Spearheaded at the University of Oregon School of Law by Assistant Dean for the Career Center Rebekah Hanley and Associate Director for Development Jessica Merkner, Oregon Law is sending a corps of runners and post-race volunteers to participate in the yearly event that helps the clinic continue to provide legal services for low income individuals throughout Oregon.

St. Andrew Legal Clinic (SALC) has been providing legal services to low income people with family law needs since 1979. With three office locations, clinic attorneys help families in four Oregon counties. SALC has a staff of 16 full-time attorneys, and with the aid of more than 200 volunteers, has provided legal help to more than 48,000 people since its inception.

Learn more about the Race for Justice at http://salc.givezooks.com/.

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The Honorable Eveleen Henry '85 received the Distinguished Service Award. The award honors an individual who has provided extraordinary service to the legal profession and the people of Lane County. Judge Henry has served on the Lane County Circuit Court bench since 1995 and is currently the Juvenile Court Judge. Judge Henry worked at Oregon Law for several years before deciding to become a student. Following her matriculation at Oregon Law, she practiced workers' compensation law before being appointed to the bench. Judge Henry sits on the boards of directors for Food for Lane County and the Oregon Breast Cancer Coalition.

Frank C. Gibson '79 received the Joseph M. Kosydar Award for Professionalism. Established in memory of a long-time Lane County deputy district attorney who passed away in 1997, the award honors the professionalism and civility exemplified by Kosydar. Gibson is the president and managing shareholder for the Eugene law firm Hutchinson, Cox, Coons, Orr & Sherlock P.C.

Lynn Shepard '79 received the Andrew Clement Pro Bono Award. The award honors an individual who has provided exceptional service to persons of limited means. Shephard, of Shepard Law Offices in Eugene, is a member of the boards for numerous nonprofits, including: Lane County Law and Advocacy, Halfway House Services, Community Mediation Services, and the Advisory Board for Lane County Family Mediation.

Congratulations to these three very deserving Oregon Law alumni.

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"If you're not getting hurt, you're probably not training hard enough," Pawelek said. 

Mixed Martial Arts fighting, or MMA fighting, is a full-contact sport that incorporates grappling and striking techniques spanning multiple martial arts forms, including Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Muay Thai and amateur wrestling. Pawelek trains six days a week, in addition to being a full-time student. She was drawn to the sport because of the supportive community, the physical closeness of the sport and because MMA allows her to become a jack-of-all-trades rather than the master of a specific form.

"It's one of the most intimate sports," Pawelek said. "There's no ball you're going after—you're literally going after another person."

Even more unusual, Pawelek applied for and was accepted as a joint degree student with the Conflict and Dispute Resolution Master's program (CRES), focusing on environmental law. For Pawelek, MMA fighting and CRES go hand-in-hand. Both are about resolving conflict; it's just that one takes place at the negotiating table while the other takes place on a gym mat.

Pawelek, originally from Highland Park, Illinois, first encountered fighting six years ago while she was an undergraduate studying English at Carleton College. She had been training for a body building competition when she met a professor who engaged her in a philosophical conversation about the art of boxing. The conversation stayed with her, and she later learned boxing from that coach who also became her mentor. One year later she founded the Carleton Boxing Club. She also picked up parkour, and from there developed her fighting nickname: "Panther."

It took several years for Pawelek to work up to MMA fighting because she had to learn and draw on a variety of martial arts and wrestling techniques. After graduating from Carleton College with a bachelor's degree in English, Pawelek lived in Costa Rica for almost a year. There she started an outdoor martial arts gym near the ocean with a Serbian kickboxer. After she returned to the U.S., she journeyed to Montana, where she began training for MMA fights out of the Dog Pound, a local warehouse-turned-gym that was started by University of Oregon graduate Matt Powers.

Pawelek describes the gym as something out of the movie Fight Club.

"You would just show up and fight," she said. "Our coach, Matt, spent a lot of time developing the fighters on the team into top competitors. It was like a family."

Pawelek chose to attend Oregon Law to open up further career opportunities. Specifically, she wanted to study environmental law and knew the school had a strong environmental program. Pawelek had an interest in outdoor activities like hiking and fly fishing, making Oregon Law, nestled in scenic Eugene, an ideal choice. In 2012 she enrolled in the school.

Assistant Professor Jen Reynolds, who is also associate director for the Appropriate Dispute Resolution Program, recently hired Pawelek to help her create an "orientation boot camp" that combines physical and mental training for incoming 1Ls. Through the boot camp, Reynolds wants to prepare first-year students for the level of physical and mental acuity law school demands.

"Law school does require a certain level of mental fitness and discipline, not to mention physical stamina, and matching good study habits with physical exercise seemed like a great idea for our students," said Reynolds. "Not only does [Pawelek] train people (many of them lawyers) at the gym, she understands how law school works and how important the mind-body connection is."

