Willamette University College of Law continues to build upon its legacy of legal education. Professors join the law school with expertise in a wide range of fields. They will offer students increased access to top-level career opportunities. This semester, several notable additions will make their debut on the legal faculty.

A new adjunct professor will teach immigration law in the fall. Also, the law school has added two prominent attorneys to its faculty. Attorney Gretchen McCord specializes in copyright law and social media law. She also helped create a Congressional Resolution on streaming royalty for musicians.

New faculty members include David Friedman, Associate Professor of Law. He has been with ISG Legal since 2016. He will help support The Standard Life Insurance Company. His work includes commenting on the Oregon v. Oracle lawsuit and escalating legal tactics.

He is also a member of the Portland State University Board of Regents. Previously, he served as the dean of the College of Law. Additionally, he will serve as Chair of the Board of Regents.

David is the co-founder of the Willamette Law Externship Program. This experiential learning opportunity enables students to apply their academic coursework to real-world settings. It is the first of its kind in Oregon. By working directly with clients, students will have a hands-on experience with the law.

In addition to new staff, the college will also welcome six new faculty members. These are among the leaders in the field. With expertise in various areas of law, these faculty members will enhance the college’s curriculum and prepare future lawyers to tackle the changing world.

The College of Law will also be welcoming Sheryl Buske, Director of the Academic Excellence program. As director, she will oversee the academic excellence and research of the Law School. She also has extensive experience in legal and business administration.

Professors Jacob Elberg and Gaia Bernstein will also be joining the law school in January. Elberg’s area of specialization is health care fraud, while Bernstein’s focuses on intellectual property and technology law. Both of these faculty members will offer classes that help to address the growing issue of kids’ excessive use of technology.

As a result of an estate gift from Marty Wolf ’57, LLB’60, the Law School will expand its curriculum to include more experiential learning. In addition to allowing students to learn in a variety of contexts, the estate will help to recruit and retain students.

In addition to the faculty changes, the law school has announced its new Signature Strengths Initiative. This initiative is part of Willamette Law’s historically progressive approach to legal education. In this new program, the College of Law is committed to building on the strengths and successes of its students, while preparing them to become leaders in their professions.

The University of Alaska Anchorage and Willamette Law have entered an agreement to expand the access of Alaskan students to the legal education offered by the College of Law. Students who qualify for the program will be admitted on a four-year track, with three years of study at UAF and two years of study at Willamette Law.