Professor Recognized for Environmental Leadership from Oregon State Bar

Adjunct professor, director of the Western Resources Legal Center (WRLC), and alum Caroline Lobdell ’02 is the 2022 recipient of the Oregon State Bar’s (OSB) Environmental and Natural Resources Section’s Annual Award for her “leadership, service, and contributions in the areas of environmental and natural resources law.”

In a recent ceremony presenting the award, Associate Dean for the Environmental Law program, Janice Weis, made remarks congratulating Professor Lobdell, as well as the Director of the Indian Law program, Carma Corcoran.

Caroline Lobdell is the founding executive director and supervising attorney at the Western Resources Legal Center. WRLC provides law students opportunities to represent private individuals and businesses with challenging natural resource legal issues, giving them valuable practical experience. It is the nation’s only hands-on legal training program specializing in legal education advocacy on behalf of natural resource users located throughout the United States.

Professor Lobdell also serves as an adjunct professor at the Lewis & Clark Law School. She has been professor and coach for the National Native American Law Students Association Moot Court and has taught Federal Indian law, Family Law in Indian Country, and Strategies and Innovations to Maintain Native Culture and Families. She has also worked to build and lead the Indian law field placement program.

Professor Lobdell earned her BS from the University of South Carolina, and earned a JD from Lewis & Clark Law School with an Environmental Law certification. Caroline has extensive experience with complex litigation cases and contested case hearings. Before studying law, Caroline worked on various environmental and regulatory issues during an internship at the U.S. Senate Science and Transportation Committee and later employment with former U.S. Senator, Fritz Hollings.

Lobdell is the fifth Lewis & Clark Law School alum to receive this award since its founding in 2011. ““I am grateful for the partnership with Lewis & Clark Law School and the Western Resources Legal Center,” she said. “This partnership provides law students with hands-on opportunities to learn about the type of clients I represent: rural America, natural resource dependent entities and communities, and Indian country. Our shared commitment to education is what fuels us. “

Law school Dean Jennifer Johnson joined others in congratulating professor Lobdell. “We are delighted that the ENR section of the Oregon State Bar has recognized Caroline for her contribution to our law students, and to the profession. It is indeed well-deserved!”