Pre-Law

Why Choose the Pre-Law Program?

An undergraduate degree from Lewis & Clark is excellent preparation for those looking ahead to law school. You will sharpen your voice, challenge ideas, and gain hands-on experience that sets you apart and prepares you for the rigor of earning your professional degree.

A Powerful Liberal Arts Foundation

Law school graduates pursue a variety of careers, including jobs in law, business, government, and politics. Because of this, law schools do not require, and we do not prescribe, a single course of pre-law study. In fact, students have gone to law school after majoring in almost every field at Lewis & Clark—from art, biology, and environmental studies to sociology and anthropology and theatre. No matter what your major, we recommend courses that cultivate analytical and writing skills as preparation for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and subsequent work in law school. You can find these courses in many departments, including but not limited to English, history, philosophy, and political science.

Connect With Lewis & Clark!

Meet the Pre-Law Advisors

From your first semester, you’ll have access to a dedicated pre-law advisor who helps you map your courses, prepare for the LSAT, and connect with alumni mentors in the legal field. You’re not just another student in the crowd—you’re part of a close-knit community that’s invested in your success.

For information about how to tailor your L&C education to your interest in the law, contact Pre-Law Advisor Andrea Hibbard or Nancy O. Gallman.

Find Your People

Our students interested in law school participate in a wide variety of cocurricular programs at Lewis & Clark, including

• our nationally ranked speech and debate team,
• annual symposia on ethnic studies, gender studies, and international affairs,
• the Sustainability Council, and
• the Student Senate.

A Direct Path to Law School

If Lewis & Clark is right for you as an undergraduate student, then our Law School may be a logical next choice, especially if you are interested in law and the environment as we are home to one of the top environmental law programs in the nation. Our Law School offers top specialty programs in several areas with the JD degree, as well as graduate and joint-degree programs through both part-time and full-time course loads. L&C Law offers guaranteed admission to College of Arts and Sciences students who meet certain requirements, including minimum GPA and LSAT scores.

Accelerated 3-3 Program: BA + Law Degree (JD)

The standard length of study from the first year of a BA through a JD is seven years. Highly motivated students can earn both a BA from L&C’s College of Arts and Sciences and a JD from L&C Law School in just six years through our accelerated 3-3 program. Students interested in this program need to plan their coursework carefully, and should consult with their advisor the summer before they arrive on campus.

Accelerated 3-1 Program: BA + Masters of Studies in Law (MSL)

Students who want graduate-level education in law but do not want to become lawyers can enroll in our BA/MSL Dual-Degree Environmental Legal Studies Program—commonly referred to as the 3-1 Program. Graduates earn a BA and a Masters of Studies in Law (MSL) in Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law in four years rather than five. Like the 3-3, the 3-1 requires careful planning.

After Lewis & Clark

Recent graduates of Lewis & Clark College have pursued legal education at Lewis & Clark’s own nationally recognized law school as well as at institutions such as Duke, the University of California at Berkeley, Boston College, Emory, Cornell, Georgetown, Harvard, and Tulane. They become advocates, policymakers, judges, and community leaders who carry their liberal arts values into the world. Here are some specific examples:

• Emma Bruden JD ’16: public interest environmental lawyer with a focus on forest law at Kampmeier & Knutsen in Portland, Oregon
• Camey Fowler JD ’17: assistant general counsel at Opal Labs, which makes marketing and communications software tools
• Jonny Gersten JD ’19: staff attorney at Youth, Rights & Justice, an organization working to “make Oregon a better place for children and families”
• Ellen Gilmer MSL ’14: legal editor and reporter at E&E News in Washington, D.C.
• Morgan Gratz-Weiser MSL ’16: legislative director of the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC)
• Dayna Jones JD ’18: defense attorney for the Mescalero Apache Tribe
• Kimberly Kosa MSL ’17: development director at Wild Salmon Center in Portland, Oregon
• Christian Moak JD ’18: litigation attorney at Immix Law, a Certified B Corporation committed to sustainability, transparency, and accountability
• Dexter Pearce BA ’13, JD ’16 Duke University: associate in labor and employment law at Stoel Rives in Portland, Oregon
• Licia Sahagun MSL ’17: executive director of Wild Whatcom in Bellingham, Washington
• Brennan Wortmann BA ’15, JD ’19 Georgetown University: Judicial Law Clerk at Superior Court of the District of Columbia

Dedicated Faculty

Our expert professors are your expert mentors. You will learn directly from faculty (no graduate assistants here!) that are nationally recognized in their fields of study and who love to work with and learn from their students. Your professors will inspire you to be a thoughtful and passionate participant in a diverse world. Your small classes will support you as you explore new ideas, find your voice, and speak your truth.

Invest in Yourself

A private liberal arts education is often more affordable than you think. Last year, Lewis & Clark distributed over $74 million in assistance from institutional, federal, state, and private sources. Additionally, we’re so confident that our first-year students will graduate with their bachelor of arts degree in four years that if you don’t, we’ll cover the extra semester of tuition.

 More Law Student Profiles →

Lewis & Clark Pre-Law Program FAQ