Lewis & Clark Law School
Encyclopedia
Lewis and Clark Law School (L&C) is a private American law school located in Portland, Oregon
. In the last ten years, L&C's Environmental Law
program has been the highest-rated in the United States eight times.
L&C offers the Juris Doctor
(J.D.) degree, with optional certificate programs in the following areas: Business Law, Criminal Law
, Intellectual Property
Law, Environmental and Natural Resources Law, Public Interest Law, Global Law, and Tax Law
. The master of laws
(L.L.M.) degree is offered in Environmental Law. Located on the Southern end of Portland in the hills west of the Willamette River
, Lewis & Clark Law School is associated with Lewis & Clark College
, and reflects the progressive values of both Portland and the college.
Lewis & Clark Law thrives on several unique and well-affiliated departmental programs. As of 2011, the law school as a whole is ranked 67th in the United States in US News and World Report's ratings, and its Environmental Law Program is ranked second nationwide. In addition to the usual coursework, each law program has affiliated interest groups and societies, as well as possible mentoring programs.
(e-law) program is a high-profile academic program. Unofficially, the courses offered derive into two general areas: pollution control and natural resources management. Pollution-control courses tend to focus on regulation of industrial waste products. Natural-resource-management courses tend to involve restrictions on use of land and water to prevent ecological damage. Practical experience in the field of environmental law is developed through a variety of clinics, skills courses, and organizations present on campus. Many of these groups focus on the Pacific Northwest, although any related environmental work of student interest is encouraged.
, the Indian Law
program at L&C has received a boost in attention. In addition to the coursework taught during the fall and spring semesters, L&C has an Indian Law Summer Program, in which legal scholars come to teach at Lewis & Clark. During the fall and spring hiring process, representatives of Indian interest groups and Indian courts have appeared at L&C.
, Tektronix
and other technology firms both local and international. The city's music and arts scene also provides opportunities in copyright
and trademark law. In addition, several local law firms are involved with intellectual property.
In addition, the law school is host to the Public Interest Law Project (PILP). PILP is a funding organization for pro bono
legal work done by students and graduating students. Each year PILP holds a charity auction and a funding application process in order to provide pay for summer work and loan repayment. In summer 2006, 18 students were provided with a summer stipend for legal work.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. In the last ten years, L&C's Environmental Law
Environmental law
Environmental law is a complex and interlocking body of treaties, conventions, statutes, regulations, and common law that operates to regulate the interaction of humanity and the natural environment, toward the purpose of reducing the impacts of human activity...
program has been the highest-rated in the United States eight times.
L&C offers the Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.) degree, with optional certificate programs in the following areas: Business Law, Criminal Law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
, Intellectual Property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
Law, Environmental and Natural Resources Law, Public Interest Law, Global Law, and Tax Law
Tax law
Tax law is the codified system of laws that describes government levies on economic transactions, commonly called taxes.-Major issues:Primary taxation issues facing the governments world over include;* taxes on income and wealth...
. The master of laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
(L.L.M.) degree is offered in Environmental Law. Located on the Southern end of Portland in the hills west of the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
, Lewis & Clark Law School is associated with Lewis & Clark College
Lewis & Clark College
Lewis & Clark College is a private institution of higher learning located in Portland, Oregon. Made up of an undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences, a School of Law, and a Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Lewis & Clark is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges with athletic...
, and reflects the progressive values of both Portland and the college.
Academic programs
Environmental law program
The Environmental LawEnvironmental law
Environmental law is a complex and interlocking body of treaties, conventions, statutes, regulations, and common law that operates to regulate the interaction of humanity and the natural environment, toward the purpose of reducing the impacts of human activity...
(e-law) program is a high-profile academic program. Unofficially, the courses offered derive into two general areas: pollution control and natural resources management. Pollution-control courses tend to focus on regulation of industrial waste products. Natural-resource-management courses tend to involve restrictions on use of land and water to prevent ecological damage. Practical experience in the field of environmental law is developed through a variety of clinics, skills courses, and organizations present on campus. Many of these groups focus on the Pacific Northwest, although any related environmental work of student interest is encouraged.
