University of Oregon School of Law

Introduction

The University of Oregon School of Law offers a select group of students the opportunity to earn a Master of Laws degree (LLM) in one of four concentrations:

• Environmental and Natural Resources Law
• Business Law
• Conflict & Dispute Resolution
• American Law

The Oregon LLM course of study can prepare students for a variety of careers, including academia, government or international organizations, private or public law practice, business, or public service. The Oregon LLM is designed for law school graduates and lawyers who desire to continue their legal studies for professional advancement, in-depth study in a particular concentration, or development of a new practice area.

The Oregon LLM combines

• a highly regarded reputation in the United States for its environmental law program, business law program, Appropriate Dispute Resolution Center, and the law school in general;
• education at a major research university that is a member of the elite Association of American Universities (AAU);
• a small LLM cohort; and
• personal attention by faculty members with strong experiences and reputations in both academia and in the practicing bar.

The University of Oregon School of Law offers one of the best and longest-established programs in environmental law and natural resources law in the world. The University of Oregon is a leading research university and is recognized by the AAU for the quality of the university’s academic research and scholarship.

University of Oregon law professors are nationally and internationally recognized scholars and innovators, and are leading experts in their fields. The Oregon Law faculty’s vast experiences, combined with their passion for teaching, create an enriching educational environment for Oregon LLM students.

Oregon Law students and alumni are initiators, innovators, leaders, and scholars in their respective fields. Many Oregon Law students and alumni have created, and are sustaining, important organizations and are engaged in important and innovative work throughout the world in the environmental law, business law, and conflict and dispute resolution fields.

Law School Enrollment

The University of Oregon School of Law has a law student population of approximately 400 law students. Many students at Oregon Law have an interest in environmental law. The extraordinary concentration of environmentally concerned students provides a unique atmosphere for the LLM students who come each year from across the United States and around the world to join this dedicated community.

Many Oregon Law students have an interest in business law, green business initiatives, intellectual property, appropriate dispute resolution, and sports and entertainment law. There are a variety of courses, student organizations, and campus and community events that enhance the educational experiences of Oregon Law students.

Physical Facilities

The Oregon LLM program is located in the world-class, high-tech, and comfortable Knight Law Center on the green University of Oregon campus in friendly Eugene, Oregon. Oregon offers the physical and intellectual resources and strong reputation of a major AAU research university, while also providing personal attention and guidance to each LLM candidate.

Free Wi-Fi blankets not just the law building but also the buildings and outdoor spaces of the entire university. A full-service technology department in the law school includes laptop repair, software, and other services.

Students enjoy access to the modern law library at Oregon Law and to the University of Oregon campus libraries, which have access to library collections around the world. Reference librarians are eager to help students, scholars, and lawyers find the research tools that they need.

All of Oregon is part of the classroom. Eugene is a vibrant city and cultural center in the US Pacific Northwest and is just a one-hour drive from both the Cascade Mountains and the world-renowned Oregon Coast. Oregon’s largest city, Portland, is about two hours away by bus, train, or car. A unique feature of the Oregon LLM program is the program field trips and guest lecturers where students learn from experts while experiencing Oregon. One student described one of the field trips as “the best experience of my life.”

Eugene is well known for its outdoor activities and has 130 public parks and over 40 miles (64 km) of bicycle trails and walking paths. Many paths are located along rivers and streams, through parks, and near wildlife refuges.

Housing

University Housing offers graduate and family student housing (including housing for families with children). In addition, the Eugene community has a wide variety of private housing options within walking or bicycling distance of Oregon Law.

Transportation

Oregon Law students receive free bus transportation on the county’s bus network. Oregon Law students may also use PeaceHealth Rides bike share at a discounted rate.

Sales Tax

Oregon does not have a sales tax or value added tax (VAT) on purchases within Oregon.

LLM Programs/Areas of Specialization

Environmental and Natural Resources Law Concentration

The University of Oregon School of Law Environmental and Natural Resources Law LLM concentration focuses on public interest environmental law and innovations in environmental legal education. Oregon Law pioneered the country’s earliest academic curriculum in public interest environmental law, and the environmental and natural resources law program continues to be nationally recognized.

The experienced Oregon Law faculty are some of the United States’ leading scholars in the field of environmental law. The Oregon Law faculty teach the regulatory mechanisms of environmental law, expose students to emerging problem-solving tools in cutting-edge courses, and provide practical training in skills-based courses.

The Environmental and Natural Resources Law concentration offers LLM candidates a variety of courses in environmental and natural resources law and policy (not all courses are offered every year). LLM students select at least five courses from the law school’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law offerings, including

• Animal Law
• Climate Law and Policy
• Comparative Environmental Law
• Comparative Indigenous Peoples Law
• Energy and the Law
• Environment and Pollution
• Environmental Conflict Resolution
• Environmental Law
• Environmental Law Clinic
• Environmental Litigation and Practice
• Environmental Policy Practicum
• Food, Farming & Sustainability
• Hazardous Waste Law
• Human Rights and Environment
• Independent Research and Writing
• Indian Law
• International Environmental Law
• Land Use Law
• Natural Resources Law
• Ocean and Coastal Law
• Public Land Law
• Public Trust Seminar
• Tribal Courts and Tribal Law
• Water Resources Law
• Wildlife Law
• Writing Colloquium–Water Law

LLM students may also select some of their elective courses from the following:

• Administrative Law
• Advanced Human Rights
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Conflict of Laws
• Federal Jurisdiction and Procedure
• Human Rights Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• International Law
• Law and Development
• Mediation
• Negotiation
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Remedies

The Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, headquartered just minutes from Oregon Law, links together environmental law professionals in nearly 70 countries and offers internship opportunities for a limited number of the best law students. The Western Environmental Law Center, also just minutes away from Oregon Law, brings court cases on behalf of citizen groups for environmental protection throughout half of the United States and conducts the School of Law’s pioneering Environmental Law Clinic.

The university’s Many Nations Longhouse, next door to Oregon Law, provides networking opportunities with Native American students and tribal organizations around Oregon.

Business Law Concentration

The University of Oregon Law School offers LLM candidates in the Business Law concentration an array of courses in business law (US and international), green business, commercial law, federal tax, and intellectual property.

The Business Law concentration is designed to provide a fundamental understanding of core concepts and practices of US business law and to provide an opportunity to study advanced complex transactional, tax, and regulatory matters. Students may select elective courses from a wide array of business offerings including corporate law, green business, intellectual property, and tax law. Students benefit from the breadth and depth of the faculty’s business law knowledge and scholarship.

In addition to the general LLM course requirements, LLM candidates in the Business Law concentration must take the following courses in the LLM program:

Required courses for students who hold a JD from a US college or university (if a student has taken the same or substantially similar JD course, an approved substitute course will be required):

• Business Associations
• Bankruptcy
• Federal Income Tax I
• Secured Transactions

Required courses for students who hold a first degree in law from a college or university outside the US (if a student has taken the same or substantially similar course, an approved substitute course will be required):

• Business Associations
• Contracts
• Sales or Secured Transactions

LLM students must also take at least two of the following courses:

• Accounting for Lawyers
• Advanced UCC
• Antitrust
• Business Bankruptcy
• Business Planning
• Copyrights
• Federal Income Tax II
• Intellectual Property Survey
• International Business Transactions
• IP Licensing
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Negotiation
• Patent Law
• Sales
• Sports Licensing
• Trademark Law

Elective courses may be taken from the wide array of course offerings at Oregon Law.

Conflict & Dispute Resolution Concentration

The University of Oregon School of Law Conflict & Dispute Resolution LLM concentration is designed to provide an understanding of principals and practices of conflict and dispute resolution through the study of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, settlement, and facilitation and by exploring dispute resolution strategies in litigation. Students have the opportunity to learn from leading scholars and researchers in the conflict and dispute resolution field.

In addition to the general LLM course requirements, LLM candidates in the Conflict & Dispute Resolution concentration must take the following courses in the LLM program:

• Negotiation
• Mediation
• Psychology of Conflict

LLM students must also take at least one of the following courses:

• Arbitration
• ADR Strategies in Litigation
• Facilitation
• Dialogue Across Differences

Elective courses may be taken from the wide array of course offerings at Oregon Law.

American Law Concentration

The American Law concentration is designed primarily for attorneys and individuals who have completed their first degree in law from a non-US institution of higher education and desire to develop or further their understanding of the fundamentals of US law for their professional endeavors or multi-jurisdictional practice.

LLM candidates in the American Law concentration complete the required LLM courses and may select elective courses from a wide array of Oregon Law courses.

