“DuckFunding” career preparation for future lawyers 

Law school was never part of the plan for Dorie Sullivan, JD ’25, after graduating with a degree in environmental science from the University of Pittsburgh. She couldn’t have known then that she would one day spearhead a campaign raising more than $5,000 to support University of Oregon law students traveling the country to mock legal competitions. But after working three years as a Geographic Information System analyst, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted her perspective.  

“I started to reflect: Where do I want my career to go? What path do I want to go down?” she explained. Following her passion for the environment, Sullivan decided to enroll in the UO School of Law. “It has one of the best environmental and natural resources law programs in the nation.”

In her first year of law school, Sullivan immersed herself in the various opportunities the UO had to offer, one of which was the Moot Court Board—an organization that provides law students with opportunities to develop and refine essential legal skills, including through regional and national competitions. Within Moot Court, there are a variety of teams, such as mock trial, mediation, oral arguments, and negotiations. 

Participation supports students’ career preparation for future real-world court cases and legal professions. In the many months leading up to their competitions, Moot Court teams work vigorously with coaches and faculty members who graciously volunteer their time to prepare them. Once at the competitions, they get additional feedback from practicing attorneys and judges, which they implement in their careers.  

“Moot Court was an incredible experience where I gained really meaningful skills,” Sullivan said. “I was on the oral arguments team, and that’s where I really grew as an advocate.

In her third and final year of law school, Sullivan decided to dedicate even more of her time to Moot Court and became the board’s president. As she adjusted to her new role, she saw the full picture of what it takes for teams to compete. With competitions held nationwide, costs add up quickly. In addition to entrance fees, the board is responsible for flights and lodging. Since the events are often scheduled on a short timeframe, this means it can be hard to avoid booking travel at peak prices. 

Luckily, Sullivan was introduced to DuckFunder campaigns at an Associated Students of the UO training. DuckFunder is the official crowdfunding platform for the UO, collecting donations big and small from a wide range of supporters. DuckFunder campaigns fuel student organizations, campus programs, research, and more.  

Moot Court board members rallied together to strategize and run a DuckFunder to support sending teams to their competitions.  

“We put a lot of effort into the campaign and because of our hard work we surpassed our goal and raised over $5,000, which was really key to our success that year,” Sullivan said.

Third-year UO law student Calvin Askew, BA ’22 (political science), undertook Sullivan’s role as president for the 2025-26 academic year after she graduated. He previously worked alongside Sullivan to promote the DuckFunder campaign, creating social media videos that explained why funding matters for Moot Court. In the process, Askew both learned from Sullivan’s leadership and experienced the campaign’s impact firsthand as a member of a competing team. 

“We were almost unable to send our mediation team to nationals last year, but because of the DuckFunder support, we were able to make it happen,” Askew said. “I’m personally friends with a few of the competitors that went to the national competition, and they had an amazing experience. We’re really grateful to be able to do it, and to be able to show off the skills that they work so hard on.” 

Askew is working toward a career in immigration law and is now in the driver’s seat of this year’s fundraising and competition logistics, giving back to fellow Ducks as so many Moot Court participants before him have. 

One of the big things I see as really valuable for both myself and fellow board members is the fact that we get to come together as a student body and help support each other in learning skills that are super helpful when you’re getting into your career,” Askew said.

Sullivan’s path illustrates this impact clearly. After graduating law school, she’s now a first-year associate in the energy department at Steptoe & Johnson.  

“It’s hard to ask for money from people, but I was so touched that a lot of our alumni and personal connections believed in us, so that we could surpass our fundraising goal and support our board members in their competitions,” Sullivan said. “It inspired me to stay connected and give back in my own way to future advocates and future students and continue to build a community within my own legal profession.” 

If you’d like to support Ducks like these in gaining real-world experience for their future careers, support an active DuckFunder or make a donation to the Law School Student Organizations Fund today.