Lewis & Clark Law School

Lewis & Clark Law School
Name	Lewis & Clark Law School
Established	1915
Type	Private
City	Portland
State	Oregon
Country	United States
Campus	Suburban

Lewis & Clark Law School is a private law school located in Portland, Oregon, affiliated with a liberal arts college. Founded in 1915, it offers Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and joint-degree programs with a focus on public interest, environmental law, and clinical training. The school is known for experiential learning, advocacy competitions, and centers that connect students with regional and national legal practice.

History

The institution traces origins to initiatives linked with Portland, Oregon, early 20th-century legal education developments, and associations with organizations in the Pacific Northwest such as Multnomah County, Oregon Supreme Court, University of Oregon School of Law, and regional bar associations. During the 1920s–1960s, leaders interacted with figures connected to Oregon State Legislature, U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, Franklin D. Roosevelt-era legal reformers, and practitioners from firms involved in cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In subsequent decades, partnerships formed with institutions including Lewis and Clark College, American Bar Association, Association of American Law Schools, and national specialty programs like those at Harvard Law School and Yale Law School. The school's evolution saw curricular shifts parallel to trends influenced by rulings from the United States Supreme Court, landmark statutes such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, environmental policy catalyzed by the National Environmental Policy Act, and litigation tracing to precedents in the Supreme Court of the United States.

Campus and Facilities

The campus sits near notable Portland landmarks including Forest Park, Hoyt Arboretum, and the Willamette River corridor, with access to cultural institutions like the Portland Art Museum, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, and the Portland Japanese Garden. Facilities house moot courtrooms used for competitions related to entities such as the American Bar Association Section of Litigation, the National Moot Court Competition, and regional rounds tied to the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition. Library resources support scholarship in areas linked to collections used by researchers referencing repositories like the Library of Congress, the Oregon Historical Society, and university consortia including the Pac-12 Conference libraries. Administrative and student spaces engage with local legal communities including the Multnomah County Courthouse, Oregon Court of Appeals, and numerous law firms.

Academics

The curriculum offers courses and clinics that prepare students for practice in forums such as the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and tribal courts associated with Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. Programs include instruction on topics tied to precedential bodies like the Supreme Court of the United States, statutory regimes exemplified by the Endangered Species Act, and regulatory frameworks shaped by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Trade Commission. Faculty scholarship interacts with journals and publishers linked to institutions such as the Harvard Law Review, the Yale Law Journal, the Columbia Law Review, and specialized outlets focused on public interest, environmental law, and international human rights connected to organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Admissions and Rankings

Admissions processes consider applicants' credentials comparable to peers at schools affiliated with organizations such as the American Bar Association, the Law School Admission Council, and national ranking entities that reference methodologies used by publications like U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and specialty lists produced by outlets including Bloomberg Law and The National Jurist. Outcomes include bar passage and employment statistics that place graduates before courts such as the Oregon Supreme Court, federal district courts, and administrative tribunals overseen by agencies like the Social Security Administration.

Clinical Programs and Centers

Clinical offerings connect students with practice settings involving the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, municipal agencies like the City of Portland, and tribal governments including the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Centers and institutes collaborate on projects related to the Endangered Species Act, land-use matters tied to the Bureau of Land Management, and conservation work paralleling initiatives by organizations such as the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy, and the Audubon Society. Clinics also place students in public-defense and civil-rights matters adjacent to case patterns seen in litigation before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and advocacy forums connected to American Civil Liberties Union chapters.

Student Life and Organizations

Student organizations reflect interests in fields represented by external groups like the American Bar Association, the National Lawyers Guild, the Federal Bar Association, and advocacy networks including Natural Resources Defense Council and Human Rights Watch. Competitive teams participate in national and regional events such as the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, and specialized contests sponsored by entities like the Environmental Law Institute. Campus culture engages with Portland institutions such as the Portland State University, Reed College, and local arts venues, and student government interacts with professional groups including the Oregon State Bar.

Notable Faculty and Alumni

Faculty and alumni have been associated with courts and institutions such as the Supreme Court of the United States, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court, the U.S. Department of Justice, and agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency. Graduates have served in roles at the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, state executive offices like the Governor of Oregon, municipal offices in Portland, Oregon, and leadership positions in non-governmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy. Legal scholars from the school have published in venues including the Harvard Law Review, the Yale Law Journal, and the Columbia Law Review, and have participated in national commissions and panels convened by organizations like the American Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools.

Category:Law schools in Oregon