminal law. McKenley is interested in criminal law and civil rights law.
Jordan said alumna Kelze’ Riley played an important role in her legal aspirations.
Riley, a first-year law student at the University of Cincinnati, said she knew Jordan and McKenley were going to be successful when she met them their first year at Bellarmine.
Riley said she has tried to keep in touch with them often because she knew they, too, wanted to attend law school.
Jordan said she met Riley in an environmental science class her first year and knew Riley was someone she could look up to because of her ambition, authentic energy and desire to work in law.
As a biracial woman, Jordan said she was inspired by Riley on another level. She said Riley showed her that it was possible for women of color to accomplish big goals.
She said: “Seeing Kelze get into law school put everything into perspective for me and gave me the motivation I needed to get through this crazy application process.
“But she offered me more than inspiration — she was there every step of the way, asking me for updates, checking on me, reassuring me when I doubted myself and this process, and even sending me money for my application fees.”
McKenley said seeing Riley’s achievements inspired her to continue working toward her dreams.
Riley said she and Jordan would talk over Instagram about things pertaining to professors, classes and law school.
“Truthfully, the law school application process is just so arduous, and it’s extremely hard and expensive,” Riley said.
“The field has historically been inaccessible to POC (people of color), especially first-generation students, and I find it only right that I pass my knowledge onto others to help them gain access to the space also.”
When Jordan and McKenley received their acceptance letter, Jordan texted Riley the news.
“When Jordan texted me, I literally screamed and cried,” Riley said. “The process is so scary, and I’m just so happy for them and I’m so, so excited to see their future successes. They deserve it.”
Dr. Lee Remington, a professor in the political science department, said Jordan and McKenley are both fantastic students who took the initiative to request more courses at Bellarmine applicable to students of color.
She said she thought that was proactive and courageous for the sisters to do at an undergraduate level.
When the time came for the sisters to apply to law school, Remington said she gave the sisters advice on applying to Brandeis, her law school alma mater.
“UofL's law school was one of the first in the country to implement mandatory public service hour obligations upon all law students, which I knew would be important to them,” she said.
Remington also said: “I know that Jordan and McKenley will not only succeed in law school but will be fantastic attorneys.
“It gives me comfort knowing that they will be out there some day advocating for others who need their voice to be heard. I wish them the very best in that endeavor and in all that they do.”
Jordan and McKenley both participate on Hoffman’s constitutional studies panel, where they meet with constitutional scholars and peers and discuss issues pertaining to the Constitution.
Meeting new people, learning about the Constitution and how it affects people’s daily lives, and studying the structures that govern residents is Jordan’s favorite part about the panel, she said.
McKenley said the panel allowed her the opportunity to step outside of her comfort zone in ways she normally wouldn’t.
McKenley said: “Our experience at Bellarmine shaped us into becoming future lawyers because it really showed us what we are capable of. It has challenged us in ways that have allowed us to develop the confidence we need to tackle law school and what comes after."
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