Clinics and Practical Skills
While many business law classes at Lewis & Clark offer students simulated real-life experiences, those interested in learning in a practice environment have a wide array of choices. Students can choose from some of the following popular practical skills offerings at Lewis & Clark:
Clinics
The Law School provides clinical opportunities for students that offer hands-on practical experiences with real clients. These are classes that give credit for an “in-class” component combined with outside work “in the field.” You not only attend a weekly clinical class but spend several hours each week working under the guidance of an experienced, practicing attorney.
- The Small Business Legal Clinic: Located downtown, this innovative transactional business law clinic offers students the opportunity to work directly with small, low-income, women and minority-owned businesses. Under the direction of an experienced clinical law professor, students draft contracts, review leases, work on intellectual property issues, form businesses, draft employment agreements and policies, and much more.
- The Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic With the guidance of Professor Sarah Lora, past attorney at Legal Aid Services of Oregon and the Farmworker Program, students represent clients in individual cases before the IRS, and work on myriad tax issues.
Externships
Lewis & Clark Law School offers students the opportunity to earn academic credits for a carefully supervised, well-crafted work experience. The expectation is that students will be given a meaningful work experience, with a focus on student learning, in a field of law or work that enhances and builds on their classroom experience. For students interested in intense experiential learning, an externship can be an exciting and enlightening opportunity. Business law students have externed for a variety of employers from large companies like Adidas and ClearSlide to and small, medium, and large private firms.
Moot Court and Legal Competitions
Students are able to enroll in courses that hone trial, persuasive writing and litigation skills through moot court, mock trial, and other competitions. Those interested in business law should consider the following opportunities: