The American Bar Association (ABA), founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students. Membership in the Law Student Division of the American Bar Association provides a number of immediate and tangible benefits. Membership includes subscriptions to the ABA Journal and the award-winning magazine, The Student Lawyer. The dues also entitle students to Hertz car rental discounts, low rates on preliminary multistate bar exam courses, reduced ABA section memberships and eligibility for medical and life insurance at low group rates.

The American Civil Liberties union (ACLU) works to protect and defend individual liberties that are guaranteed by the United States Constitution. The ACLU seeks to extend rights to segments of the population that have traditionally been denied their rights, including people of color, women, lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people, prisoners, and people with disabilities. We believe that the rights of our society’s most vulnerable members must be safeguarded, because if these rights are denied, then everyone’s rights are in jeopardy.

American Constitution Society (ACS) is a national organization of law students, law professors, judges, practicing lawyers and others.  The Lewis & Clark Law School chapter was jointly founded in August 2003 by law students and professors who were interested in revitalizing and transforming legal debate both on campus and beyond.  Our goal is to strengthen the intellectual foundations of a more progressive vision of the law. We provide forums for discussion and debate within the L&C Law School Commmunity on  issues such as: privacy; freedom of speech; federalism; antidiscrimination and affirmative action; gay rights; reproductive choice; disability rights; labor and consumer rights; protection of health, safety, and the environment.

Currently in its seventeenth year, Animal Law Review was the first legal journal dedicated to animal law issues and remains the premier journal in its field. Animal law Review has the largest subscription base of the Lewis & Clark Law Reviews and provides its readers with a comprehensive, balanced forum for the discussion of legal issues relating to animals. Animal law review publishes articles, essays, notes, comments, and other scholarly works that will be of value to corporate, governmental, or private practitioners, legislators, policy makers, educators, and the judiciary.

APALSA provides its members with personal, academic, and professional support to aid in the development of its law students. We work with attorneys in the Portland area to provide networking and professional development opportunities for APALSA members. We also hold several events throughout the school year to build a sense of community within APALSA and the rest of the student body.

The Black Law Student Association is a student run club that includes members from diverse backgrounds; BLSA is dynamic and is dedicated to increasing diversity and communication amongst students and legal professionals. Our organization was formed in order to articulate and promote the needs of black law students, while effecting positive change in the legal community. By encouraging students to pursue careers in the judiciary, we hope to adopt and implement policies that will foster economic independence.

The Lewis & Clark Brewer’s Guild aims to provide a forum for those who brew beer or make wine to network with others who also create their own beverages, or are interested in learning more about the process and relevant laws.  The Guild promotes these goals by: inviting speakers to campus for talks on various legal topics related to production, labeling, and other business and intellectual property matters; conducting workshops and demonstrations to educate those who are interested in learning more about safe production practices; and holding networking events, tasting parties, and competitions.

The Christian Legal Fellowship is a group committed to providing a space for people to grow in faith. We are committed to social justice, community service, and following Jesus. We will also explore the interplay between faith and a career in the law. This group is open to everyone and we would love to have you!

CATS works to build a future where transportation-related greenhouse gases are at a minimum, and where riding bikes, taking busses, and carpooling are more common than driving single occupancy vehicles. We work to increase bike awareness, safety and advocacy on campus and beyond. We work with the administration, students and the community to increase environmentally sensible and sustainable modes of travel for the L&C Law School family.

The Crime Victims’ Rights Alliance (CVRA) exists to raise awareness and educate future attorneys about issues relating to crime victim advocacy by exploring current dilemmas in the field, offering solutions, promoting discussion, and encouraging collaboration amongst legal groups in acknowledging and/or furthering the rights of crime victims. The group will sponsor and enpanel speakers from all areas of criminal law, as well as victims’ rights organizations, in order to advance awareness of this burgeoning field of law. The CVRA is greatly enriched by both the centrality of Lewis and Clark’s affiliate, the National Crime Victim Law Institute, and our faculty advisors, Margaret Garvin and Douglas Beloof, who are two of the most prominent victims’ rights attorneys in the country. If one is interested in crime victims’ rights, this is the student group to join. Central group discussion will revolve around criminal law and victims’ rights enforcement, but students interested in civil litigation of victims’ rights are encouraged to participate, as well.

