In what was about to be transformed into a law school classroom, middle-aged men threw darts and cursed at each other as they missed the dartboard entirely.
A woman played video poker nearby.
The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” blared from speakers in the background.
But after the dart players cleared the room, the Oregon International Law Project hosted the Bier Summit at the Villard Street Pub last Thursday . At the gathering, law students convene informally to chat with each other and a law professor each month. The event gives students and professors a chance to meet and talk outside the classroom setting.
Students involved in OILP, a law student group focused on international issues, started the Bier Summits last year. The group has held two so far this year.
“We decided we wanted to have an informal gathering in a relaxed atmosphere for students and professors to engage in a conversation about international law,” said Michelle Platt, co-director of OILP.
University first-year law student Joe Jennings, who sipped on an IPA during the Bier Summit last week, said he heard about the event through an OILP e-mail and decided to check it out last month.
He said the gathering is different from the law school classroom.
“It’s so much more relaxed as opposed to a real class,” Jennings said. “It’s almost adversarial in class. You have to be ready for court everyday in class.”
In class, Jennings said, professors call randomly on students, especially in first-year courses. If students ask a question, professors will typically respond with more questions.
“If you have a question at the Bier Summit, you can just bring something up and discuss it,” Jennings said, adding the setting is similar to an undergraduate environment.
University assistant law professor Hari Osofsky, who spoke at last Thursday’s meeting, said the Bier Summit provides a forum for students and professors.
“That’s what’s nice: They have created a casual environment for conversation, and that helps people feel comfortable,” Osofsky said.
About 20 or 30 students typically attend the event, but only about 10 students showed last week, most likely because students are studying, Osofsky said.
Jennings said students are already preparing for final exams, but he said the Bier Summit was a breather for him.
“I was studying all day until then,” he said.
Jennings said he usually arrives at school after 8 a.m. on Mondays, and his daily activities – even eating dinner – involve studying until he goes to bed at 10 or 11:30 p.m.
The Bier Summit provides a break for law students, but students attending the event are all interested in international law, Platt said. OILP plans on raising money to send students to internships in other countries during the summer.
OILP is considering meeting at other bars in Eugene to attract more community members, but Platt said the Villard Street Pub, being close to the Knight Law Center, allows more students to attend.
The only problem so far is loud music at the bar sometimes, Platt said.
“It can be hard to hear there, and we’d like more open space,” Platt said.
Anyone interested in international law can attend the event.
“As long as you want to engage in some conversation,” Platt said. “We don’t want someone just sitting there like a machine.”
Those interested can visit www.law.uoregon.edu/org/oilp for more information.
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