Diane Polscer and Maddy Carson: like mother, like daughter

It all started during a road trip back to her old stomping grounds. Diane Polscer, JD ’84, wanted to show her daughter, Maddy Carson, the university that helped her become a successful lawyer. Now Maddy, class of 2026 (family and human services), is following in her mother’s footsteps.  

“When I first stepped onto the UO campus in eighth grade, I felt it was a special place . . . in addition to the natural beauty that is the UO campus, I was struck by the excitement each student had about being a Duck. The fact that my mother graduated from the law school also inspired me to commit to the UO. As we walked around campus, stories about the connections she made with friends, the growth she was able to experience because of the support of her professors, and the sense of confidence she gained by paving the way for future female lawyers, including myself, filled the air,” Maddy says.  

Diane is a founding member of Gordon & Polscer, LLC which was named one of the best law firms in 2023 by US News & World Report. She has been repeatedly recognized nationally, including being named Lawyer of the Year for insurance law in 2022 by The Best Lawyers in America.

Diane has loved watching Maddy’s excitement for the UO blossom and has nurtured that over the years.  

“The fact that my daughter is a Duck and aspires to attend the UO law school is so special [and has] made me feel truly proud to be a Duck. While I made sure to allow Maddy to develop her own feelings and opinions about the UO, I believe that explaining the support, encouragement, and resources I received from the UO made her all the more enthusiastic about joining the flock!” Diane says.  

Diane is especially excited about the ways the law program has expanded in the years since she graduated and the opportunities and resources now available to Maddy.  

“Seeing the new, beautiful [Knight Law Center] was extraordinary. I continue to be impressed with the development of the university and its student-oriented approach in designing spaces,” Diane says. 

Both Diane and Maddy applaud the UO for dedication to inclusivity, citing the fact that more than half of current law students identify as women, a stark contrast to the program from which Diane graduated in 1984.  

“I am proud to be a Duck because I feel supported by everyone I meet on campus. In my mind, being a Duck means that those in the community want the best for you, professors want to learn and discover with you, and that you have the resources and opportunities to enact positive and meaningful change in relation to your passions,” Maddy says. 

Diane is proud of the UO’s dedication to mentorship and research and loves keeping in touch with her fellow law Ducks through the UO Alumni Association. Her advice to current students is to “be the change they want to see in the world.”