$1-million grant supports law library expansion

Lewis & Clark’s law school has received a $1-million grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to support the expansion and renovation of the Paul Boley Law Library.

“We are grateful for the Murdock Trust’s extraordinary support of the law school over many years,” said James L. Huffman, dean of the law school. “This is the third time the Murdock Trust has provided significant support for the law school capital projects. The first time was in 1970, when the trust provided a $1.5-million grant to help fund the initial construction of the Boley Law Library.

A second grant in 1977 helped us construct our Legal Research Center. Most recently, the trust provided $1 million to help expand the College’s Aubrey Watzek Library. We are, indeed, fortunate to have such a steadfast and generous friend.”

The law library, considered the best law research center in Oregon, houses the U.S. Patent Law Depository, which annually generates more than 6,000 requests for information.

In addition, the library houses the Pearl Environmental Law Library, the Johnson Public Land Law Collection, all congressional documents since 1970, U.S. Senate and U.S. House reports, U.S. Supreme Court briefs, Oregon appellate briefs, one of the West Coast’s outstanding tax and estate planning collections, and extensive computerized legal databases.

The library not only serves the law school’s students and faculty, it also serves the region’s business and legal communities. For example, in 1998, 700 students and 150 faculty from other institutions and 1,850 lawyers made use of the library’s resources.

The M. J. Murdock Trust strives to enrich the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest by providing grants to organizations that seek to strengthen the region’s educational and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways.