April 8th 2008 • Printer version

Three Oregon Law Programs Ranked “Top Ten” By U.S. News & World Report

Oregon Law’s Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR), Environmental and Natural Resources Law (ENR), and Legal Research and Writing (LRW) programs are among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2009 edition of America’s Best Graduate Schools.  The ADR Program ranked seventh, the ENR Program ranked ninth, and the LRW Program ranked tenth in the recent report.

“We are delighted that three of our programs have been recognized as the best of the best,” said Margie Paris, Dean of the University of Oregon School of Law.  “Our faculty, staff, and students who have worked so hard over the years to make these programs world-class richly deserve this accolade.”

Rankings in the U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Graduate Schools are based on student selectivity, placement success, faculty resources and separate measures of institutional reputation.  In addition to Oregon Law, only seven other law schools in the country – American University, Boston University, Harvard University, the University of Maryland, the University of Michigan, Northwest University, and Yale University – have three “top-ten” programs.

Oregon Law Professor and Director of the LRW Program, Suzanne Rowe, said the ranking demonstrates Oregon’s commitment to providing students with the best possible preparation to practice law.

“The professors nationwide who vote on the LRW ranking appreciate the importance of small classes and low student-teacher ratios, as well as the value of the experienced teachers who are passionate about teaching writing,” said Professor Rowe.  “Our writing professors are outstanding.  They bring real-world experience into the classroom, and they are dedicated to helping all students achieve their potential as legal writers.” 

Oregon Law Professor and Associate Director of the ADR Center, Michael Moffitt, said it’s exciting to see students engage questions of creative dispute resolution from many angles. 

“We have students passionate about public policy disputes, labor negotiations, settling lawsuits, international relations, environmental conflicts, business deal-making, community relations, and a range of other issues of public and private concern,” said Moffitt.  “And it is gratifying to see that our ADR Center has evolved in a way that helps each of them to pursue their interests in meaningful ways."

Jane Gordon, Director of the ADR program and Associate Dean for Students and Program Affairs, also expressed appreciation for how Oregon’s ADR program has evolved.

“As less than 10 percent of cases end up in trial, it is vitally important that law students have a broad and deep education in dispute resolution,” said Gordon.  “Our inter-disciplinary ADR Center is a hub of intellectual and vibrant activity, and it is gratifying to be acknowledged in this way.”