The Lane and Multnomah County Bar Associations in partnership with the University of Oregon School of Law, provide summer fellowship opportunities. These unique fellowships are offered in Eugene or Portland, respectively, for a law student who has successfully completed all requirements for the first year (1L) of law school and is in good academic standing.
Although separate programs, the Lane County and Multnomah County Bar Associations collaborate to enhance the experience of all Bar Fellows. The Lane County Bar Association Fellows Program is “designed to address the key goal of diversifying the Oregon bar by recruiting and supporting diverse law students who have a strong commitment to practice law in Oregon.” The Multnomah Bar Fellows Program is designed to foster a “new generation of excellent lawyers who will enhance the diversity of Multnomah County’s legal community.”
More details about the program, and about the Multnomah Bar Association and its commitment to diversity.
Eligibility
Must be an incoming 1L student entering the University of Oregon School of Law.
In order to be competitive for the LCBA or MBA Bar Fellows Program, applicants must:
(1) demonstrate outstanding potential for success in the legal profession
(2) demonstrate a strong commitment to or interest in practicing law in Oregon, and
(3) contribute to the diversity of the Oregon State Bar
"Diversity" is broadly defined, and the selection committee will consider various ways in which applicants have the capacity to diversify the bar.
Award
An LCBA or MBA Fellow receives a merit scholarship of $20,000*. Half of the amount is applied towards tuition in the Fall semester and half is applied in the Spring semester.
In addition to financial support in the first year of law school, the Lane County Bar Association Bar Fellows Program and the Multnomah Bar Fellows Program also provide summer internship opportunities in Eugene or Portland, respectively, as well as mentoring from established practitioners in Eugene/Lane County or Portland/Multnomah County, respectively.
*At the time of admission, every admitted student is evaluated for an Oregon Law Merit Scholarship (OLMS). OLMS amounts vary. The scholarship awarded to an LCBA or MBA Fellow is drawn from the same funding source as an OLMS.
Because the LCBA and MBA Fellow selection process occurs after a student has been admitted, it is possible that a student selected to be an LCBA or MBA Fellow will already possess an OLMS.
In that case, the Admissions Committee will review the original OLMS award to ensure that the Fellow is receiving no less than $20,000. If an OLMS award received by a Fellow is $20,000 or more, the Committee has discretion to provide a modest increase.
How 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. Applications for fellowships are reviewed on a rolling basis until the fellowships are filled. Applications for fellowships may be submitted at the time you submit your application for law school. Finalists for fellowships will be interviewed either on campus or remotely. Admissions will notify you of your selection. All candidates will be notified when the process has been completed.