Student Organizations

APALSA provides its members with personal, academic, and professional support to aid in the development of its law students. We work with attorneys in the Portland area to provide networking and professional development opportunities for APALSA members. We also hold several events throughout the school year to build a sense of community within APALSA and the rest of the student body.

The Black Law Student Association is a student run club that includes members from diverse backgrounds; BLSA is dynamic and is dedicated to increasing diversity and communication amongst students and legal professionals. Our organization was formed in order to articulate and promote the needs of black law students, while effecting positive change in the legal community. By encouraging students to pursue careers in the judiciary, we hope to adopt and implement policies that will foster economic independence.

The Data Privacy Group is a student-run organization that offers students the opportunity to learn more about Data Privacy and Security Law. As an emerging area of law, we hope to connect students with different opportunities and learning experiences to gain a better understanding of this exciting new field! Also, we are evening student friendly; all of our meetings and events will take into consideration evening student schedules.

The LC Disability Allied Law Students Association’s (LC-DALSA) purpose is to create accessible spaces on campus, provide much needed representation for differently-abled students at LC, and to organize students around disability rights. DALSA is Lewis and Clark’s affinity group for people who identify as differently abled and their allies. The group centers around physical disabilities, mental health, sensory impairments, learning disabilities, communication disorders, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and other impairments that may limit or substantially alter major life activities. Our goal is to deploy an intersectional and inclusive approach that is informed by the varied experiences that people with disabilities have based on their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, visibility of disability, religion, immigration status, ability and class. We seek to go beyond a medical diagnosis model and to focus on the different social and professional experiences of individuals with disabilities and how that relates to the study and practice of law. DALSA will work both independently and co-dependently with student groups and the LC Law administration to provide programming to educate the law school community about how disability is experienced by different groups of people and how that experience is codified by the law. DALSA aims to amplify the awareness of and people with disabilities in all areas of the law.

The Environmental Law Caucus (ELC is dedicated to educating the Lewis & Clark Law School community about environmental issues and fostering environmental stewardship, whether on or off campus. ELC plans several events, which include hiking, ivy pulls in Tryon Creek, the “Bike to Eugene Challenge,” and the fall Mushroom Hunt. We also provide transportation and lodging for the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference. So get your head out of the books and come joing the fun with ELC!

Family Law Society is a group of students interested in exploring, understanding and expanding the field of family law and its application in our communities. We come together to support each other in learning, and encourage each member’s integration into the family law field. Tapping into the vast network of dedicated, encouraging professionals in Portland and beyond, we volunteer for family law projects and mingle at family law functions. We are your family law resource pool here at Lewis & Clark.

If/When/How trains, networks and mobilizes law students and legal professionals to work within and beyond the legal system to champion reproductive justice. In collaboration with communities, organizations, and movements, we transform the law and policy landscape through advocacy, support, and organizing so that all people – especially those most likely to face reproductive injustice – have the power to determine if, when, and how to define, create, and sustain families with dignity and to actualize sexual and reproductive wellbeing on their own terms.

The Immigration Student Group (ISG) seeks to promote awareness and understanding of immigration issues within the United States and around the world.  ISG strongly encourages hands-on involvement with the immigrant community, and coordinates regular volunteer trips to detention centers to provide help to parents and children seeking asylum.  Throughout the year, ISG invites lecturers to speak about current events, holds donation drives, and shares volunteer opportunities.

IPSO is a group dedicated to all aspects of intellectual property, including the big three of Patent, Trademark and Copyright. This dynamic subject matter is relevant to many different interests and crosses many boundaries, so there’s no shortage of new and interesting topics for discussion. IPSO is the place for engaging in that discussion, whether one’s interest is in protecting artistic expression, technical innovation, or your image.

The International Law Society (ILS) at Lewis and Clark is a chapter of the International Law Students Association. The ILS follows the goal of the parent organization in seeking to promote international law; to encourage communication and cooperation among students and lawyers internationally; to contribute to legal education; to promote social responsibility in the field of law; to increase opportunities for students to learn about other cultures and legal systems worldwide; and to publicizing educational and career opportunities in international law.

The Latinx Law Society is an organization comprised of Latino students and students who support the organization’s goals. The organization promotes: the recruitment and retention of Latino students; unity among the Latino students; and awareness and understanding in the law school and the community of perspectives, culture, heritage and issues concerning Latinos. Additionally, LLS provides a support system for its members. We are an equal opportunity organization, you do not need to be Latino to join just have an interest in Latino issues, culture and heritage

The Lewis & Clark Law School Animal Legal Defense Fund is a student group that strives to enhance the welfare and legal status of all nonhuman animals through education and advocacy. We provide opportunities for animal law pro bono work, community service, and activism, and we hold many informative and celebratory events throughout the year that promote critical thinking about animals’ various relationship to humans—companion animals, food, research subjects, entertainers, elements of biodiversity, etc.—and exploration of our legal duties to the animals in those relationships.

