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.

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 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.

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 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.

Our mission is to provide a forum for Jewish law students to interact with one another and with the greater community of Portland. In addition to organizing the annual Passover Seder for students, staff, and faculty, JLS also hosts Jewish speakers on campus, organizes Jewish student-attorney networking opportunities, and leads community service events and activities throughout the academic year. 

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 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 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).

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.

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.