Lewis & Clark College Law School

Oh, L&C law school. You soul sucking institution of graduate studies, you football-​team-​less bastion of higher learning, you wallet damaging bank-​account-​draining student-​loan-​burdening enclave of hive-​mind leftist group-​think… I love you, and I hate you, all at the same time. (I think lefty, but this place leans even left of me)
I agonized over whether to give this place 5 stars (for the high quality of education and beautiful forested setting in Tryon Creek State Park) or whether to give this place 0 stars (for charging me $ 30K/​year to suck my soul and turn me into a mechanical law-​tobot). So, being the indecisive guy I am, I give it a 3.
Ranked somewhere near 70^th on US News law school rankings, the Northwestern School of Law at L&C is the only law school located in the Portland Metro area. The school happens to be one of the top 2 environmental law schools in the nation (and its located in Portland, go figure). Therefore, a majority of students attending L&C do so for the top-​notch environmental law program. The rest of the students are there either out of convenience (being the only local school), because this is the best school they could get in to, or because they went to Reed, and can’t handle the harshness of life in the real world quite yet. Regardless, its a private law school dispensing top notch education and providing a steady stream of qualified graduates into the already over-​burdened legal market in Portland/​Seattle. As such, L&C Law does exactly the job it is supposed to do.
The faculty at L&C are quite accomplished, and include probably the next AG of Oregon, a drafter of FISA, authors of numerous texts commonly used in law schools nationwide, crusaders for justice, federal prosecutors, bankruptcy judges, and various other highly accomplished and incredibly brilliant human beings. Of course, as with any school, it has its fair share of under-​accomplished/​overrated profs, but that is to be expected anywhere.
Law school is a special place, full of special (mostly freakin’ insane) people, stressing themselves to the hilt in a futile quest to be leader of the pack (a pack of born leaders). While L&C preaches against the traditional notion that law school is all about competition, if you fail to compete, you will NOT be getting any of the following:
A good job
A good grade
A good recommendation
Etc.
Don’t believe the hype. This is a law school like any other… maybe a bit less cutthroat than others, but that really depends on who you are talking to.
I chose L&C Law over Temple (out in Philly). Temple was ranked about the same at the time, but its in Philly. While the cheesesteaks were enticing, I made the heart-​healthy decision to stay here in beautiful PDX and attend L&C. I cannot say that I am disappointed. If you separate the «law school» aspect from the school itself, its a magical fairyland, quite divorced from reality, nestled in an idyllic setting up amongst the treetops in the clouds at the top of the hill. When you consider that it is a law school… well, any law school sucks (go spend 3 years there, you’ll see). I can’t wait to be done, but I am going to hate leaving. If only education were free in this country, I would be preparing to get my LLM.
If you are hell-​bent on going to law school, then I would recommend this school. Especially if you love Portland or are into enviro law. If you have not already made the fateful decision to go to law school, let me be the first to warn you — your soul is not worth that much. Save yourself now while you have the chance. Turn away from Palatine hill and RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!