Environmental justice (“EJ”), occurs at the intersection between social and racial justice and environmentalism. EJA’s focus over the upcoming school year is to empower and aid under served communities and communities of color self-determine their own environmental values, particularly with regard to equitable distribution of environmental burdens and benefits, human health, and public welfare. Environmental Justice is the idea that the income, race, or ethnicity of communities should not correlate to their quality of living environment. The Environmental justice Advocates advocate for and support, through direct action and the law, communities’ efforts toward environmental justice.

The Environmental Law Caucus (ELC is dedicated to educating the Lewis & Clark Law School community about environmental issues and fostering environmental stewardship, whether on or off campus. ELC plans several events, which include hiking, ivy pulls in Tryon Creek, the “Bike to Eugene Challenge,” and the fall Mushroom Hunt. We also provide transportation and lodging for the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference. So get your head out of the books and come joing the fun with ELC!

Environmental Law is the nation’s oldest law review dealing solely with environmental issues, and Lewis and Clark Law School’s first law review, founded in 1969. We are consistently ranked in the top tier of environmental law journals, sharing company with similar journals from Harvard and Berkeley. Environmental Law is a student-run journal—we select the manuscripts, sourcecheck and edit them, and make all arrangements for their publication with our printer.

Family Law Society is a group of students interested in exploring, understanding and expanding the field of family law and its application in our communities. We come together to support each other in learning, and encourage each member’s integration into the family law field. Tapping into the vast network of dedicated, encouraging professionals in Portland and beyond, we volunteer for family law projects and mingle at family law functions. We are your family law resource pool here at Lewis & Clark.

The Federalist Society of Lewis & Clark Law School seeks to contribute political balance to legal education by providing a forum for legal experts of opposing views to interact with law students. The federalist society is one of the most influential student groups in the country. The group sponsors speakers who support judicial restraint (from activism), federalism, and the constitution generally, and sponsors free lunches for speeches and debates specifically. The group is apolitical and open to all legal topics for discussion.

The International Law Society (ILS) at Lewis and Clark is a chapter of the International Law Students Association. The ILS follows the goal of the parent organization in seeking to promote international law; to encourage communication and cooperation among students and lawyers internationally; to contribute to legal education; to promote social responsibility in the field of law; to increase opportunities for students to learn about other cultures and legal systems worldwide; and to publicizing educational and career opportunities in international law.

We affirm the strength brought to the study of law by a law student’s personal religious conviction. We strive through public service and diligence in our studies to promote fairness and virtue founded upon the rule of law. Our core values include public service, loyalty to the rule of law, and appreciation for the religious dimension and in a law student’s personal lie.

The Latino Law Society is an organization comprised of Latino students and students who support the organization’s goals. The organization promotes: the recruitment and retention of Latino students; unity among the Latino students; and awareness and understanding in the law school and the community of perspectives, culture, heritage and issues concerning Latinos. Additionally, LLS provides a support system for its members.

The Lewis & Clark Law Review is the law school’s general-interest law review, covering all aspects of law and legal scholarship. LCLR is one of the nation’s fastest rising law reviews in terms of rankings. We are now in the top 19% of general-interest law reviews and in the top 6% of all law reviews. Law review provides a forum to publish scholarly articles on a wide range of topics.

The Minority Law Student Association of Lewis & Clark Law School serves to promote the recruitment and retention of minority students, staff and faculty, to promote unity among students of color, to promote awareness and understanding in the law school and the community of perspectives, culture, and heritage of students of color, and to create a forum to address issues concerning its members.

The National Lawyers Guild is national non-profit legal and political organization of lawyers, legal workers, law students and jailhouse lawyers. We represent progressive political movements, using the law to protect human rights above property interests and to attain social justice. If you want to organize against the death penalty, go out into the community to inform people of their rights by being a “Know Your Rights” trainer, be a presence in Portland activist community through legal observing, or just meet with progressive lawyers, we can make it happen.

The Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) would like to invite you to our next activity. NALSA is open to all members of the Lewis & Clark Community and looks forward to your participation! NALSA’s goals are to educate the Lewis & Clark Community about legal issues affecting Native American and Alaskan Native communities, promote the study of Federal Indian law, and encourage interaction with local tribes.

