April 18, 2017

Oregon Governor Kate Brown ’85 to be 2017 commencement speaker

Oregon Governor Kate Brown ’85 will be the Commencement speaker at Lewis & Clark Law School’s graduation exercises on Saturday, May 27, 2017.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown ’85 will be the Commencement speaker at Lewis & Clark Law School’s graduation exercises on Saturday, May 27, 2017.
About Lewis & Clark Law School’s Commencement

The Law School’s Commencement exercises will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 27 at the Pamplin Sports Center on the undergraduate campus. The ceremony is approximately an hour and 45 minutes. No tickets needed. Reception with light refreshments at the law school following the ceremony.

The ceremony will be live streamed. A link is provided on the Commencement web page.

About Governor Brown

Oregon Governor Kate Brown JD ’85 is the 38th governor to lead the state. Brown is currently serving her second term, having secured her seat in the November 2016 election.

Governor Brown grew up in Minnesota and earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado-­Boulder, and her law degree from Lewis & Clark. In 2010, the Law School honored Brown as a Distinguished Environmental Graduate.

Prior to running for public office, Brown practiced family law. She then served in the state legislature for 17 years, in both the Oregon House of Representatives and the State Senate. Brown made history when she became the first woman in Oregon history to serve as Senate Majority Leader. Brown has also practiced juvenile law, taught at Portland State University, worked with the Juvenile Rights Project and co-­founded the Oregon Women’s Health and Wellness Alliance. From 2009 to 2015, Brown served as Oregon’s Secretary of State.

With her husband Dan, Brown raised Dan’s son and daughter, who are now grown, in Portland. When Brown is not busy at the Capitol in Salem, you’ll find her horseback riding or hiking.