Distinguished Graduate
Each year, the Law School honors an outstanding alumnus whose achievements in their profession and their community brings distinction to Lewis & Clark. These alumni are people who value and serve the law school and represent the values of Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College, its faculty, students and alumni.
Past recipients include judges, legislators, community advocates and attorneys of excellence. Recipients are selected by a selection committee, based on nominations from faculty and alumni.
Please look for the nomination form starting in Fall 2025!
Past Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients
1973: Hon. Phillip J. Roth ’48
1974: Nels Peterson ’39
1975: Keith Burns ’58
1976: Wendell Gray ’34
1977: no award given
1978: John D. Ryan ’50
1979: Gen. Chester E. McCarty ’29
1980: Hon. Jean L. Lewis ’38
1981: Lester W. Spillane ’37
1982: Hon. Ralph L. Holman ’37
1983: Jack L. Kennedy ’51
1984: Moe M. Tonkon ’28
1985: Hon. Robert E. Jones ’53
1986: Hon. Charles S. Crookham ’51
1987: Lofton L. Tatum ’42
1988: Hon. Betty Roberts ’66
1989: Bernard Jolles ’61
1990: Hon. Herbert M. Schwab ’39
1991: Neva M. Elliott ’35
1992: Hon. Mercedes F. Deiz ’59
1993: Hon. Julie E. Frantz ’75
1994: Joyce Ann Harpole ’79
1995: Walter J. Cosgrave ’47
1996: Duane Vergeer ’35
1997: Charles P. A. Paulson ’58
1998: Hon. Garr M. King ’63
1999: Garry L. Kahn ’62
2000: Hon. Anna J. Brown ’80
2001: Hon. Roosevelt Robinson ’76
2002: Mark G. Tratos ’79
2003: Congressman Earl Blumenauer ’76
2004: Thomas C. Sand ’77
2005: Katherine Huff O’Neil ’77
2006: Hon. Henry Kantor ’79
2007: Stella Manabe ’92
2008: M. Christie (Chris) Helmer ’74
2009: Matthew P. Bergman ’89
2010: Hon. Jack Landau ’80
2012: Charles S. Tauman ’77
Nancy S. Tauman ’78
2013: Sandra A. Hansberger ’82
2014: Hon. Michael McShane ’88
2015: Margaret D. Kirkpatrick ’82
2016: Governor Kate Brown ’85
Associate Dean Martha Spence ’84
2017: Dan Harmon ’85
2018: Betsy Johnson ’77
2019: Judith Johansen ’83
Stephen Manning ’01
2020: Alan Merkle ’82
2022: Roman D. Hernandez ’00
2023: Rex A. Malott ’73 L’76
2024: Ying Chen PhD ’95
2025: Richard “Dick” Maizels ’66