Oregon Law’s LRW Program and Dean Marcilynn Burke invite you to join us June 9-10, 2020, for Synergies & Scholarship, an innovative works-in-progress conference designed to help advance your scholarly agenda, no matter where you are in your career or writing process.

This is not a conference that invites participants to sit back and passively consume information. In order to help push your scholarly agenda forward, we have intentionally structured an experience that actively engages attendees in

• the rigorous exploration of ideas in a welcoming and collegial atmosphere;

• the provision of early and generous feedback and research support; and

• unstructured group activities designed to uncover scholarly synergies, catalyze new thinking, and develop authentic connections to your national colleagues.

Who is this scholarship conference for?

• LRW scholars who have recently completed a draft and could benefit from thoughtful peer review or fresh perspectives

• Those who are in the middle of the writing process and looking for new opportunities to advance their idea or expand the scope of their project

• Faculty who are brainstorming an idea and would like to investigate possible avenues of inquiry

• New LRW faculty who want to develop a scholarly agenda but are not quite sure where to begin

What is the conference format?

Synergies & Scholarship is a two-day conference that will take place at the University of Oregon School of Law and at various locations throughout the Eugene community.

The focus of our conference is on advancing your scholarly agenda through group discussions and workshopping. Because we aim to support scholars at varying stages of the writing process, attendees will be divided into three groups that will connect them to colleagues who are in a similar stage of development. You'll also meet research experts and mentors who can help to advance your project, including, among others, Oregon Law LRW faculty, the exceptional team of Oregon Law research librarians, and superstar mentors

• Anne Mullins, Stetson University Professor of Law and current president of the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD),
• David R. Cleveland, Dean at Valparaiso University Law School,
• Linda Berger, UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law Professor Emeritus and former Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Research,
• Susan Duncan, Dean at University of Mississippi School of Law, and
• Michael Hunter Schwartz, Dean at University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law.

Because we know that some of the most profound insights, engaging discussions, and valuable feedback occur in the less structured moments of a conference, we’ve built in time for colleagues to connect and scholarly synergies to organically emerge. You will have the opportunity to choose between several group outings designed to animate discourse by moving peer discussion into unconventional settings. These experiences will also offer the chance to expand your network of national colleagues as you explore Eugene’s celebrated arts and outdoors culture! Group outing options may include

Featured Plenary Speaker

Carla D. Pratt, Dean, Washburn University School of Law

Prior to joining Washburn Law, Dean Pratt served as Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at Penn State's Dickinson School of Law where she was the Nancy J. LaMont Faculty Scholar and Professor of Law. Dean Pratt engages in scholarship examining racial diversity in law school and the legal profession. 

What is the conference schedule?

The tentative conference schedule is as follows. 

Monday, June 8:

• 6:00pm: Informal, no-host reception at the conference hotel’s SkyBar.

Tuesday, June 9:

• 8:00am-9:00am: Check-in and hosted breakfast at the law school.
• 9:30am-11:30am: Morning discussion groups and workshops. (Locations TBA.)
• 12:00pm: Plenary lunch featuring guest speaker Dean Carla Pratt of Washburn University School of Law.
• 1:30pm-4:30pm: Unstructured group outings to various locations in Eugene and on the UO campus.
• 5:00pm: Hosted dinner at the law school.

Wednesday, June 10:

• 8:00am-9:00am: Hosted breakfast at the law school.
• 9:30am-11:30am: Morning discussion groups and workshops.
• 12:00pm: Hosted lunch at the law school and final thoughts and thanks. The conference will end mid-afternoon.

Is there a conference fee?

Demonstrating a strong commitment both to scholarly excellence and the advancement of the legal writing discipline, Dean Marcilynn Burke has made every effort to reduce financial barriers to conference participation.

To ensure this opportunity as inclusive and equitable as possible,

• registration for Synergies & Scholarship is free;

• all meals (breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner on June 9 and breakfast and lunch on June 10) are included;

• travel stipends are available to offset costs for those with limited or no access to travel funds;

• van transportation to/from community-based group outing locations will be provided at no cost to participants; and

• we have negotiated a rate of just $129/night with the conference hotel, Hyatt Place Eugene. (Hyatt Place offers free transportation from/to the Eugene Airport and the law school. For those who are arriving by car, the Hyatt Place also offers free parking.)

Given our desire to provide an affordable and comprehensive experience to all attendees, conference capacity may be capped. To ensure your spot, please register as early as possible using the link provided below.

Registration

Travel Stipends

The University of Oregon School of Law recognizes that, for some LRW faculty, travel funds and research support are limited or altogether unavailable. To promote equitable access to professional development opportunities and support and engage colleagues who have valuable contributions to make but limited resources, we are offering travel stipends to help offset the cost of attending.

Conference Location

University of Oregon is located in Eugene, Oregon. The closest airport is the Eugene Airport (EUG), which is about 12.5 miles away.

The conference hotel, Hyatt Place Eugene, provides complimentary airport shuttle service to the hotel. Please call 541-343-9333 when you land to request your shuttle. Taxi, Lyft, and Uber transportation from the airport to the conference hotel are also available at a cost of approximately $25 each way.

Accommodations

University of Oregon has negotiated an excellent rate with our conference hotel, the Hyatt Place Eugene. The Synergies & Scholarship Conference nightly rate is $129/night (plus tax). The rate is valid Monday, June 8-Wednesday, June 10.

•  High-speed internet
•  Full, hot breakfast
•  Transportation to/from Eugene Airport (EUG)
•  Self-parking
•  Shuttle transportation to/from University of Oregon School of Law

Program

A conference program will be made available soon.

Contact Us

For questions, please contact:

Barbi McLain

Professor Elizabeth Ruiz Frost

Thank You to our Event Sponsor