University of Oregon School of Law graduate Ian Adams has found his home in public policy.
Adams, who recently received his degree from the law school, has won a rare spot as a Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellow for the California State Assembly.
Adams, of Sacramento, was selected for one of six spots available to fellows on the Republican side of the assembly. When his role begins in October, he will work with members, meet with constituents and stakeholders and utilize his legal training.
This is not the first time that Adams has worked in the Sacramento political arena. As an undergraduate at Seattle University, he interned during the summers of 2006 and 2007 at the office of former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. After graduating with a dual bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy in 2009, Adams worked as a legal videographer filming depositions in Seattle.
"Working as a videographer was eye-opening," Adams said. "It gave me an opportunity to discover what I was interested in, and perhaps more importantly, to learn what wasn't for me."
The following year, Adams chose the UO law school. He came to Eugene because it offered a small law school attached to a large university. He was also drawn by what he perceived to be the Oregon law school's liberal atmosphere.
"I wanted to have my admittedly conservative views challenged," Adams said. "I enjoy lively discussion with classmates and professors and so I sought it out."
Adams was a member of the Federalist Society and focused on performing pro bono work in the public sector. As a Ducks fan, he also made time to tutor UO athletes in philosophy and history.
Like many students, during his summers Adams put his legal skills to work. He clerked for two summers with the Personal Insurance Federation of California, a trade association, where he was exposed to the wide range of issues that confront a policy professional.
The seminal experience of Adams' law school career arrived during his third year. With the help of faculty, he arranged to extern for the entire 2012-2013 academic year in Salem with the Oregon House of Representatives. He was charged with the development, formation and vetting of policy concepts.
"By allowing me to work over the course of an entire school year, I was able to cultivate relationships throughout the capitol and really become a valued part of the representatives' team," Adams said.
Adams advises students interested in entering public policy to build relationships while they are in school and to make themselves valuable to employers. Working for a political candidate, a party organization or a political action committee is the best way to find employment, he said.
Oregon, in particular, provides students with a "uniquely accessible" government, Adams said.
"It's amazing what students can do here, the extent to which they can get involved in meaningful ways," Adams said. "It was something that I never expected, and is the reason that I would recommend Oregon Law without hesitation."
- from the UO School of Law