At Oregon Law, students will find multiple opportunities to engage in public policy research. The Oregon Law Commission and faculty members working on critical issues often hire students to assist with their research. In addition, student fellows engage in self-directed research.
Public Law and Policy Program Fellows spend the year working on a self-selected policy research.
PLP Fellows participate in an end-of-year Policy Roundtable during which students present white papers to policy influencers.
Recent fellows’ proposals have included proposals to change the law related to dischargeability of student loans in bankruptcy, to modify city codes to permit alternative voting methods for City Council elections, and to change state law regarding professional licensing to protect immigrants’ rights.
The Hans Linde Fellowship supports student research at the intersection of law and policy.
For example, in 2018-19, the Hans Linde Fellow tackled the topic of managing environmental impacts of Arctic cruise tourism. The research resulted in a published law review comment, Unicorns of the Sea: Narwhals and Arctic Cruise Ship Tourism, 20 Or. Rev. Int'l L. 583 (2019).