Distinguished Graduate
Each year, the Law School honors an outstanding alumnus whose achievements in their profession and their community brings distinction to Lewis & Clark. These alumni are people who value and serve the law school and represent the values of Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College, its faculty, students and alumni.
Past recipients include judges, legislators, community advocates and attorneys of excellence. Recipients are selected by the Alumni Board of Directors, based on nominations from faculty and alumni.
Please look for the nomination form starting in Fall 2025!
Past Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients
1973: Hon. Phillip J. Roth ’48
1974: Nels Peterson ’39
1975: Keith Burns ’58
1976: Wendell Gray ’34
1977: no award given
1978: John D. Ryan ’50
1979: Gen. Chester E. McCarty ’29
1980: Hon. Jean L. Lewis ’38
1981: Lester W. Spillane ’37
1982: Hon. Ralph L. Holman ’37
1983: Jack L. Kennedy ’51
1984: Moe M. Tonkon ’28
1985: Hon. Robert E. Jones ’53
1986: Hon. Charles S. Crookham ’51
1987: Lofton L. Tatum ’42
1988: Hon. Betty Roberts ’66
1989: Bernard Jolles ’61
1990: Hon. Herbert M. Schwab ’39
1991: Neva M. Elliott ’35
1992: Hon. Mercedes F. Deiz ’59
1993: Hon. Julie E. Frantz ’75
1994: Joyce Ann Harpole ’79
1995: Walter J. Cosgrave ’47
1996: Duane Vergeer ’35
1997: Charles P. A. Paulson ’58
1998: Hon. Garr M. King ’63
1999: Garry L. Kahn ’62
2000: Hon. Anna J. Brown ’80
2001: Hon. Roosevelt Robinson ’76
2002: Mark G. Tratos ’79
2003: Congressman Earl Blumenauer ’76
2004: Thomas C. Sand ’77
2005: Katherine Huff O’Neil ’77
2006: Hon. Henry Kantor ’79
2007: Stella Manabe ’92
2008: M. Christie (Chris) Helmer ’74
2009: Matthew P. Bergman ’89
2010: Hon. Jack Landau ’80
2012: Charles S. Tauman ’77
Nancy S. Tauman ’78
2013: Sandra A. Hansberger ’82
2014: Hon. Michael McShane ’88
2015: Margaret D. Kirkpatrick ’82
2016: Governor Kate Brown ’85
Associate Dean Martha Spence ’84
2017: Dan Harmon ’85
2018: Betsy Johnson ’77
2019: Judith Johansen ’83
Stephen Manning ’01
2020: Alan Merkle ’82
2022: Roman D. Hernandez ’00
2023: Rex A. Malott ’73 L’76
2024: Ying Chen PhD ’95
2025: Richard “Dick” Maizels ’66