Reynolds was the force that encouraged Pawelek to train for an upcoming MMA fight in the summer rather than apply for externships. With MMA fighting, a fighter's body can withstand physical impact only so long before it succumbs to injury and develops long-term health problems. Reynolds knew that Pawelek only had a small window of time to compete in MMA fights, and encouraged her to take a summer to pursue her passion while her schedule was still flexible.

Pawelek won two fights this past spring—a Jiu-Jitsu tournament, and an MMA match. She says that training and fighting helps her focus on schoolwork.

"Hobbies refresh you and make your study time more productive," said Pawelek.

When summer ends, Pawelek will trade in MMA for her true love: Jiu-Jitsu. For a little over a year she's trained in Jiu-Jitsu at Northwest Martial Arts in Eugene, Oregon. Pawelek says that in Jiu-Jitsu, it's easier for smaller fighters like her to beat larger fighters based on technique. In addition, while MMA can be hard on a fighter's body, Jiu-Jitsu is gentler and a therefore a better long-term option.

"In the professional world you can't come to work with black eyes and scratches," Pawelek said.

In her spare time, Pawelek works as a part-time personal trainer at the Downtown Athletic Club, and spends time with her boyfriend, another Jiu-Jitsu fighter whom she met in Montana. "Some of my classmates make fun of me," Pawelek said. "I come to class and when it's over I teleport out." Despite her busy schedule, she manages to successfully juggle training, fights, schoolwork, her job and her personal life.

"School is the best time to practice a hobby because you have a flexible schedule," said Pawelek.

Upon graduating from Oregon Law, Pawelek would like to apply her degree to resolving environmental conflicts. But until then, she'll balance her studies in conflict resolution with time in the ring.

"There's no better feeling than winning the fight," she said.

The post ‘There’s no better feeling than winning the fight’ appeared first on Oregon Law.

Mary Thompson ’02

Her latest novel, Escape from the Pipe Men!, will be out in stores on June 11, 2013. The YA science fiction novel tells the story of Ryan Hawthorn, an adolescent on display as a human exhibit in an intergalactic zoo who must search the universe for an antidote when his father is poisoned. Both of her books are available on Amazon, McNally Jackson, Mysterious Galaxy, IndieBound, Barnes and Noble and Powell's Books.

After receiving her undergraduate degree from Boston University, Thompson returned to Eugene, where she grew up. She was drawn to the intellectual side of law school, and knew Oregon Law had a good reputation. Applying to Oregon Law became in her words "a no brainer."

While in law school, Thompson transitioned from writing poetry to novel writing. Her classes pushed her to become interested in creating longer, more coherent works.

"Law school teaches you how to analyze information and create art out of it," said Thompson.

When she was in her second year at Oregon Law, she joined the Navy, and upon graduating from Oregon with her J.D. in 2002 she became a "lawyer in uniform," doing prosecution and defense work for the military. She enjoyed the job because it gave her the opportunity to work on cases immediately. After five years working as a military attorney, Thompson moved to San Diego and began practicing civil litigation at a small consumer firm. The job gave her time to work on her "after hours" writing, but after two years she knew she wanted to pursue writing full-time. She moved to New York and enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts writing program at the The New School. In 2012, she received her MFA, with a focus on writing for children.

"When you want to write, all of a sudden you desperately need to do it," said Thompson. "The more I wrote, the more important it became to me."

Thompson approaches her novels by starting with a broad idea – she then thinks ahead by a couple of chapters as she writes. She values the way law school and legal work have shaped her thought processes and writing, and advises students interested in pursuing a writing career to find the time to write, even if they feel too busy.

"It seems hard, but if you really want to you can," Thompson said.

The post Mary Thompson ’02 to release second young adult science fiction novel appeared first on Oregon Law.

The School of Law will welcome Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson as the 2013 keynote speaker. Abrahamson was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1976, and was the only woman to serve on the court. Prior to serving the Wisconsin court system, she was a professor at the University of Washington School of Law and worked in private practice for 14 years. 

Adam Schulz, who will serve as the 2013 J.D. class speaker, is a Eugene native and graduate of South Eugene High School. He is a member of the Oregon Law Review's managing board and served as symposium editor for the recently completed and successful "A Step Forward: Creating a Just Drug Policy for the United States." Shulz plans to pursue a career in tax, estate planning and family law, and in the future, may run for office in Oregon.

