Law

Kelly Gamble

Headshot of Kelly Gamble

Kelly Gamble

Associate Professor of Practice, College of Law

513-556-4361

About

Professor Kelly Gamble teaches Lawyering. Before joining the University of Cincinnati College of Law, she served on the faculty at Willamette University College of Law, where she taught Lawyering, Professional Responsibility, Happy Lawyer, and other courses and served as Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Director of Academic Excellence. She writes and speaks on legal writing, legal education, professional identity, and student success. Her work reflects a particular interest in how law schools can help students develop the analytical, communication, and professional skills necessary to thrive in law school and in practice.

Before entering legal education, Gamble practiced at Vinson & Elkins LLP in Houston, where she counseled clients on employment and workplace matters and represented clients in federal litigation, including at trial and on appeal. She also has transactional experience drafting and reviewing commercial agreements.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Professor Gamble taught high school English, AP Rhetoric and Composition, and AP Literature and Composition in Sugar Land, Texas.

Areas of Interest

  • Legal research and writing pedagogy
  • Intellectual property law
  • Student belonging

Courses Taught

  • Lawyering I and II

Awards

  • 2022 Willamette University Exemplary Teacher of the Year
  • 2022 Willamette University College of Law Faculty Member of the Year

Education

  • JD, University of Texas
  • BA, University of Texas

“Breaking Up with the Anti-hero: How 303(B)(3) Can Help Law Schools Mitigate Their Perennial Devices, Prices, Vices, and Crises,” 77 Me. L. Rev. 69 (2025).

“Expecto Patronum: The First Year Skills Course as Guardian Against Lawyer Dissatisfaction and Poor Mental Health Outcomes,” 3 Proceedings, no. 1, at 18 (Fall 2022).“Can I Teach You in a Hall?

"Can I Teach You on a Call? Can I Teach You from My Room? Can I Teach You on a Zoom?” 34 The Second Draft, no. 1 (April 2021).

“Building Working Relationships with Students,” LWI New Member Outreach Committee Roundtable Program, co-presenter (anticipated October 22, 2026).

“Advice Writing Workshop,” Session 2, Oregon Department of Justice, General Counsel Division (February 9, 2026).

“Advice Writing Workshop,” Session 1, Oregon Department of Justice, General Counsel Division (January 26, 2026).

“Attorney Managers’ Feedback Workshop,” Oregon Department of Justice, General Counsel Division (December 11, 2025).

“‘Tis the Season: Preparing Legal Writing Professors and Students for the Spring Semester,” Legal Writing Institute, New Member Outreach Committee Roundtable Program, co-presenter (December 9, 2025).

“Using an Attorney Development Plan to Build Executive Function,” Central States Legal Writing Conference (September 27, 2025).

“LRW Classroom Management,” Legal Writing Institute New Teacher Boot Camp (July 24, 2025).

“Advice Architecture: Building Better Memos Your Clients Can Use and Your Colleagues Can Follow,” Oregon Department of Justice, General Counsel Division (July 21, 2025).

“Adjusting the Curriculum to the Changing Bar Exam,” AASE Bar Advocacy Committee Program, co-presenter (March 28, 2025).

“So I Have This Student…,” Legal Writing Institute, New Member Outreach Committee Roundtable Program, co-presenter (February 7, 2025).

“‘Tis the Season: Preparing Legal Writing Professors and Students for the Spring Semester,” Legal Writing Institute, New Member Outreach Committee Roundtable Program, co-presenter (December 12, 2024).

“Legal Writing for Paralegals and Legal Assistants,” CLE, National Association of Legal Support Professionals, National Legal Education Conference (October 13, 2024).

“Preparing Students for the NextGen Bar Exam: Incorporating Formative Assessments into Your Classroom,” AALS Teaching Methods Section Webinar, host (September 20, 2024).

“LRW Classroom Management,” Legal Writing Institute New Teacher Boot Camp (July 9, 2024).

“Supporting Students on the Way to the NextGen Bar Exam,” AccessLex Building Better Bar Skills Conference, panelist (April 16, 2024).

“LRW Classroom Management,” Legal Writing Institute New Teacher Boot Camp (August 3, 2023).

“Expecto Patronum: The First Year Skills Course as Guardian Against Lawyer Dissatisfaction and Poor Mental Health Outcomes,” Western Regional Legal Writing Conference (October 7, 2022).

“LRW Classroom Management,” Legal Writing Institute New Teacher Boot Camp (July 14, 2022).

Draft presentation, Pacific Northwest Scholars Forum, jointly held by Gonzaga University and Willamette University College of Law (February 5, 2020).