NEDC provides valuable hands-on experience for students seeking to enhance their education in environmental law. The NEDC staff is comprised of an Executive Director, Conservation Director, three Student Directors, and a Law Clerk who manage the daily obligations of the organization. The strength of the organization is the student volunteers. NEDC students work as members of one or more of the four project groups, including: Lands and Wildlife, Air, Water and Sustainable Agriculture. Project Group Coordinators are responsible for evaluating notices of proposed agency actions and requests for assistance from other environmental groups to determine whether NEDC should be involved in a given project.

OUTLAW provides a forum for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered, questioning students and their allies to meet, exchange ideas, share experiences, and bring pertinent legal and political issues of the LGBT community to campus. We are committed to creating a community for diverse voices through political activism and social interaction, and welcome all students to join us.

Phi Delta Phi is the oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States, predating even the American Bar Association. It was founded in 1869 at the University of Michigan School of Law by four law students, who at the urging of their faculty, endeavored to create an association that would foster scholarship, civility, and ethical conduct in our profession. 

PILP’s mission is to contribute to the public interest by financially supporting students and graduates who choose fulfilling careers working for the public good. Throughout the academic year the board and many hard-working volunteers hold fundraising events, culminating in the annual Auction. Annual events include Karaoke with professors and a Poker Tournament. The Auction takes place in March and preparation goes on all year. These fundraising efforts allow PILP to fund 10-15 students every summer to work in public interest. Summer stipend recipients have worked for a variety of organizations, dealing with issues such as children’s rights, environmental protection, domestic violence, and civil rights.

The Lewis & Clark Law School Secular Legal Society (SLS) provides a venue for students at Lewis & Clark Law School, practicing attorneys, scholars and community leaders to discuss and debate both secular and non-secular legal theories, philosophies, and issues in addition to promoting and creating awareness of secular humanism. Further, SLS aims to provide the community a forum in which atheists, agnostics, non-believers and skeptics can discuss their ideals in a non-confrontational manner, and can discuss salient issues with believers in a meaningful and productive manner. SLS is open to believers and non-believers alike, in the hope of bridging the gap between these two disparate groups through critical inquiry and altruism.

The Lewis & Clark Law School Softball League organizes weekly softball games at the start of the school year. Every Friday afternoon, students and professors are invited to come play a relaxed game of softball at Sellwood’s Westmoreland Park. The season typically lasts until mid to late October (depending on the rain).

SABER is dedicated to promoting collaboration between environmental advocacy groups, governmental agencies and the business sector, in order to recognize the role each stakeholder plays in resolving issues pertinent to all. Because we believe that cooperation is the most effective solution to our common problems, We strive for balance among differing stakeholders’ views.

The Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) is a student group that strives to enhance the welfare and legal status of all nonhuman animals through education and advocacy. We provide opportunities for animal law pro bono work, community service, and activism, and we hold many informative and celebratory events throughout the year that promote critical thinking about animals’ various relationship to humans—companion animals, food, research subjects, entertainers, elements of biodiversity, etc.—and exploration of our legal duties to the animals in those relationships.

The Student Trial Lawyers Association sponsors a variety of panels throughout the year on topics relevant to students interested in pursuing a career in trial practice. STLA operates in conjunction with Oregon Trial Lawyers Association offering mentoring programs and networking/social events throughout the year.

Mandy Rude, President

Lewis & Clark Law School SSDP seeks to reduce the harms caused by drug abuse and the failed War on Drugs, striving toward a just and compassionate society where drug abuse is treated as a public health issue instead of a criminal justice issue.We create safe spaces to have open, critical, and honest conversation about drug policy reform, and will work to educate our fellow law students and the greater Portland community about drug policy reform issues.SSDP does not condone drug abuse or civil disobedience.

The purpose of the Women’s Law Caucus is to bring together the community of Lewis and Clark Law students interested in exploring the wide spectrum of legal issues affecting women. The WLC promotes women in the law by providing support and encouragement to students, enhancing ties with the community, and empowering future female leaders who will work toward the advancement of women’s legal rights. All who are interested in advancing women’s legal rights and empowering females are welcome to join, regardless of gender.