Lewis & Clark Law Students Finalists in Pro Bono Award

Lewis & Clark law students Corinne Fletcher and Dayna Jones have been named as  two of the eight finalists for the PSJD Pro Bono Publico Award this year. The national competition received nominations from around the US and Canada. The winner will be announced later this month.

Selection is based on the extracurricular commitment the nominees have made to law-related public service projects or organizations; the quality of work they performed; and the impact of their work on the community, their fellow students, and the school.  Actual pro bono work will be the primary consideration.

Dayna Jones’s dedication to public service is evidenced by her single-minded commitment to environmental justice issues. Her pro bono work was cited by Oregon Representative Karin Power as instrumental to the Governor in considering a cap and trade program for the state, and crucial to legislative discussion on strong air quality standards.  For the last year, Dayna has been speaking at rallies in favor of stricter oversight of air toxic emissions, giving voice to the health risks and economic burden that environmental justice communities face as a result of industry.

Corinne Fletcher’s commitment to hearing directly from people who have been marginalized in order to make meaningful change has transformed the outlook of professors, her fellow students, legislators, and the juvenile offenders with whom she has worked. She initiated a pen pal program with juvenile offenders and law students, worked with the ACLU to affect legislative changes, and initiated and designed a 1-credit course on juvenile justice that incorporated sessions at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility to bring law students and juvenile offenders together in a collaborative environment.

PSJD is an online resource connecting public interest law job-seekers with their ideal opportunities in the public interest arena, in government, at law schools, and around the globe. PSJD is an initiative of the National Association of Law Placement.