Courtney Johnson JD ’07 to lead environmental law program

The Environmental, Natural Resources, & Energy Law program at Lewis & Clark welcomed new Assistant Dean Courtney Johnson JD ’07. She takes the helm of the program from Associate Dean Janice Weis, who retired this summer after 32 years.

“We are so excited to have Courtney join as our new assistant dean for the environmental law program,” says Professor Lisa Benjamin, faculty chair of the environmental, natural resources and energy law committee. “She has a wealth of experience in the legal profession which our students will directly benefit from, and she will be an excellent mentor for our students. Courtney will be instrumental in building the future of our program, together with our faculty.”

Johnson has led the Crag Law Center in Portland as executive director since 2018. Prior to that she served as director of operations (2013-2018), as well as staff attorney (2008 to 2026) at the nonprofit. Her purview included program and strategic development, budgeting and financial management, communications and fundraising strategy.

“In my time at Crag, I learned to love helping people grow and thrive in their roles, building on each individual’s strengths. I hope that I can continue to provide that type of support to my colleagues and the students in our programs,” Johnson says. “The Environmental Law program had a big impact for me personally as a student, setting me on a path to my dream job as an environmental lawyer and advocate. It is what drew me to Lewis & Clark in the first place.”

Johnson earned her JD from Lewis & Clark Law with a certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law in 2007; she graduated from Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s in Sociology.

She has extensive experience representing local communities on the Oregon Coast in land use and water quality cases, as well as climate change and ocean policy development, and has published articles on climate change adaptation and ocean planning, and regularly presents at conferences and educational events. For the past ten years, she has represented the Nez Perce Tribe in the clean up and restoration of the Portland Harbor superfund site.

“I have been lucky to have worked on a wide variety of environmental issues, and have learned to use a range of legal tools to help protect ecosystems and communities. I hope that I can bring some of that experience to help students find their own path to a rewarding and meaningful legal career. I’m excited by the opportunity to help shape and support the program, to work with the faculty and Dean Ouelette, and to help students find their place in the legal community.”