April 21, 2016

Lawyering Program Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Officially established in 1991 as the Legal Analysis & Writing (LAW) program

This year, Lewis & Clark Law School celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Lawyering Program. A quarter of a century ago, Lewis & Clark became one of the few law schools in the country to have full-time faculty dedicated to teaching Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research. In the years since, Lewis & Clark has become a national leader in teaching legal writing and analysis. The law school has strengthened its program over time, expanding the first year course from 4 to 6 credits and offering several advance lawyering skills courses for upper division students. Its name has also evolved - known for many years as the Legal Analysis & Writing program, it is now called “Lawyering” to better reflect the full range of courses and services available to students.

The Lawyering faculty are active participants in the broader Legal Writing community across the country, frequently presenting at national conferences, writing numerous textbooks and articles about lawyering skills, and mentoring colleagues from other schools. Professor Steve Johansen and Professor Sandy Patrick are currently co-chairs of the National Legal Writing Institute’s annual conference being held in Portland this July. Johansen was a founder of the Lawyering Program at Lewis & Clark and serves as its chair.   

In celebration of its past, the Lawyering Program looks to the future. On May 13, the Lawyering department will host a complimentary 3-hour CLE, The Future of Lawyering, that will explore the impact of technology on legal writing and law practice generally. All participants are invited to a reception following the program where we will honor all the Teaching Assistants and Teaching Fellows who so skillfully shepherded each new class of students through the challenges of the first year of law school.