A Legacy Established

Dean Jennifer Johnson has steered Lewis & Clark Law School through a history-making decade.

In the last decade, the law school witnessed many history-making events and more. Dean Jennifer Johnson’s steady leadership ensured that Lewis & Clark Law School stayed strong, resilient, and ready to take on future challenges.

A Decade of Accomplishments:

  • Recruited great students
  • Raised over $57 million
  • Increased the law school endowment by 52.7%
  • Established 64 new scholarships
  • Renovated
    • law classrooms
    • the Gantenbein building
    • Boley Law Library
  • Built a welcoming entrance plaza
  • Established the Advocacy Center
  • Designed and built a teaching courtroom

“Lewis & Clark Law School has been transformed by Dean Johnson’s leadership and vision,” said Lewis & Clark College President Robin Holmes-Sullivan. “During her time as dean, Jennifer has strengthened the law school financially as well as academically.”

“Jennifer has done so much for the law school,” said Interim Dean John Parry. “She led our efforts not only to bring in the best students but also to prepare them for their careers as lawyers and professionals with relevant classes, skills training, and career advice. She worked tirelessly to raise funds to support programs that directly benefit students.”

Capping her long list of achievements, in 2022 Johnson realized one of her dreams that had been years in planning: the creation of the Advocacy Center, as well as a teaching courtroom, the Bergman Courtroom. The Center serves as the linchpin to increase practical skills training for law students.

Through it all, Jennifer wore her signature pearls and had her trusty standard poodle by her side—Baron, and later Bruno. In 2024, grateful alums, faculty, staff and law friends raised $1 million to establish the Jennifer J. Johnson Business Law Professorship—a permanent marker of her legacy.

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Dean Alicia Ouellette chats with law students.