Double Duck Weston McClain 2L, has been named as the recipient of the 2021-22 Hans Linde Fellowship. He earned his BS in History from the University of Oregon in 2019, along with a premed emphasis and minor in Latin, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with presidential honors.
The Hans Linde Fellowship was established in 2012 for those who are passionate about the intersection of public policy and law and wish to write about research pertaining to this topic.
McClain chose to pursue law school because of his passion for public service and helping others. He was born and raised in the Eugene area and knew the fellowship would be a way to give back to the community he cared about. As a current student in Professor Susan Gary’s Nonprofit Organizations class, McClain has been able to connect his experience of serving on the Board of Directors at FOOD For Lane County to direct learning about nonprofit governance. He aspires to help lead a nonprofit that expands access to healthcare through the intersections of law, policy, and medicine.
Over the past year, McClain has served as the Executive Editor on the Managing Board of the Oregon Review of International Law. He’s had the opportunity to work with a team of staff editors, improve his writing, and further develop communication and leadership skills.
In addition to being a law student, McClain shares just a few of his extracurriculars that have influenced the path of his future law career:
“Last year, I was elected to the Board of Directors of FOOD For Lane County. This has been an incredible opportunity to live out my commitment to public service. I first learned about produce prescriptions while volunteering with FFLC. I was thankful to find a research area that brings together my interests in law, policy, healthcare, and food. I have also run a sustainable farm for the last twelve years. During my undergrad, I was raising up to 150 sheep and goats annually on leased land. During law school, I have less free time, but I still enjoy raising a small flock of about thirty Clun Forest Sheep. When I was twelve years old, I started my first business. I now co-run the business and sell agricultural equipment. This business background has been very helpful in my business law classes.”
As the Hans Linde Fellow, McClain will present a publishable piece on the expansion of preventative medicine within Medicare and Medicaid later this month. Specifically, the inclusion of provisions allowing doctors to prescribe fresh fruits and vegetables.
The Hans Linde Fellowship is offered to 1st, 2nd, 3rd year, and LLM students who actively show interest in public policy and law. There is a $4,000 award, with $2,000 provided both fall and spring term. This process is overseen by the Oregon Law Public Policy Program.
To apply, students must write a 700-word essay focusing on the intersection of public policy and law. Additionally, it must pertain to legal rules in real world social contexts, and how they can be shaped through a variety of institutions. While enlisted in the fellowship, the fellow must engage in the completion of a 25-page research paper as well as present an informal seminar on such paper.
Hans Linde was a former professor at the University of Oregon Law school and Wayne Morse Chair of Law and Politics. He also served in the prestigious position as a justice of the Oregon Supreme Court from 1977 to 1990. He has many published works including a novel and over 75 articles, lectures, and reviews. He is a Member of the Council of the American Law Institute and fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Linde Project endowment is designed to promote discussion pertaining to law and institutions.