The National Lawyers Guild is national non-profit legal and political organization of lawyers, legal workers, law students and jailhouse lawyers. We represent progressive political movements, using the law to protect human rights above property interests and to attain social justice. If you want to organize against the death penalty, go out into the community to inform people of their rights by being a “Know Your Rights” trainer, be a presence in Portland activist community through legal observing, or just meet with progressive lawyers, we can make it happen.

The Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) would like to invite you to our next activity. NALSA is open to all members of the Lewis & Clark Community and looks forward to your participation! NALSA’s goals are to educate the Lewis & Clark Community about legal issues affecting Native American and Alaskan Native communities, promote the study of Federal Indian law, and encourage interaction with local tribes.

The Natural Resources Law Association is dedicated to fostering a higher understanding and appreciation for the challenges faced by and the importance of natural resource industries. To cultivate this knowledge, we seek to provide hands-on opportunities for law students to expand and develop their legal skills within the context of natural resource and environmental laws, provide access to attorneys practicing in natural resource law, and foster insightful discussion on current natural resource issues.

NEDC provides valuable hands-on experience for students seeking to enhance their education in environmental law. The NEDC staff is comprised of an Executive Director, Conservation Director, three Student Directors, and a Law Clerk who manage the daily obligations of the organization. The strength of the organization is the student volunteers. NEDC students work as members of one or more of the four project groups, including: Lands and Wildlife, Air, Water and Sustainable Agriculture. Project Group Coordinators are responsible for evaluating notices of proposed agency actions and requests for assistance from other environmental groups to determine whether NEDC should be involved in a given project.

OUTLAW provides a forum for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered, questioning students and their allies to meet, exchange ideas, share experiences, and bring pertinent legal and political issues of the LGBT community to campus. We are committed to creating a community for diverse voices through political activism and social interaction, and welcome all students to join us.

PILP’s mission is to contribute to the public interest by financially supporting students and graduates who choose fulfilling careers working for the public good. Throughout the academic year the board and many hard-working volunteers hold fundraising events, culminating in the annual Auction. Annual events include Karaoke with professors and a Poker Tournament. The Auction takes place in March and preparation goes on all year. These fundraising efforts allow PILP to fund 10-15 students every summer to work in public interest. Summer stipend recipients have worked for a variety of organizations, dealing with issues such as children’s rights, environmental protection, domestic violence, and civil rights.

The Lewis & Clark South Asian Law Students Association (L&C SALSA) provides its members with tools and support to excel academically and professionally. This organization works closely with the South Asian Bar Association of Oregon (SABA OR), primarily to build a strong and well-connected community of South Asian lawyers and students in Oregon.

SABER is dedicated to promoting collaboration between environmental advocacy groups, governmental agencies and the business sector, in order to recognize the role each stakeholder plays in resolving issues pertinent to all. Because we believe that cooperation is the most effective solution to our common problems, We strive for balance among differing stakeholders’ views.

The Lewis & Clark Student Bar Association (SBA) is your official student body resource and liaison in matters involving the school administration, faculty, and student services at L&C Law School. The SBA hopes to provide information for current students, organizations, alumni, and prospective students who want a better look at life at Lewis & Clark Law School.

Students for Eliminating Environmental Discrimination’s (SEED) mission is to provide a forum to discuss environmental justice from intersectional perspectives. We strive to include voices from academic communities and beyond. Through our presence on the Lewis & Clark Law campus, SEED seeks to humanize our legal education by providing context for the social and historical sources of environmental injustice.

The mission of Students for International Environmental Law (SIEL) at Lewis & Clark Law School is to promote education and collaboration on issues of international environmental law within the community at the local, national, and global levels. SIEL will accomplish these goals by: sharing developments and promoting discussion; coordinating projects both internally and with other groups; hosting international law focused events; facilitating networking opportunities; and sharing information on careers in the international environmental law field.

Women in Criminal Law is a student-run organization that seeks to empower women and minorities to pursue careers in criminal law, a field that is historically underrepresented by these individuals. WICL is an open group that facilitates social events, on-campus speakers, panel discussions, and other events for students. We welcome all students who have an interest in criminal law and value diversity in the legal community. Our goal is to enhance the presence of criminal law on campus while providing a support system for our members.

The purpose of the Women’s Law Caucus is to bring together the community of Lewis & Clark Law students interested in exploring the wide spectrum of legal issues affecting women. The WLC promotes women in the law by providing support and encouragement to students, enhancing ties with the community, and empowering future female leaders who will work toward the advancement of women’s legal rights. All who are interested in advancing women’s legal rights and empowering females are welcome to join, regardless of gender.

The Youth Justice Club is a collaborative environment for students to come together to learn about the field of youth justice and advocacy. We are dedicated to promoting youth rights, educating the community, and reforming the youth delinquency and dependency systems. We believe that all youth deserve zealous advocacy, a platform to be heard, and the opportunity to learn and grow into capable adults, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, or disability status and regardless of prior adjudications or involvement with the justice system.