PEAC / NEDC
The Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center (PEAC) and the Northwest Environmental Defense Center (NEDC) are among two organizations hosted at L&C, where students apply practical environmental-law skills. Both these groups regularly file motions and negotiate with government, industry, community groups, and other NGO's.Indian (Native American) law
With the recent inclusion of Indian Law on the Oregon State BarOregon State Bar
The Oregon State Bar is a government agency in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1890 as the private Oregon Bar Association, it became a public entity in 1935 that regulates the legal profession. The public corporation is part of the Oregon Judicial Department...
, the Indian Law
Indian law
Law of India refers to the system of law in modern India. It is largely based on English common law because of the long period of British colonial influence during the period of the British Raj. Much of contemporary Indian law shows substantial European and American influence. Various legislation...
program at L&C has received a boost in attention. In addition to the coursework taught during the fall and spring semesters, L&C has an Indian Law Summer Program, in which legal scholars come to teach at Lewis & Clark. During the fall and spring hiring process, representatives of Indian interest groups and Indian courts have appeared at L&C.
Intellectual property
The Boley Law Library at Lewis & Clark contains a United States Patent and Trademark Depository, which aids its intellectual law program. Additionally, the school benefits from being the only law school in Portland, the largest city in Oregon, with its metro area home to several Intel campuses, NikeNike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Tektronix
Tektronix
Tektronix, Inc. is an American company best known for its test and measurement equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and video and mobile test protocol equipment. In November 2007, Tektronix became a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation....
and other technology firms both local and international. The city's music and arts scene also provides opportunities in copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
and trademark law. In addition, several local law firms are involved with intellectual property.
Law reviews
Three law reviews exist at L&C, as well as at least one legal newsletter. Each of the law reviews is edited and reviewed by law student staff. The newsletter follows a similar method of review. Publications include:- Animal Law ReviewAnimal Law ReviewAnimal Law Review is a law review covering animal law published by students at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. Publishing its first volume in 1994, it was the first law review to focus on animal law issues and is the best known journal in its field. It has featured articles by noted...
(est. 1992) - The first law review devoted to legal issues involving animals - Environmental LawEnvironmental Law (law review)Environmental Law is a law review focused on environmental and natural resources law published by students at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1969, it is the nation's oldest law review covering natural resources and environmental law...
(est. 1969) - The first law review devoted to environmental law issues - Lewis & Clark Law Review (est. 1996) - A general law review, formerly the Journal of Small and Emerging Business Law
- Newsletters
- Oregon Intellectual Property Network (est. 1999)
History
Lewis & Clark Law School has its roots in the state school of law that was created in 1884. In 1915, the Oregon legislature formally moved the state's law school from Portland to Eugene, but the law faculty resisted the move and reformed the school as the Northwestern College of Law. In 1965, the college associated with the largest private institution in Portland, Lewis & Clark College, to form Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College. In 1967 a new campus was built beside Lewis & Clark College and Tryon Creek State Park. The school expanded in 2001 with the renovation of the Boley Library and construction of the Gantenbein Building. In 2002 the school expanded into a 5th building, Wood Hall. Lewis & Clark Law School currently possesses one of the largest law libraries on the West Coast.Community involvement
L&C's devotion to community involvement is exhibited through several campus organizations, two public interest/pro bono/community service coordinators, and frequent invitations to bring speakers from local community groups. The law school encourages student work by providing additional honors on the transcripts of students who document 30 or more hours of pro bono legal work, or 30 or more hours of community-service work during the course of the school year.In addition, the law school is host to the Public Interest Law Project (PILP). PILP is a funding organization for pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
legal work done by students and graduating students. Each year PILP holds a charity auction and a funding application process in order to provide pay for summer work and loan repayment. In summer 2006, 18 students were provided with a summer stipend for legal work.