LLM Seminar

The LLM Seminar is an integrating experience for all LLM students, providing education on topics of current concern and introducing students to a variety of lawyers, officials, and natural environments in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The students also work to improve their skills in making presentations, preparing articles for publication, and working collaboratively.

Start Dates—Oregon Law LLM Program

Students enrolled in the Oregon Law LLM program have the option of beginning their studies in August or January. Full-time students complete the degree requirements during two consecutive semesters (fall/spring or spring/fall), although a few students are allowed to take longer.

The Application and Tuition

Requirements for LLM applicants include

• Application fee: $50 (waived for international applicants and all applicants who apply through LSAC)
• Two letters of recommendation (maximum of three letters of recommendation will be accepted)
• Official university and law school transcripts (If transcripts are not in English, a certified English translation must also be submitted.)
• Current résumé (CV)
• Sample of legal writing (in English) written solely by the applicant that demonstrates legal writing, research, and analytical abilities (e.g., a paper on a legal topic; a court brief; a client memorandum; an article on a legal topic)
• Personal statement that discusses an applicant’s interest in pursuing an LLM degree at Oregon Law (250–500 words)
• TOEFL score of 88 or IELTS score of 7.0 for foreign applicants is preferred

Tuition and other fees. International students are also required to purchase and enroll in the University Health Insurance plan, unless their insurance meets university requirements.

Student Services and Organizations and Law Journals

Students with an interest in environmental and natural resources law may wish to join Land Air Water (LAW), one of the nation’s oldest student environmental law societies. Each year LAW puts on the premier gathering for environmental lawyers from around the world, the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC). Now in its thirty-sixth year, PIELC unites 2,000 to 3,000 attorneys, students, activists, scientists, and concerned citizens from over 50 countries to share their expertise and participate in numerous panel discussions. Past keynote speakers have included Ralph Nader, David Brower, Terry Tempest Williams, Paul Hawken, Winona LaDuke, M.C. Mehta of India, Antonio Oposa of the Philippines, and numerous others. LLM students at the University of Oregon not only attend the conference but often help organize panels or present a topic or paper as a panelist, leading to lasting contacts for their future careers.

• Green Business Initiative Student Association
• Law and Entrepreneurship Student Association
• Law of Intellectual Property
• Sports and Entertainment Law Forum

A full list of Oregon Law student organizations and associations is also available.

Law Journals

• Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation (JELL): JELL provides a forum for discussing new ideas and contemporary topics in environmental and natural resources law.
• Oregon Law Review (OLR): OLR was founded in 1921 by the faculty at the University of Oregon School of Law. It is the oldest continuously published law journal in the Pacific Northwest and has been student run since 1967. Originally focused on Oregon law, the breadth of scholarship published by OLR has expanded greatly over the years. Contributors to the Review have included scholars, practitioners, judges, and Justices of the US Supreme Court.
• Oregon Review of International Law (ORIL): ORIL publishes articles by academics, practitioners, and students that address current legal topics in international law and policy.

Career Services and Clinics/Externships

Oregon Law alumni are founders and leaders (present or past) of major environmental public interest organizations, such as the Sierra Club, the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, and the Western Environmental Law Center. Others work in federal agencies that shape government environmental policy, including the US Department of Justice, tribal agencies, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and many others.

Oregon Law alumni are also business leaders and work in private practice, in government, as corporate counsel, and as business entrepreneurs and innovators.

Based on the School of Law’s strong history of public service, one-third to one-half of our graduates choose careers in government service or nonprofit organizations. These graduates work as prosecutors, public defenders, federal and state judicial clerks, international human rights advocates, elected officials, military attorneys, and legal aid lawyers. A notable feature of Oregon Law’s efforts is its appointment of an associate director of public service initiatives to help students with particular interest in public service. Best of all, our graduates keep in touch and continue to help law students find the positions that best suit them.

Oregon Law’s Career Center works with each student on a personal basis, helping with the preparation of résumés and cover letters, arranging contacts, and helping students network with professionals in their field of interest.

Oregon LLM students may be eligible for Oregon law clinics or externships (clinic and externship availability varies from year to year). Oregon Law’s eight clinics give students exposure to the practice of law in a variety of contexts.

Contact Information

For more information about the Oregon LLM program, please request information here or contact

Mohamed Elian
Program Director, LLM Program
University of Oregon School of Law
Room 345
1221 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
USA

Phone: +1.541.346.9129 
Fax: +1.541.346.1564
Email: mmelian@uoregon.edu