Rebecca Kirkpatrick

Brief Background:

I grew up in Southern California and lived in the UK for 10 years. I moved back to the U.S. to attend law school after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade because I wanted to get involved in the fight for reproductive justice and bodily autonomy. My background is in languages; I got my BA in European languages (Spanish, French and Italian) and an MSc in language acquisition and development. Both degrees have ended up being more relevant to my legal education than I anticipated, and it was a relief to find out that not having a legal background does not automatically mean you’re at a disadvantage in law school.

What made you want to go to law school?

I honestly really didn’t want to go to law school. Up until a few years ago, becoming a lawyer was the furthest thing from my mind. But, when I started working at Cultural Survival, an Indigenous rights organization, I saw what a profound effect attorneys could have in the nonprofit space, and I realized that if I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives, that was the way I was going to be able to do it.

Why did you choose Lewis & Clark?

I loved the idea of attending a law school that really centered public interest work, and once I saw the beautiful campus with great big windows overlooking the state park, I was sold. The calm environment in which the school is situated really does help balance out some of the inevitable stress of law school. The icing on the cake was learning that Lewis & Clark had a reproductive justice student org—If/When/How.

What’s your favorite class? Why?

My favorite class so far has been Integrated Evidence and Trial Advocacy, taught by Professors Jo Perini-Abbott and Tyler Francis. Professors Jo and Tyler are wonderful instructors and highly approachable. The class is not easy—I was pushed out of my comfort zone every single week—but it really helped me grow and get more comfortable with public speaking. I was terrified of public speaking when I started law school (and it still makes me incredibly nervous), but this class massively improved my confidence as a potential litigator. And—believe it or not—it was fun!

Tell us about your involvement and leadership with If/When/How. How does this work complement your academic experience?

Getting to be involved with a student organization like If/When/How really helps me remember why I came to law school in the first place. Particularly during 1L year, when you don’t have much (if any) control over which classes you take, it was really helpful to be involved in a group that brought me back to my purpose. It has also been a great way to meet incredible, like-minded people that I now consider friends.

What is your favorite thing about living in Portland?

One of my favorite things about living in Portland is just how wonderfully weird it is. If you’re a quirky kid, then you’ll fit right in! On top of that, Portland’s got some pretty phenomenal food spots—JoJo is one of my personal favorites!

What was the hardest thing about adjusting to law school?

I think for me, one of the hardest things about adjusting to law school was the sheer volume of work/reading. If you don’t have really solid boundaries, law school will take over every aspect of your life. I’m honestly still learning what balance looks like for me, but just know that it’s totally normal to feel like it’s never enough—like you’re never going to tackle everything on your to-do list. Eventually it does get better, and you learn how to wade your way through it all, one step at a time. Just make sure you find ways to take care of yourself, too.