April 09, 2020

Lewis & Clark Recognized for Campus Beauty and Academics

Lewis & Clark Law School is well-known for its beautiful green campus that blends in with the surrounding nature of Tryon Creek State Natural Area. For a school with an environmental law program that is ranked #1 in the nation by US News and World Report and given an A+ ranking by preLaw, it makes sense that the campus itself embraces its natural setting.

Lewis & Clark Law School is well-known for its beautiful green campus that blends in with the surrounding nature of Tryon Creek State Natural Area. For a school with an environmental law program that is ranked #1 in the nation by US News and World Report and given an A+ ranking by preLaw, it makes sense that the campus itself embraces its natural setting.

Recent renovations and improvements to several buildings on campus, and the addition of a new entrance plaza, elevated the school to an A ranking for Best Law School Buildings in preLaw Magazine’s Spring 2020 issue. “It’s about nature, and the buildings are very student-centered,” Dean Jennifer Johnson said. “There is a huge space for student gatherings, a big quiet area in the library.”

The McCarty Classroom complex was renovated in 2018 and the four classrooms in this complex received many improvements. Each classroom features modesty panels and each seat is equipped with a plugin so students can take notes on their laptop. Each classroom has updated technology so each class is recorded and if a student ever misses a class they can listen to the lecture remotely. The Gantenbein building was also completely renovated in 2018 and now houses student lockers and the admissions and career services offices. The fireplace and comfy chairs are a perfect place to study on rainy days. The Sunderland Plaza, completed in 2018, features a rock fountain with nine benches in front, one for each seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. This welcoming feature leads visitors and students to the law amphitheater, admissions office, classrooms, law library, Wood Hall, and Legal Research Center. “It all leads to a relaxed atmosphere that helps combat the stresses of law school,” stated preLaw Magazine.

In addition to the beautiful setting of the campus, Lewis & Clark also received a positive ranking for its practical training experiences, ranking higher than even Yale Law School. Highlighted in preLaw is the Animal Law Litigation Clinic. This clinic is the first of its kind in the nation and is solely focused on protecting farmed animals. In February 2020, the clinic filed a case against the USDA in federal court over the slaughter of sick and injured pigs. In addition to this innovative clinic, Lewis & Clark boasts eight other clinics for students to participate in, plus a wide variety of practical skills experience through externships, moot court, mock trial, and legal practicums.

This year Lewis and Clark also launched the Center for Business Law and Innovation (CBLI). CBLI combines the school’s business law, tax law, and intellectual property programs to provide students an innovative and comprehensive program in these areas. Lewis and Clark offers certificates in all three programs and six other programs. The Intellectual Property program works closely with CBLI to provide students with real-world experience through clinical offerings. The combination of experiential and classroom offerings, combined with an active student organization, resulted in preLaw giving an A ranking for the IP Program.

For a self-guided tour of Lewis & Clark’s top-ranked campus and to learn more about what makes this school unique please visit the Virtual Campus page.