The Honorable David Schuman '84, of the Oregon Court of Appeals, will receive the law school's 2013 Meritorious Service Award, an honor bestowed annually "to a person or persons who have made extraordinary contributions to legal education and the law." Schuman’s influence has made a salient impact on Oregon Law. Prior to attending Oregon Law in 1981, Schuman had a background in education, teaching college English for 13 years. Upon graduating from Oregon Law in 1984, Schuman clerked for now-retired Oregon Supreme Court Justice Hans Linde for a year before practicing law as assistant attorney general in the Appellate Division of the Oregon Department of Justice, and later as deputy attorney general within the same division. In 2001, Schuman became an appeals judge for the state, a position he has occupied for 12 years.

Professor Mohsen Manesh, an Oregon Law assistant professor teaching contracts, business association and corporate governance, is the recipient of the 2013 Orlando J. Hollis Teaching Award during commencement exercises. The Hollis Award is the law school's highest teaching honor.

This year's commencement marshal is James Mooney, the Wallace & Ellen Kaapcke Professor Emeritus of Business Law. Mooney is an authority on and has written extensively about American legal history and contract law. Professor Mooney is also a beloved teacher with a loyal following among current and former students.

Oregon Law will also welcome dignitaries from across the country who will join in the commencement festivities including Oregon Court of Appeals Judge Darleen Ortega, Representative Gail Whitsett, Senator Doug Whitsett and Representative Phil Barnhart.

For additional information on the University of Oregon School of Law commencement ceremony, visit law.uoregon.edu/studentaffairs/studentlife/commencement/.

The post Commencement exercises are May 18 appeared first on Oregon Law.

Ben, Abby, and Georgina are coming to a town near you

The trip, which takes the three spirited wayfarers through Oregon and California, is designed to bring Oregon Law to prospective students and alumni right in their own neck of the woods.

A complete trip itinerary, along with brief bio statements on each student, is available at law.uoregon.edu/ontheroad/.

Oregon Law will host an official "send-off" at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, May 14, at the main entrance to the Knight Law Center, 1515 Agate Street, Eugene. Media are invited to attend.

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Professor Erik Girvan

Girvan’s team will use this funding to work on their project, called “PRIDE: Positive and Restorative Investment in Discipline Reform in Education.” PRIDE will test the use of restorative justice concepts and practices to reduce or eliminate racial disproportionality in school discipline decisions. Other members of the team include: Jeffrey Sprague, Director of the College of Education and Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior; John A. Inglish, Director of Technical Assistance and Consulting Services; and Claudia G. Vincent, Research Assistant for the Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior. The team received $48,499 from I3 to launch their project. The award furnishes twelve months of funding.

Over the next year, the PRIDE research team will design and pilot test the project before applying for a much larger grant in order to scale up their test.

“If successful, the intervention could provide a way to help remedy a problem linked to racial disparities in the juvenile justice and prison systems as well the achievement gap," said Girvan.

Girvan teaches courses on civil procedure, legal remedies and race and gender bias and the law. Before coming to Oregon Law, he practiced complex commercial litigation at Faegre & Benson LLP (now Faegre Baker Daniels LLP) for seven years. During that time, he litigated over 100 cases involving consumer protection statutes, financial services contracts, business torts, corporate governance and insurance coverage in jurisdictions across the country. He earned his J.D. at Harvard Law School and his Ph.D. in Social and Political Psychology at the University of Minnesota. While in law school he served as an editor of the Harvard Human Rights Journal, a mediator and advanced training director for the Harvard Mediation Program and a student advocate representing low-income clients in housing court.

The post Assistant Professor Erik Girvan Wins Research Award appeared first on Oregon Law.

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The first awardee, Kala Bernhardt, was described by a classmate as “the epitome of an entrepreneur:"

“[Kala’s] passion and intelligence have gotten her through law school, earned her a job at KPMG, and (last, but most definitely not least) made her a fantastic mother. In whatever she does, she makes the Law and Entrepreneurship department proud and will continue to do so for the remainder of her professional life.”

Kala came to Oregon Law because she wanted to be part of a community and wanted to pursue her passion for building a more sustainable type of business law. While in school, she worked closely on two events for the Law and Entrepreneurship Student Association (LESA), the Law of Beer and the Law of Wine, and since then has made steps to start her own wine-based company.

The second award winner, William “Brent” Hamilton, was described by a classmate as an “incredibly hard worker who demonstrates an admirable sincerity and intellectual curiosity.”

Brent acquired his MBA prior to law school; since beginning law school, he has pursued coursework at the UO, participated in LESA and the Small Business Clinic, and worked in the Technology Entrepreneurship Program and in contract litigation at the Oregon Department of Justice, all with the singular goal of advising small businesses.

Each Outstanding Student in Law and Entrepreneurship will receive a cash award of $100. Congratulations to each winner!

The post Outstanding Students in Law and Entrepreneurship Announced appeared first on Oregon Law.

“You don’t grasp it until you talk with people,” said Doss. “It dawns on you that, “Hey, this is a really neat career.” 

