Lewis & Clark Law honored with 2026 “Excellence in Innovation” Award

Lewis & Clark Law School has received a 2026 Insight Into Academia Excellence in Innovation Award: Law Schools for its innovative Center for Business Law and Leadership programs. The award is a new honor from Insight Into Academia magazine, the nation’s longest-running publication advancing best practices in higher education.

The award highlights schools whose transformative programs and initiatives reimagine curriculum, experiential technology and AI integration, access to legal education, professional pathways, and more to better serve students.

Established in 2021, the Center builds connections between the law school and the business community, with a goal of preparing students to become the region’s next generation of trusted advisors and decision makers. In addition to mentorships and workshops, the Center hosts an annual business law symposium and also houses the Small Business Legal Clinic, which provides transactional (non-litigation) legal services to low-income entrepreneurs, and the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, which assists individuals who have controversies with the IRS.

Through the Center, students engage in innovative programs with legal leaders at firms such as Nike, Intel, and one of the Pacific Northwest’s newest public companies, ZoomInfo.

Law student Bahar Tarighi ’26, described her experience as a Small Business Legal Clinic intern working with Nike attorneys: “Having a dedicated mentor from Nike legal staff has given me both confidence and direction. Through our conversations about client strategy and career planning, I’ve gained a much clearer understanding of the kind of work I hope to pursue after graduation.”

“This selective recognition celebrates programs defined by forward-thinking design and measurable impact—initiatives that raise the standard and advance the field,” said Holly Mendelson, co-owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia magazine.

“We’re proud to receive this national recognition for our Center for Business Law and Leadership highlighting our efforts to shape the future of the legal profession,” said Dean Alicia Ouellette. “Our work would not be possible without the support of the attorneys, entrepreneurs, and business partners who share our vision to foster innovation while providing practical experiences for our students.”

This year’s winners will be featured in the July/August 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia magazine.