1L Fellowships
1L Fellows get the opportunity to work alongside business law faculty to organize symposia, plan events, or conduct research pertaining to corporate governance, entrepreneurship, intellectual property and sports law while networking with prominent scholars, attorneys, and business leaders.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants must be preparing to enter their first year in the JD Program at the University of Oregon School of Law. Fellows are selected on the basis of academic merit and demonstrated interest in business law. Preference is given to applicants with a focus on business law.
Award amount:
$5,000 ($2,500 awarded at the beginning of fall semester and $2,500 awarded at the beginning of spring semester.)
1L Fellowship projects
Business Law 1L Fellows work with a faculty advisor to support the Business Law Program’s research, administration, and event planning with respect to one of the following project areas:
Corporate Governance
In the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis, an understanding of the behavior and incentives of corporate America and the major Wall Street banks has perhaps never been so important. At the UO, business law faculty are engaged in a comparative study of how various corporate enterprises – including small and large businesses, hedge funds, and other accumulators of capital – are governed and how legal reform can help prevent future economic calamity.
Employment Law
Much of employment law is implemented by and through employers. In other words, employers change their internal practices to adapt to changing laws. But are employer practices in fact improving outcomes for employees as the law intends?
Entrepreneurship
Small businesses and entrepreneurship lie at the heart of the Northwest economy. Advising and raising capital for these new and growing enterprises can be one of the most important services a business lawyer can provide. Building on our relationship with the UO’s Lundquist College of Business, UO business law faculty are engaged in a variety of endeavors aimed at exploring the unique issues presented by early-stage businesses.
Intellectual Property
Legal protections for “creations of the mind” can help spur innovation and accelerate human creativity. At the UO, business law faculty have undertaken an investigation of our increasingly knowledge-based economy with the aim of balancing innovators’ need for protection with society’s need for access.
Sports Law
Sports law exists at the intersection where multiple legal disciplines meet and impact athletic competition. In conjunction with the UO’s Competition Not Conflict program, business law faculty at the UO – home to Nike, the Ducks, and Steve Prefontaine – seek to use law as a means of empowering athletes, coaches and community members as they strive for physical expression.
Tax
As a society, we rely on the tax code to allocate resources among different sectors of the economy, to create incentives for certain favored activities – including anything from saving for retirement and buying eco-friendly products to investing in new technologies and job creation – and to provide aid for those in need. At the UO, business law faculty study the taxation of businesses and business transactions, estates, and the environment.
Recent Fellowship Supervisors
Mindy Wittkop
Supervising Attorney and Director, Business Law Clinic & Pro Tem Instructor
Ready to Apply?
Applicants to the JD Program may apply by completing a student profile on the University of Oregon Scholarship Dashboard, and then submitting the fellowship application. Fellowship applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and continue until the fellowships are filled. Applications for Fellowships may be submitted at the time you submit your application for law school. All candidates will be notified when the process has been completed.
2L and 3L Fellowships
The Lew and Ann Williams Business Law Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for law students to work with a business law faculty advisor on research and projects involving cutting-edge issues in business law. The number of available Lew and Ann Williams Business Law Fellowships varies from year-to-year. The Business Law Program will offer four Lew and Ann Williams Business Law Fellowships for the 2024–2025 academic year.
Eligibility:
Applicant must be a rising 2L or rising 3L student who has a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in the business law field.
Award amount:
$5,000 ($2,500 tuition scholarship awarded at the beginning of fall semester and $2,500 tuition scholarship awarded at the beginning of spring semester.)
Duration:
One academic year; non-renewable
How to apply:
The 2024-25 application period begins on Monday, March 18, 2024.
To apply for a Business Law Program Fellowship, rising 2Ls and rising 3Ls must submit an application to kgibson@uoregon.edu by Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 5:00pm (Pacific). Applications must include the following:
- Cover letter that discusses the applicant's interests and experience in business law;
- Résumé (including current student leadership roles and/or employment);
- A list of any leadership roles or graduate employment you have accepted for the 2024-25 academic year; and
- Current law school transcript (an unofficial transcript is acceptable)
Please attach the above documents as a single PDF.