Darrell Doss pictured with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Doss didn’t always envision himself working in the realm of politics. Although he’s held an interest in the stock market throughout his life, he initially wanted to become an international lawyer dealing in foreign affairs. In college, Doss studied abroad in France, and later started a small business while still at Oregon Law in 1994 selling an educational tool for foreign students. But as he progressed through his academic and professional career, he was pulled inexorably back toward his Chicago roots in the political sphere, and found himself living and working in Washington, D.C. It’s a decision he hasn’t regretted.

Doss grew up in Chicago’s Southside and earned his B.A. at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, where he served on the Student Affairs Advisory Committee. He then did peace-justice work with the American Friends Service Committee, where he met two folks from Oregon Law who said good things about the school. He decided to become a Law Duck and joined the school’s Black Law Student Association. He was part of an international moot court program, and became one of the first students to participate in Oregon Law’s business certification program. Professors Nancy Shurtz, Margie Paris, Dom Vetri, Ibrahim Gassama and former professors Garrett Epps, Steve Bender and Laird Kirkpatrick were large influences on Doss’ academic career. He still calls his professors to catch up and discuss current legal matters.

After graduating from Oregon Law in 1995, Doss went on to earn his LL.M. in Taxation at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle. In 2008, he won the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division scholarship, which is offered to encourage the participation of minority, government, military service, private sector and solo or small firm attorneys in the Young Lawyer’s Division of the ABA. Following his LL.M., he earned a prestigious Congressional Black Caucus Fellowship where he served with the Honorable Carol-Moseley-Braun, the first African-American woman elected to the United States Senate, working on her Senate Finance Committee issues, and later worked for The Honorable Judge Gibson in the U.S. Court of Claims.

Before serving under Rep. Jackson Lee, Doss had provided tax counsel to the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, former chair of The U.S. Congress’ Ethics Committee, doing her Ways and Means Committee work. Jones passed away unexpectedly in 2008, and with no employer, Doss’ job disappeared, but not his moxie. Death, scandal and a new election cycle can all end a career on Capitol Hill, but with his talent and experience Doss was able to bounce back and now serves in his current position as counsel for Rep. Jackson Lee. Doss also served as Counsel in the Senate for Mark Udall of Colorado before going on to serve a brief hitch as tax counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Recently, Doss penned an article for the Maryland State Bar's TaxTalk Publication, titled “The Implications of the Fiscal Cliff”. Doss has an interest in constitutional law and securities regulation, but mostly prefers the vagaries of taxation. And in an effort to keep abreast, he is now working on an ABA Draft Comment Letter on Ways and Means committee Chair Dave Camp’s Derivative Taxation Proposal.

Doss’ days as counsel to a U.S. representative are as busy as they are varied. A typical day might include participating in a tax reform conference, attending a Supreme Court case on voting rights and analyzing how the ruling might affect the economy, interacting with community organizers and talking with reporters. When Doss does find a moment to spare, he plays tennis, studies Chinese (he speaks French and Japanese) and volunteers with nonprofit organizations. In 2012, he helped organize a tennis tournament to raise money for Arts For The Aging (AFTA), an organization that promotes healthy aging. Doss is currently an AFTA board member, and has also served on the Young Professional’s group, Gen-O, for the Washington National Opera, where he has been known to enjoy a deeply-discounted opera ticket.

For law students seeking to cut their teeth in Washington, D.C., Doss advises that students apply for internships on Capitol Hill or in a local legislature early on during their academic studies. He also suggests students learn the lay of the land by reading the newspaper to keep pace with what’s happening in Washington, and the other world capitals, particularly since it’s much easier to read six or seven newspapers a day when most are online. Finally, he tells students to “be persistent.” Students looking for work or internships may need to approach ten representatives’ or senators' offices before they find an open position they can fill.

“It can be a fickle place and stern environment but it is one of the few jobs you will find high-salaried attorneys leaving their lucrative white-shoe practices to work in cubicles next to 19-year-old interns,” said Doss.

Doss notes that the work is demanding and intense, but incredibly rewarding for those with the intellectual stamina to manage such legislation as the Dodd-Frank, the Affordable Care Act or inscrutable Congressional budget resolutions.

“There are 535 members of Congress,” says Doss. “Just keep going down the line.”

Doss would like to own a small sustainable working ranch in the future, but for now he wakes up every day ready to, as he puts it, “bite the a— off of a bear, legally speaking.”

Like Doss, students should be tenacious, ambitious and flexible when searching for jobs. Those who succeed can join Doss in captaining a thrilling and fruitful career in a world where every day is unlike the last.

The post Darrell Rico Doss ’95 Conquers Capitol Hill appeared first on Oregon Law.