Honorary Graduate
The Honorary Graduate Award is given to an individual who, though not a graduate of the Law School, exemplifies support for and commitment to Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College and whose friendship, generosity and leadership profoundly help strengthen the Law School both today and beyond.
Please check back for the nomination to open in Fall 2025!
Patrick Nielson BA ’71 serves as vice chair of the Lewis & Clark Board of Trustees and is also a member of the advisory board for the Bates Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership. Patrick earned his BA degree in political science at Lewis & Clark College, He received his JD from the University of California College of Law, San Francisco and became a partner in an “AV” rated San Francisco law firm. Patrick is currently a business advisor and the principal in his firm, The Law Office of Patrick A. Nielson, P.C., which he established in 2010. Fluent in both Spanish and Portuguese, Patrick has worked with California and Brazilian bioscience and agricultural companies and has served on the boards of directors of companies and nonprofits engaged in food production, renewable energy and real estate.
Past Honorary Graduate Award Recipients
1982: Stephen Kanter
1983: Fred D. Fagg III
Alice Gantenbein Kerbel
Elizabeth J. Lasselle
Thomas H. Tongue
1984: William Swindells, Sr.
Dorothy L. Cornelius
1985: Richardson W. Nahstoll
Edmund O. Belsheim
1986: Robert S. Miller
1987: Hon. Owen M. Panner
1988: Hon. Clifford B. Olsen
1989: Sidney I. Lezak
1990: Hon. Richard L. Unis
1991: George D. Rives
1992: Ronald K. Ragen
1993: B. Ann Kendrick
1994: Hon. Edwin Peterson
1995: Norman J. Wiener
1996: Clifford N. Carlsen, Jr.
1997: Barnes H. Ellis
1998: M. Carr Ferguson
1999: Monte Bricker
2000: Edwin A. Harnden
2001: Dr. Stephen Dow Beckham
Dennis J. Whittlesey
2002: Hon. Ellen F. Rosenblum
2003: Bert T. Kobayashi, Jr.
2004: U.S. Senator Gordon H. Smith
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
2005: Hon. Alex O. Bryner
David S. Case
Russell L. Winner
2006: Paul E. Bragdon
2007: Paul Casey
2008: John and Susan Bates
2009: Honorable Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain
2010: Kay Kitagawa
Andrew Johnson-Laird
2011: Hon. Adrienne C. Nelson
2013: Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
2014: Hon. Michael Simon
2015: Hon. Darleen Ortega
2017: Marilyn Cover
2018: Prof. Doug Newell
2020: Prof. Susan Mandiberg
2022: Dean Emeritus, James Huffman
2023: Professors Amy Bushaw and Henry Drummonds
2024: Edward J. Sullivan
2025: Patrick A. Nielson ’71