Scholarships & Awards

for law students

 Emphasizing our firm commitment to access to legal education in times of increasing educational costs, Lewis & Clark Law School awards scholarship aid to a significant percentage of each year’s entering class in the form of one or another of our Fellowships for Excellence. These awards are given annually to entering students (both domestic and international) who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and promise. They are renewable annually for all three or four years of a recipient’s attendance at the law school. Retention of each scholarship is based on the student’s meeting minimum grade point criteria and being in good disciplinary standing. The fellowships are in part provided by a growing program of endowed scholarships supported by alumni, Portland law firms, and other friends of Lewis & Clark.

To apply for a scholarship, check the scholarships you’d like to be considered for when you fill out your application. Students are considered on the basis of extremely strong potential for success in law school. Submitting a short (no more than one page) statement with your application regarding your particular qualifications and level of need will help the scholarship committee in considering your request.

For Entering Students | For Current Students | Outside Scholarships

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 Scholarships for Entering Students

Dean’s Scholarships for Excellence

These awards are awarded at the time the offer of admission is made. The scholarships are automatically renewed each year as long as the recipient maintains a 2.95 gpa and is in good disciplinary standing. The awards are based primarily on exceptional academic achievement and professional promise. The scholarship committee also takes financial need into consideration for those who qualify on merit.

Quinault Allottees: Nelson D. Terry Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded annually and is funded by the Quinault Indian Allottees Association. The scholarship is available to all incoming students, however, preference is given first to  Quinault Allottees, then to Native American regional and national applicants with a connection to their culture and heritage.

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 Scholarships and Awards for Current Students

Allen Hein Alumni Memorial Scholarship

Awarded annually to a current student who exemplifies the qualities of professional dedication and intellectual insight that Al Hein brought to the study and advancement of labor law in Oregon.

Alumni Board of Directors Scholarships

The Alumni Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated alumni who continue to contribute to the Law School through personal and financial support. A current student is selected for this scholarships based on financial need, community involvement, scholarly achievement and plans for staying involved with the Law School after graduation.

Andrea Swanner Redding Scholarship

This award honors the memory of Andrea Swanner Redding who graduated first in her class in 1986. Ms. Swanner Redding also served as Assistant Dean of Career Services at the law school at the time of her passing in 1996. She was also very active in Oregon State and Multnomah County Bar activities, National Association for Law Placement and Oregon Woman Lawyers.

Animal Law Scholarship

Available to current law students with a demonstrated commitment to the study and practice of animal law.

Candise DuBoff Jones Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship seeks to perpetuate the values embraced by Candise DuBoff Jones, a 1977 graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School. Students may apply in their second or third year of law school. The award is granted to students who have a passion for the law, financial need, scholarly achievement, and a demonstrated commitment to his or her school, profession and community. This award is typically given to more than one student each year.

Davis, Wright, Tremaine International Law Writing Competition

An international law writing competition initiated in 1987 for Lewis & Clark law students, which carries a $2,000 cash award. Find out more.

Gantenbein Fellows Scholarships

These scholarships are funded through the generosity of the Gantenbein Society, a group of individuals who annually contribute $5,000 or more to the Law School. The scholarship is intended for students who have completed their first year of law school and have a record of outstanding performance. Each recipient receives an award of $5,000 and has a demonstrated record of good citizenship both within the law and in the greater community.

Harpole Memorial Legacy Scholarship

Named after alumna Joyce Ann Harpole J.D. ‘79 this award is presented to a current law school student who embodies the qualities of Mrs. Harpole - a dedication to his or her legal studies and to the pursuit of justice while maintaining a sense of balance among career, family, and community. Recipients are nominated by their peers.

Helping Hand Scholarships

The Helping Hand Scholarship was established by an anonymous alumni who graduated from law school with a profound respect for fellow students that juggled their studies and raising small children. The Helping Hand Scholarship is available to current students who are single parents with children under the age of 18 and special consideration is given to students with children under the age of six. This award is typically given to more than one student each year.

Jane Wiener Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Jane Wiener Scholarship Fund was established in 1985 to recognize Jane Wiener, a 1974 graduate of the Law School. The scholarship is intended to provide support to law students with physical disabilities.

John & Susan Bates Family Endowed Scholarship for Business Law

John E. Bates, a former president of the Board of Trustees at Lewis & Clark, is a long time supporter of the Law School. John and his wife, Susan, established an endowment to encourage and support law students who are planning to pursue a career in business law, particularly with regard to securities or securities litigation. A $10,000 scholarship is granted to one student each year.

Milt Smith and James Richardson Business Law Scholarship

Milt Smith and James Richardson established this $10,000 scholarship to support a student in their final year of law school. Milt graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School in 1970 and has been a continued supporter of the Law School. Jim Richardson graduated from Lewis & Clark College and obtained his J.D. from the Law School in 1970. Jim is a member of the Lewis & Clark College Board of Trustees and also serves as Board of Visitor for the Law School.

