Dear Alumni and Friends:
Hello from an unbelievably beautiful spring in Eugene! As it is my first spring here, I was surprised by the lush emerald green and the colors of the azaleas, cherry blossoms, and tulips. It reminded me a little of my home state of North Carolina.
The vibrancy doesn’t stop at the flowers, though. The law school has been alive with town halls, lectures, events, award ceremonies, finals and preparation for Commencement 2018. We are proud to announce that the Honorable Justice Adrienne Nelson will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Commencement, May 19, 2018, at 1:00 pm at the Matthew Knight Arena. Please join us for this celebration.
Oregon Law Graduates First in State!
I wanted to share some promising news with you from the ABA Employment Summary for 2017 graduates. More than 86% of our 2017 class is employed, which is up 9% over last year's numbers. This achievement places us at the top among law schools in the state and second among all law schools in the Pacific Northwest. Of those graduates employed, 70% are employed in full-time positions requiring bar passage or in positions for which having a JD is an advantage.
Contributing to the success of our graduates is the increased focus and engagement of our Career Center team with employers. We are always looking for ways to connect alumni and employers with our students. I know that many of you have already met with Rebecca Ivanoff, JD, Assistant Dean for Career Planning and Professional Development. She looks forward to cultivating existing connections and to developing new ones. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Dean Ivanoff and her team if you are interested in helping our students.
Tops in Oregon Bar Passage Two Years Running
University of Oregon Law is #1 in Oregon for its bar passage for two years running. Even though our students have the top bar passage rate in Oregon for the past two years, we are not resting on our laurels. We continue to increase our efforts to help our students prepare for and pass the bar exam on the first attempt.
Moving Forward
As we head into the summer, we’re reviewing strategic proposals as submitted by faculty and staff as to how to improve. As always, we look forward to hearing input from alumni and friends for the future of Oregon Law.
Go Ducks!
Marcilynn A. Burke Dean and Dave Frohnmayer Chair in Leadership and Law