Environmental Law Program Receives Top Ranking

Lewis & Clark ties for first place in U.S. News & World Report’s 2014 rankings.

Lewis & Clark Law School’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program tied for first place in U.S. News & World Report’s 2014 annual rankings. The rankings were produced through a survey of faculty from across the country teaching in the environmental law field.

March 2014

“We’re thrilled to receive this honor once again,” said Dean Robert Klonoff. “Our faculty and students offer the very best to the public and private sectors, as well as the judiciary, in the way of innovative environmental policies and programs to address one of the most critical and pressing issues of our time.”

Above back row, from left: Lucy Brehm, Tom Buchele, Susan Mandiberg, Aubrey Baldwin. Middle row: Linda D'Agostino-Long, Michael Blumm, Karen Smith Geon. Front row: Nicholas Fromherz, Janice Weis, Bill Funk, Melissa Powers, Craig Johnston, Chris Wold, Dan Rohlf, Erica Lyman. Not pictured: Kevin Cassidy, Natasha Dolezal, Henry Drummonds, Pamela Frasch, Kathy Hessler, Lindsay Kadish, Allison LaPlante, Erin Ryan. Above back row, from left: Lucy Brehm, Tom Buchele, Susan Mandiberg, Aubrey Baldwin. Middle row: Linda D'Agostino-Long, Michael Blumm, Karen Smith Geon. Front row: Nicholas Fromherz, Janice Weis, Bill Funk, Melissa Powers, Craig Johnston, Chris Wold, Dan Rohlf, Erica Lyman. Not pictured: Kevin Cassidy, Natasha Dolezal, Henry Drummonds, Pamela Frasch, Kathy Hessler, Lindsay Kadish, Allison LaPlante, Erin Ryan.

The Environmental Law Program has consistently ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the U.S. News rankings for more than 15 years. The program offers JD, LLM, and Master of Studies (for nonlawyers) degrees, and provides students one of the widest range of subject areas available in the field, as well as unique clinical and internship experiences. Students work on influential legal cases, draft public policies, and present written and oral arguments through two on-campus clinical programs—Earthrise Law Clinic and the International Environmental Law Project (IELP)—and the Environmental Moot Court Program.

Lewis & Clark Law School has served as a leader in the field of environmental law since it founded the program in 1970 as the first of its kind in the country. It is also home to the first law journal dedicated to environmental issues, Environmental Law.

“We are always proud to be recognized by U.S. News as a leading environmental law program,” said Janice Weis, associate dean and director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program. “We are also proud to deliver a truly comprehensive program that is dedicated to teaching our students all sides of environmental and natural resources law. This means our graduates are best prepared to succeed in the courtroom and in advising clients.”

In addition to the first-place finish in the environmental law field, the law school jumped eight places to No. 72, and the part-time law program ranked No. 7 in the 2014 edition of America’s Best Graduate Schools.