About Willamette University College of Law
The College of Law is committed to the pursuit of academic and professional excellence and to providing a supportive environment that maximizes each student’s unique potential. Our learning environment is distinctive among law schools. We emphasize small enrollment, excellence in teaching and a high level of faculty-student interaction. We also boast a student-faculty ratio of approximately 13-to-1. As a community, we are committed to the advancement of knowledge through research and scholarship, to diversity, and to public service.
Willamette law students should expect to be challenged, to defend their opinions, to think and rethink their ideas, and to leave with a heightened respect for themselves and confidence in what they can do.Degree Programs and Course Offerings
As you would expect from a school with more than 125 years of history behind it, Willamette University College of Law has a rock-solid reputation. We provide our students with a solid foundation in the basics of the law, yet allow them the flexibility to investigate interests and develop specialties through a wide range of course offerings and a law library rich with resources.
The College of Law offers a full-time J.D. Program, as well as an LL.M. in Transnational Law for students who have completed the J.D. at an ABA-accredited law school. In addition, a Joint Degree Program (J.D./M.B.A.) is available for those law students interested in a more intense immersion into the study of business, government and management.
In combination with your hard work, Willamette will instill in you a comprehensive understanding of the law, along with highly refined skills in problem solving, legal research and writing. You will learn to think critically, on your own two feet, and leave the school prepared to stand toe-to-toe with some of the best legal minds in the country.
Hands-On Legal Training
Willamette University College of Law provides students with a wealth of hands-on legal training that give students an insider's view into the lawmaking process and invaluable experience in the actual practice of law.
Willamette students gain important practical skills training through simulation-based courses, moot court competitions, intensive and semester-long trial practice programs, and targeted externship placements.
The school’s Clinical Law Program enables students to represent real clients in actual cases and transactions under the close supervision of law faculty. The program comprises six advanced legal education courses, including specialized clinics in Business Law, Trusts and Estates, Sustainability Law, Child and Family Advocacy, Law and Government, and International Human Rights.
Centers of Excellence and Specialized Legal Programs
Willamette University College of Law offers specialized certificate programs in Law and Government, Sustainability Law, Dispute Resolution, Law and Business, and International and Comparative Law underscore the strong academic foundation provided by the College of Law and help distinguish our students from other law school graduates.
The college also is home to several nationally recognized centers of legal study, including the Center for Dispute Resolution, the Center for Law and Government and the Center for Religion, Law and Democracy. The school also houses the Oregon Law Commission, the preeminent law reform body in the state.
For students interested in a more global perspective, the school offers Study Abroad Programs to China, Germany and Ecuador, which provide a rich blend of coursework and practical education to help prepare students for successful careers in national and international spheres.
College of Law Faculty
Willamette University’s law faculty includes some of the most respected legal minds in the country. These scholars and master teachers are nationally recognized for their research, publications and contributions to the law, particularly in the areas of constitutional law, commercial and business law, international and comparative law, environmental law, and dispute resolution. Yet it is their authentic, deep dedication — both as educators and as mentors — that distinguishes Willamette professors from others.
The College of Law faculty has been chosen for its ability to excite, instruct and inspire. In addition to their impeccable credentials and years of law practice, the faculty shares a deep commitment to teaching. Professors meet one on one with their students to inspire and challenge, helping students hone their analytical skills and sharpen their understanding of the law.