Awards and Scholarships

Animal Law Award

This award is given annually, when merited, to a graduating student or students who has demonstrated leadership in the animal law field, and who has earned the respect of peers and faculty for his or her commitment to advancing the field of animal law.

Bernard F. O’Rourke Award

The Bernard F. O’ Rourke Award is presented to a graduating student or students to recognize outstanding written scholarship in the environmental/natural resources field during law school.

Factors used by the natural resources faculty to make the selection may vary each year, but generally include: (1) quality of research and writing; (2) originality of research; (3) number of papers produced; and (4) whether paper was or will be published. Note that papers need not be published to be considered. Faculty may nominate papers that were not published so long as those papers are complete by spring break of the year in which the student plans to graduate.

The award is a certificate and a cash award of $100.00.

This award, originally called the Natural Resources Award, has been given since 1974. In 1978, the award was renamed in honor of Bernard F. O’ Rourke, a gifted and enthusiastic law student who died during his last year of law school.

Cornelius Honor Society

Members are selected from the graduating class by the faculty and staff on the basis of superior scholarship, leadership, and contribution to the law school community.

Evening Student Award

In honor of the law school’s tradition of offering a night program to those students who wish to work while in law school, the Evening Student Award is conferred upon the graduating student who has the highest grade point average among those who have attended the evening program for four full years.

The Jeffrey Jones Memorial Tribute Fund

The Jeffrey Jones Tribute Fund was created in 2021 to honor the memory of beloved Professor Jeffrey Jones. It is awarded annually to a student who has made an outstanding contribution while in law school to further social justice, including but not limited to racial justice and access to justice in general.

Justice Robert E. Jones Award

For distinction in the trial advocacy class, the Justice Robert E. Jones Award is presented each year to those students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and promise in courtroom performance.

Law Review Excellence Award

The Law Review Excellence Award is awarded to a senior member of Environmental Law who has made a positive contribution to the Law Review as demonstrated by hard work, and superior writing or editing abilities. Selection is made by a vote of all senior members of the Law Review. The Award consists of the recipient’s name engraved on a plaque inside the Law Review offices. The Law Review Excellence Award is sponsored by Environmental Law.

Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Law Leadership Award

This award is presented each year to a graduating student or students who, over the course of their studies at Lewis & Clark Law School, have made significant contributions to the school’s environmental, natural resources and energy law program. The faculty selects the recipient or recipients on the basis of breadth and quality of work in environmental law, both inside and outside the classroom; commitment to supporting and strengthening Lewis and Clark’s environmental, natural resources, and energy law program, as well as its student groups and initiatives; and ability to inspire others. A cash award is included.

Pro Bono Honors Program

The program recognizes law students who complete at least 30 hours of volunteer, non-for-credit and not-for compensation work during the year with a public interest or nonprofit organization or a government office.

Williamson Public Interest Environmental Law Award

Professor Bill Williamson played a leading role in the Environmental Law Program and the Northwest Environmental Defense Center. The Williamson Award is given by the Lewis & Clark Law School Environmental Alumni Association to recognize a graduate who has demonstrated commitment, vision, leadership, and creativity in the field of public interest environmental law and who plans to continue in this work after law school.

Student Scholarships

In-house scholarships for current students and scholarships available for outside sources are found at this website.

Faculty Honors Leo Levenson Award

For excellence in teaching, the Leo Levenson Award is presented annually by the graduating class. Voting is restricted to the graduating class and the balloting normally tales place toward the end of the spring semester. A plaque listing each year’s honoree is at the entrance near the switchboard.