100 Years of Achievements
The law school’s beginnings may have been modest, but that unpretentious start has given rise to multitude of successes. From the day it took in its first class to the 2015 ascendancy of Kate Brown ’85 to the governorship of Oregon, the school and its alumni have accomplished much that’s worth celebrating.
For example:
6000
1996
The Pacific Environmental Advocacy Clinic (which became Earthrise Law Center in 2012) began representing clients.
1969
Mercedes Deiz ’59 became Oregon’s first African American female judge.
2012
The law school began offering the Animal Law LLM, the first degree of its kind.
2013
The law school hosted a visit by Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr.
1992
The law school hosted commencement speaker Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who would be named to the U.S. Supreme Court the following year.
1977
Betty Roberts ’66 became the first woman appointed to the Oregon Court of Appeals.
1994
Animal Law became the world’s first law journal dedicated to animal issues.
2014
The law school hosted a visit by Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Sonia Sotomayor.
1965
Ralph Holman ’37 was named to the Oregon Supreme Court.
2002
The law school hosted a visit by Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Antonin Scalia.
2013
Heidi Heitkamp ’80 was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first woman to serve in that office for North Dakota.
1947
John Hall ’27 became the governor of Oregon.
1975
The law school hosted a visit by Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Lewis F. Powell Jr.
1982
Betty Roberts ’66 was appointed to the Oregon Supreme Court.
1996
The National Crime Victim Law Institute was created.
2008
The law school hosted visits by retired Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Sandra Day O’Connor and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Anthony M. Kennedy.
1996
Earl Blumenauer BA ’70, JD ’76 was elected a U.S. representative from Oregon.
1970
The law school hosted a visit by Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court William O. Douglas.
1970
Environmental Law became the first U.S. law journal dedicated solely to natural resource and environmental issues.
1969
Aaron Brown Jr. ’59 became the first African American municipal court judge in Portland.
1926
Mary Jane Spurlin ’24 became Oregon’s first female judge.
1922
Beatrice Morrow Cannady became the first African American woman to graduate from law school in Oregon.
1961
Jean Lagerquist Lewis ’38 became the first female circuit court judge in Oregon.
Learn more about the most notable milestones of our first century in this Advocate Magazine story.
Law Communications is located in room 304 of Legal Research Center (LRC) on the law Campus.
MSC: 51
email jasbury@lclark.edu
voice 503-768-6605
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Assistant Dean,
Communications and External Relations, Law School
Judy Asbury
Law Communications
Lewis & Clark Law School
10101 S. Terwilliger Boulevard MSC 51
Portland OR 97219