Dear Dean Reynolds,

As alumni of Oregon Forensics who have gone on to careers in law, we write in strong support of placing Oregon Forensics within the University of Oregon School of Law. The Law School is the natural home for a program that has long embodied the same values at the core of Oregon Law—advocacy, critical thinking, and public service.

Oregon Forensics is at a crossroads, and this moment offers an opportunity to renew its mission under your leadership. The Law School’s tradition of experiential learning and public engagement provides the foundation the program needs to thrive. We stand ready to contribute our time, mentorship, and financial support to help build and sustain this program—and strengthen the Law School—for years to come.

That success is no accident. It has come from deliberate strategy, sustained leadership, and a culture of preparation that mirrors the discipline of law itself. Oregon Forensics has grown into one of the largest and most competitive programs in the nation.

The mock trial team has risen from the bottom of national rankings fifteen years ago to the top percentile today, currently ranked ahead of programs at Duke, Dartmouth, Columbia, and Cornell. The debate team has earned five national championships in the past twenty-five years, regularly competing against UC Berkeley, UCLA, Notre Dame, and the University of Washington. The program’s ability to expand ASUO funding and maintain fiscal discipline reflects the same accountability expected in the legal profession.

The Law School is uniquely positioned to build on this record. Its advocacy mission aligns perfectly with the goals of forensics, and the program’s infrastructure—student leadership, university funding, and alumni support—provides an immediate foundation for growth. Bringing Oregon Forensics under the Law School’s oversight would strengthen its advocacy portfolio and create a continuum from undergraduate training to law school excellence. Integrating with Moot Court would accelerate the development of a nationally recognized advocacy program, with regular competitions and practice sessions bringing more alumni, practitioners, and judges to campus to engage directly with Oregon Law students. Historically, Oregon Forensics has also been led by a director who was capable of ensuring the program’s growth and stability and providing necessary logistical support as well as teaching classes on communications, public speaking, rhetoric, etc. to forensics and non-forensics students alike. We are confident that a qualified director would benefit the Law School through exceptional teaching and through continuing to grow Oregon Forensics and by extension the reputation and recognition of the Law School.

Oregon Forensics already enhances the University’s reputation through public debates, forums, and tournaments that showcase Oregon’s commitment to civil discourse and intellectual rigor. The program hosts the largest collegiate mock trial competition in the Pacific Northwest and has welcomed international guests such as the Irish National Debate Champions, alongside public forums on issues from free speech to wildfire management. Within the Law School, these events could amplify engagement with the bench and bar, expand outreach, and reinforce Oregon Law’s leadership in advocacy and civic education.

For many of us, Oregon Forensics was not only training but inspiration—it was where we first discovered the joy of reasoned argument and imagined ourselves as lawyers. Placing the program within the Law School would ensure that future students share that same spark while strengthening a program that already reflects the best of Oregon Law’s mission and values.

We believe there is a clear path forward and would welcome the opportunity for a thoughtful conversation about how we can best support the Law School’s goals and this initiative in a way that strengthens Oregon Law’s advocacy, outreach, and reputation for years to come.

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