Get to know us a bit better by exploring the information below, including important dates to remember, experiential learning opportunities, and details about our powerful location in Oregon’s capital city.
Class Profile
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2020 Dates & Deadlines
Don't miss these important dates:
March 15 |
FAFSA Priority Application Deadline |
May 1 |
First Deposit Deadline |
June 3 |
Second Deposit Deadline |
August 12-14 |
Introduction to Law School |
August 17-19 |
Mandatory Orientation |
Experiential Learning
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Powerful Proximity
Willamette’s location — across the street from the Oregon State Capitol, Supreme Court and multiple state agencies — is an advantage that cannot be matched anywhere in the region. It makes Willamette the choice for students interested in government, a choice that is supported by a certificate program as well as numerous clinical, externship and other practical skills program opportunities offered by the College of Law.
Beyond these opportunities just a block away, students’ options expand within the city of Salem and the region. Salem is Oregon’s second largest city and the site of diverse industries including health care, information technology, manufacturing and trade. The Business Lawyering Institute and Business Law Clinic give students the opportunity to engage with local, regional and international businesses and put their skills into action. Portland, just an hour away, hosts offices of major law firms and players in established and upcoming industries, including Intel, Nike, Daimler and Simple.
Get More From Life in Law School
Salem has a unique small-town feel while offering big city amenities — and it’s one of the most affordable cities on the West Coast. Centrally located in the Willamette Valley, the city is just a short drive from metropolitan Portland, the Cascade Mountains and the Oregon coast. Whether you’re interested in outdoor adventures or world-class food and drink options, there is always something to do when you’re not studying.
Alumni
Nate Aggrey
Nate Aggrey ’09, JD’16 didn’t come to Willamette to sit on the sidelines. He chose Willamette University as an undergraduate and immediately involved himself in several activities. His decision to continue on to law school presented him with a similar range of choices.
“I was accepted to every law school I applied to,” he says. “Even though I was eager to go out of state, I started to think about what I valued.” Born and raised in Ghana, Aggrey left Africa when he was 10 years old. He and his parents lived in Japan for three years before settling in the U.S. in 2000.
With his family in Salem, Aggrey continued to stay in contact with his professors and friends on campus after graduation. “It’s easy to feel connected at Willamette,” he says. “There’s a certain level of comfort and familiarity here.”
As a law student, Aggrey continued his all-in approach, serving as president of the Multicultural Law Student Association and participating in Moot Court Board. He also worked as a law clerk. He says he benefited from Willamette’s supportive environment. Now an Oregon Department of Justice honors attorney, Aggrey hopes to return to Ghana one day to help his family members there.
Lisa Murkowski
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski JD’85 was born and raised in Alaska. She attended Willamette University for two years, then transferred to Georgetown, where earned her BA in economics. After that, she returned to Juneau to work in the State Legislature. Murkowski became interested in the law after seeing lawmakers show little focus to the constitutionality of the laws they passed. She entered Willamette Law two years later.
“I worked very, very hard, and I did pretty well. I remember thinking, ‘I can do this,’” she says. “It gave me confidence. My legal training has been invaluable because it taught me how to think critically.”
Following her graduation, Murkowski returned to Alaska, where she practiced at law firms, clerked, and served three terms in the State House. In 2002, she was appointed to the U.S. Senate. She completed that term and ran and won a full term in 2004.
In 2010, she ran for a second term but lost the Republican nomination. She continued running a write-in campaign and became the first U.S. Senator to be elected by write-in since 1954. In 2016, she ran and won again. Murkowski has been a passionate advocate for her state and not hesitant to be an independent voice in the Senate, most notably on the recent health care legislation where she voted against the Republican repeal proposal.
Marie Colmey
Marie Colmey JD’89 grew up in a small town in Montana and attended Oregon State University for her degree in political science. While trying to decide where to go to law school, she worked with the gubernatorial campaign for Norma Paulus LLB’62, H’99. Colmey enjoyed living in Oregon and was encouraged by several colleagues who had attended Willamette Law to consider it for law school. Colmey went — and had a great time.
“I just loved the whole experience of law school,” Colmey says. “It’s a challenging profession, and I think Willamette recognizes that and works really hard to prepare students to be successful, happy, engaged and good in the practice of law.”
Colmey says the rigorous study and preparation that she got at Willamette Law has been especially impactful in her career. At school, she engaged with a wide variety of people from fellow students to attorneys. She also built a foundation through her education and activities that helped her learn to respect professionalism in the practice of law.
Colmey now works in litigation and healthcare regulatory law in southern California. “I’m artistically creative, and I find law to be creative, as well,” she says. “It’s a nice mesh of my creative abilities and my legal and analytical sensibilities.”
Careers
Our approach to job placement is to help one student at a time.
Your path to a successful legal career starts here
Map your career with individualized help from our Placement Office advisors. They will work with you to identify where you want to go and what experience you need to get there. Whether meeting with our advisors, gaining experience through our Externship Program, or participating in our Bootcamp or Attorney-Mentor Program, students, alumni, and employers find the tools for success in Willamette Law’s Placement Office.
