Jordana Loughran YLS Member Spotlight

by A.C. Estacio-Heilich YLS Board

Portland is a city of transplants, and the local legal community is not immune to that phenomenon. Jordana Loughran, however, is a unicorn of sorts. She has spent most of her life in Portland and has seen a drastic change in the city through the years. Fortunately, one thing has remained constant in the city she calls home: a sense of community.

Jordana attended Lincoln High School. She then attended Portland State University and graduated with degrees in Biology and English, while also competing as a scholarship athlete for PSU’s cheerleading team. Thereafter, Jordana took a gap year and spent it as an intern for the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center. She later landed at Lewis & Clark Law School, a mere five miles away from her alma mater.

When asked why she stayed in Portland, Jordana expressed her love for the community and the city. She also recognized that the city provided opportunity for growth as a professional. Having her family and friends nearby also did not hurt. They certainly supported her and provided her with an escape from the rigors of law school. Jordana’s community outside of the law school bubble gave her perspective that law school was not the end game, but just a stop along the way.

She describes herself as a person who enjoys learning people’s individual stories and experiences. Jordana’s personality matches Portland’s friendly and cordial demeanor which helped her thrive outside of the classroom. While still a law student, she often reached out to local attorneys to get a better sense of what it means to practice law and the different paths attorneys took to successful legal careers.

Jordana’s understanding of the practice of law has changed throughout the years. She initially thought she would practice intellectual property after graduation. However, she later

YLS Treasurer is Nicole Elgin Nicole is a partner at Barran Liebman LLP where she practices labor and employment advice and litigation. She joined the board in 2021, and presently serves as liaison to the MBA Court Liaison Committee.

Nicole’s earliest involvement with the MBA was as the 2016-17 Lewis & Clark 3L Law School Representative on the YLS Board. After being admitted to practice, she served on the YLS CLE, Service to the Public and Pro Bono committees, and was chair of the Pro Bono Committee for the 2020-21 program year. Outside of her MBA involvement, Nicole prioritizes spending time with her family, enjoys mentoring law students, and is a proud supporter of the Campaign for Equal Justice.

Jordana Loughran realized that her passion was in real estate - an area of law fitting for someone so familiar with Portland’s ever-changing landscape. By the time she graduated from Lewis & Clark, she secured a job with Vial Fotheringham, a firm that represents HOAs and condominium associations. While there, Jordana learned the valuable lesson of not letting her fears or lack of experience dominate her work as an attorney. After two and a half years, she moved to Buckley Law and expanded her practice to residential real estate and litigation. Buckley provided Jordana with ample opportunity

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