Make a commitment to public service.
Opening doors to justice is integral to the mission of Oregon Law. The Public Law and Policy Program offers rich academic offerings coupled with multiple avenues for practical development of skills, allowing students to chart meaningful career paths. Students interested in public sector, public policy, or public interest legal careers will find a community dedicated to public service with opportunities inside and outside of the classroom.
PLP Concentrations
Legacy of Public Service
The Public Law and Policy Program builds on Oregon Law’s extraordinary legacy of public service. Our alumni continue to serve in Oregon and beyond in elected positions to drive change and serve the public good.
Alumni Highlight — Rose Gibson, JD ‘10
FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION
WASHINGTON, DC
“I am living my dream. As a civil rights prosecutor, I have the distinct privilege of working on behalf of all Americans to protect the rights of some of our most vulnerable community members. Without my UO law degree none of this would be possible.”
Careers
The Public Law and Policy Program prepares graduates to pursue a wide range of careers. As a lawyer, you may work for a public interest nonprofit, represent a government agency, or lead efforts to shape and implement public policy.
Common careers for Public Law and Policy lawyers:
- Government attorney (federal, state, local)
- Career judicial law clerk
- Law school professor
- Legal aid attorney
- Elected official or staff for elected official
- College administrator
- Court administrator
- Policy analyst
- Nonprofit director
- Development professional
- Lobbyist
- Attorney for public interest organization
Academics
Sample of PLP Coursework
FIRST YEAR (1L) (Assigned courses)
SECOND YEAR (2L)
THIRD YEAR (3L)
ADDITIONAL COURSES
Concurrent Degree Options
Public Law & Policy Projects
- Nonprofit Clinic
- Oregon Law Students Public Interest Fund
Practical Experience
Type of available practical experiences
FIRST YEAR (1L)
SECOND YEAR (2L)
THIRD YEAR (3L)
Examples of Recent Field Placements
- Civil Liberties Defense Center
- Portland Metropolitan Public Defender
- Oregon Department of Justice
- Oregon Law Center
- United States Department of the Interior
Professional Development
At Oregon Law, we take your future seriously. As a law student, you will take a required professional development seminar your first year.
You will also receive individualized, tailored professional development coaching from a professional who will guide you to make strong career choices throughout your time at Oregon Law.
Extracurriculars
Annual Events
- Derrick Bell Lecture
- O’Connell Conference
- Public Interest Environmental Law Conference
- Lunch with Leaders Series
Faculty Highlight — Stuart Chinn
ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS; PROFESSOR AND JAMES O. AND ALFRED T. GOODWIN SENIOR FELLOW
Professor Chinn studies constitutional law, legislation, and legal and political history. His book, Recalibrating Reform: The Limits Of Political Change was published by Cambridge University Press in 2014. Additionally, Chinn has published in peer-reviewed venues such as the University of Chicago Press, Law & Social Inquiry, and Polity. He has also published in law reviews such as the Maryland Law Review, Utah Law Review, and the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law.
Chinn currently conducts research that examines competing conceptions of legal impartiality.