Mary Lawrence will be awarded one of the most prestigious distinctions in the field of law education on June 3 for a project that she started 35 years ago.

In 1978, as a professor at the University of Oregon School of Law, Lawrence helped to found the Legal Research and Writing program at UO Law — a program that grew to be recognized as one of the most distinguished in the country since its inception.

For this effort, and others during her time served as a professor in the UO School of Law, Lawrence will be awarded a Burton Award for outstanding contributions to legal writing education. The annual award ceremony is set to take place in the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

In addition to the Burton Award, Lawrence was a 2013 recipient of  the lifetime achievement award from the Association of Legal Writing Directors and the Legal Writing Institute and was awarded a Meritorious Service Award from Oregon Law in 2010. After retiring in 2010 she continues to hold a position as associate professor emerita in the UO School of Law.