Hala Lewis

Hometown: The Great Northwest (Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA)

Experience: BS in Business Administration, background in banking, utilities, editing

Extracurricular Activities: I’ve been running for many years, I recently started kayaking, and I am an avid baker.

Favorite Places in Portland:

• To eat: Russell St BBQ
• For quiet contemplation: Bishop’s Close
• For coffee: Dragon Fly Coffee in the Pearl

For the past 16 years, I have vacillated between the work force and homemaking depending on the needs of my family, though I was interested in law school for as long as I can remember. Like most kids, mine are adept at asking questions, ignoring answers and coming to their own conclusions all at the same time. They (especially the teenagers), are constantly making assessments and testing the veracity of the advice their dad and I give them. So, when I tell them that nothing is impossible, that nothing can stop them once they decide to go after something; I have to be willing to live that out in front of them. Once our kids were at a place we felt they could handle the intensity that law school would invariably introduce into their lives, returning to school seemed like the right thing to do.

I have chosen to focus on business law as that just happens to be where my interest lies. My family is full of people who participate in the business sector at one level or another: restaurateurs, farmers, bakery owners, real estate developers, construction, outdoor and recreation guides, retail etc. I think the business focus is natural for me, and I think the opportunities for developing and expressing my interest will be plentiful.

I accepted Lewis and Clark’s admissions offer the day before I found out I would have six months of chemo therapy. For me, half the battle was making the decision to start school. I felt it was the best thing to do for my kids and my own recovery. My husband is a fantastic source of support, and I think with faith and support from a few people, difficult things become much easier—much more within reach. I have loved the support I received from the administration and my first-year professors. Though at first I was a bit overwhelmed by the range and depth of support, I have quickly learned is this is all part of the Lewis and Clark culture. It is wonderful to be part of this community, and I look forward to the future with great anticipation.