When asked their reasons for entering an intellectual field like legal studies, it is not uncommon for people to give reasons akin to having the ability to do research in the field or to share one's knowledge of the law. They may teach because they prefer the slow pace of academic life or because they usually get summers off.But Daniel Breen, a lecturer for the Legal Studies program, has his own unique reasons for entering the field. When asked why he went into law, Breen attributes it mostly to lineage.

"My father had been a lawyer and it always seemed to me to be a good, interesting career," Breen said.

"I was one of the few people who would stay late at night at the law library to read articles on subjects I was interested in," Breen recalled of his early days studying law.

"[Law] always attracted me as an intellectual discipline."

But something else served as a significant influence on Breen: While his career in law began as a result of his lineage and intellectual attraction, it has been his real-life experiences witnessing and hearing first-hand accounts of injustice that have made him so passionate about law and have furthered his career.

One of Breen's first experiences studying law in a more hands-on way came when he decided to study abroad while he was attending the University of Wisconsin in the 1980s. Breen chose to study abroad in Kathmandu, Nepal because it allowed him to see what happens when corruption disrupts the law. According to Breen, corruption was rampant, and the law was like a friendly parent in Nepal-present, but not in control of the situation. Breen's time in Nepal allowed him to see "firsthand how damaging it could be if a society lacks the rule of law. There was a great deal of corruption, which led to a sense of despair," he said.

"My project there was interviewing members of the government. [I] heard from them tales of dishonesty happening in the country while I was there."

Following his time in Nepal, practical experience became a crucial aspect of law for Breen.

"I always felt my practical experience as a lawyer was really valuable, because you really get a sense for the complexity of legal doctrine and [how] to evaluate it according to how you see that doctrine affect people around you in practice."

Nepal, therefore, served as a mere start for Breen's career. He went on to work as a clerk for a United States district judge in Georgia and then worked for a law firm in Atlanta until the recession of 1992. When there was little work during the recession, Breen decided to switch his course and pursue graduate work.

In 1998, Breen answered an advertisement and landed a job here at Brandeis, teaching under Prof. Richard Gaskins (AMST) and working as a Guberman Teaching Fellow in the "Introduction to Law" course.

As more opportunities presented themselves to Breen, he started to co-teach and eventually began teaching his own classes, mostly in legal studies and philosophy.

Since Breen's time at Brandeis, he has started teaching "Science on Trial," one of his most well-known courses. The course, according to Breen, allows him to talk about not only law on a philosophical level, but in regard to science as well.

The course "asks how the very distinct discourses of science and law affect each other and help to make public policy," he explained.

For Breen, the unique classes he teaches, including "Civil Liberties in America" this semester, allow him to utilize his dynamic teaching style which is often talked about and has the ability to excite any class.

Breen is often noted for his constant movement around the classroom and his engaging actions as he lectures. When he's not moving, Breen keeps a captivated audience with his ability to remain fixed in interesting positions during class, a skill he says his acquired during his time living in Nepal.

"While there, we would often go to different villages around the city. And the way they would sit, tell stories and commune with each other was in a squatting position that helped me develop strong ankles. It's all in the ankles," Breen joked.

Breen also emphasizes his students when discussing his success and love for teaching. "Brandeis students are quite challenging, so I do prepare as much as I can, because you guys know a lot."

While Breen is loved for his engaging teaching style, he adds that his speaking skills have developed over time.

"When I was younger, I was petrified of speaking in public. I didn't speak up in class in college or law school. I dreaded the first history class I taught because I did not like to get up in front of people and talk," he said.

"When I began to [teach], I began to learn how enjoyable it was to talk about things I cared about," Breen said.

"To me, it was so much fun that ultimately I put aside most of my fears.