that can be acquired from merely reading statutes, Comments or law review articles. A broader perspective on developing law, whether communicated in the classroom or by means of a casebook, is valuable to students no matter where they intend to practice.
proposed legislation provision by provision, arriving at compromises when necessary. Ultimately, the committee unanimously endorsed the draft Oregon Code. The first step in the legislation enactment process was obtaining the endorsement of the Oregon State Bar Board of Governors, which allowed Senate Bill 275 to be introduced early in the legislative session. The study committee spent several months negotiating with Legislative Counsel over the precise language of the bill. Finally, the committee submitted oral and written testimony at the legislative hearings and agreed to a lastminute change to the bill’s language to stave off an unexpected objection to a minor provision. Despite the committee’s three years of intense effort and the complete lack of opposition in the legislature, the governor did not sign the Oregon Code until late in the session.
Students can and should learn in law school that lawyers are uniquely qualified to help improve the law. They should be encouraged to participate in the law reform process. A law professor is in an ideal position to cultivate volunteers for future law improvement projects, but the professor must first have a practical understanding of how legislation is developed and enacted. My own experience with proposed legislation was relatively limited before Oregon began to consider the UTC. The development and enactment of the Oregon Code provided a perfect education in every step of the legislative process.
The benefits that law students gain when their “Many law professors serve the public and the profession professors become involved in law improvement include by becoming involved in law reform efforts.” a deeper understanding of developing law, — Professor Valerie Vollmar JD’75 greater familiarity with the legislative process and personal commitment to law reform efforts. The critical first step in the legislation development Professors expand their circle of personal contacts process is identifying key interest groups and and raise the law school’s profile not only by selecting the right people to work on the project. In engaging in law improvement projects, but also by the case of the UTC, the key interest groups were speaking and writing about the law and law reform. bankers, probate judges, and estate planning, elder In turn, these activities help attract outside experts law and tax attorneys. The 12 study committee to speak in the classroom and participate in symposia members included representatives from each of these and lecture series, all of which enrich students’ groups, as well as a lawyer from the Oregon State legal education. In some cases, professors’ activities Bar’s department that handles legislative affairs. even open the door to externship or clerkship After committee members were chosen, the study opportunities for their students. In short, both committee spent several months educating itself professors and students benefit when law professors about the issues addressed by the UTC and possible engage in law reform. approaches to resolving those issues. We actively — Valerie J. Vollmar solicited the views of everyone who might have an interest in trust law. We spent a year discussing the Valerie J. Vollmar JD’75 is a professor of law at Willamette University College of Law. 23
LAW & GOVERNMENT
FACULTY PERSPECTIVE