Steven Goebel ’05: 13 Years of Service

Steve Goebel has been a stalwart advocate for the Business Law Program, enriching it with innovative classes, clinic, and a joint JD/MBA program.

Steven Goebel ’05

Assistant Dean and Director, Business Law Program

Steve Goebel was already an experienced businessman when he enrolled in Lewis & Clark Law School, and he championed the Business Law Program while still a student. Once he graduated, he taught innovative classes exposing students to business principles and entrepreneurship.

Goebel was a driving force in establishing the Small Business Legal Clinic, and for a time served as its executive director. As the director of the Business Law Program, he helped to forge connections among the practicing bar, business leaders, and the business law faculty. He formed a partnership with Portland State University to create a joint JD/MBA degree program. Since his retirement, Goebel continues to volunteer as a resource for the Business Law Program, and remains on the advisory board of the SBLC.

Goebel earned his BA. from University of Cincinnati in 1980 and graduated from Harvard Business School in the Program for Management Development in 1985.

Before earning his JD, Goebel worked for 12 years with the Mead Corporation serving as marketing director, manufacturing manager, and VP of sales for a consumer products division. As an entrepreneur, Goebel operated a microbrewery in the Northwest as co-owner and chief operating officer. He has represented both sellers and purchasers of small and mid-size companies.

Goebel has served on the board of directors of DePaul Treatment Centers and has worked closely on strategy development with Mercy Corps and SOLV. He was also a consultant to the mayor and the Portland Development Commission on economic development initiatives in the 1990s. Goebel’s nonprofit sector experience includes spearheading an international development project for Mercy Corps in Guatemala and serving as COO of DePaul Treatment Centers.

What were your most memorable moments at the law school?

“I was fortunate to be able to attend law school later in life and spend part of my career at Lewis & Clark. Two particular projects that I had the opportunity to help start were the Small Business Legal Clinic in 2006 and the JD/MBA Program with Portland State University in 2016. Because the timing for both projects was ripe, it seems in retrospect that they came together quite easily. Timing is incredibly important in life and I have often said that I would rather be lucky than smart.”

What are you doing now?

“I love living in Bend and retirement is wonderful. As many say, I don’t know how I had time to work.”