Neva Elliott Scholarship

Neva Elliott, one of few female students at Lewis & Clark at the time of her attendance, worked for the law school and attended classes at night. She graduated in 1935. Ms. Elliott expressed her appreciation to the law school by establishing an endowed scholarship, which offers $10,000 each year to support evening students.

Patricia Kraske Scholarship

This scholarship was created by faculty, alumni and friends to honor long-time staff member Pat Kraske. The scholarship is open to non-traditional aged female law students.

Paul H. Casey Scholarship for Business Law and Public Interest Law

The Paul H. Casey Scholarships were established by Paul Casey in honor of his late father, Henry Casey. The Scholarships reflect Henry Casey’s vision of education, which involved not only intellectual enrichment but also attention to values, integrity, and character. Scholarship recipients are selected because they reflect Henry Casey’s values and follow his tradition of integrity and citizenship. Each recipient receives $10,000 per year for two years.

Research Fellowship Program

Students may apply to work on a research project with a faculty member. The program matches students with faculty based on research interest, related coursework, and academic achievement. Research topics reflect the wide range of interests among the faculty. Examples of fellowships include awards for research related to articles on alternative dispute resolution and on fundamental constitutional rights, a bioethics anthology, a new book on salmon, and an Oregon water law treatise.

Roosevelt Robinson Minority Scholarship

Named for Judge Roosevelt Robinson, a graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School and a beloved community leader. This endowed fund provides at least one scholarship per year to a current student who will contribute to the ethnic diversity of the Oregon Bar or who has a demonstrated interest in and commitment to increasing the ethnic diversity of the Oregon Bar and who has shown strong academic performance and demonstrated financial need.

Steven Manas Memorial Scholarship

Named for Steven Manas who died in a kayaking accident in his third year of law school, this annual scholarship for an outstanding upper-division student in environmental law is provided by the family of Steven Manas.

Terry Wilson Scholarship

Created in memory of a law student, the recipients are to have a strong interest in public service and a work ethic that does not place personal gain as a first priority.  Recipients must show a willingness to use their legal skills to help others in trouble and in need of a champion of their cause. Additionally, when possible, the award is to go to students from the state of Washington who have an intention to practice there.

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 Outside Scholarships

Outside scholarships are those that are awarded by an organization other than Lewis & Clark, but that may be used to help with costs incurred as a law student at Lewis & Clark. Outside scholarships that we are currently aware of are listed here:

ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship (for under-represented racial & ethnic minorities)

American Indian Graduate Center Fellowship (for Native American students pursing a graduate degree)

American Indian College Fund Graduate Program Scholarships (for Native American students pursuing a graduate degree)

Arent Fox Diversity Scholarship (first-year law students from under-represented minority groups may apply for these $15,000 scholarships).

Bill and Ann Shepherd Scholarship (for third-year students who wish to advance equal rights and justice for the LGBT community)

Minority Corporate Counsel Association scholarship (for incoming law students of diverse & financially disadvantaged backgrounds with an interest in corporate law)

NAACP Earl Warren Legal Training Program scholarships (two scholarship opportunities for African-Americans law school applicants)

NAPABA Law Foundation Scholarships (various scholarships awarded to law students who demonstrate a commitment to serve or contribute to the Asian Pacific American community as future leaders)

National Italian American Foundation scholarship (for incoming law students of Italian heritage)

Northwest Indian Legal Scholarship Program (sponsored by the Indian Section of the Washington State Bar and the Northwest Indian Bar Association. Awards go to current Native American law students attending law school in the Northwest)

Oregon State Bar Affirmative Action Program Scholarships (for ethnic minorities who plan to attend an Oregon law school and practice in Oregon)

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship (for resident aliens, naturalized citizens, or children of immigrants)

State Bar Associations – several states have scholarships for residents of their state that can be applied to ANY school one attends (in or out of that state). Please check with individual state bars and ask about scholarship opportunities.

Puerto Rican Bar Association Scholarship Program (sponsored by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense & Education Fund). All Latino IL or 2L students currently attending law school in the US & Puerto Rico are eligible. Awards based on financial need & academic promise. Deadline is March 31.

Sidney B. Williams, Jr. Intellectual Property Law School Scholarship ($10,000/year for entering and current minority law students interested in developing a career in intellectual property law)

United Negro College Fund (a resource page to search for scholarship and grant programs administered by the United Negro College Fund)

VA Mortgage Center.com (a mortgage company establishing a scholarship for ROTC students, or the sons and daughters of Veterans or Active Duty Military Personnel.)

Veterans receiving VA Education Benefits need to contact the Veteran’s Coordinator in Registrar’s Office at 503-768-7332.

Applicants may search for other outside scholarships through Internet sources such as these:

www.finaid.org

www.fastweb.com

Please note that if you receive an outside scholarship, you are required to notify us. If you notify us after receiving your financial aid package, your award may be adjusted.

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Work Study

Federally funded placement with qualified agencies for legal clerkships, available only to second- and third-year students. Students must request to be considered for work-study.