This section also has a standalone site.
The Mission of the Oregon State Bar Diversity Section is to promote and support diversity and inclusion within the Oregon Bar and the judiciary, to organize educational programs that facilitate constructive discussion and enhanced understanding of diversity issues, and to assist Oregon legal professionals in advancing equity in the practice of law.
This section also has a standalone website.
The goal of the Indian Law Section of the Oregon State Bar is to encourage a greater understanding and improve the practice of Indian law throughout Oregon. The ILS represents a wide spectrum of attorneys who handle cases, transactions and other matters involving Indian law, including attorneys in private practice, attorneys who work as in-house attorneys for Indian tribes, attorneys for non-profit organizations advocating for tribal rights, and attorneys who serve as tribal court judges for Indian tribes in Oregon. The ILS was organized in 1995 by practitioners working in Indian country in Oregon and is open to all members of the Bar as well as non-attorneys. Membership can include persons who are attorneys, tribal court judges, tribal leaders and tribal members, or anyone else interested in Indian law issues. The ILS currently has 170 members.
The Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Committee serves as a key resource to assist the OSB in advancing diversity and inclusion in all the bar's mission areas, programs and activities. This committee of 21 volunteer attorneys, one OSB liaison, one Board of Governor's Contact and two public members is a critical part of the Diversity & Inclusion Department.
OLIO is a fundamental tool for recruiting and retaining diverse legal talent in Oregon and increasing the diversity of the Oregon State Bar. OLIO fosters an engaged, supportive and inclusive legal community necessary to advance our legal profession and improve legal services to an increasingly diverse population, clients and customers, locally and globally. Opportunities for Law in Oregon (OLIO) is the Oregon State Bar's recruitment and retention program for law students who can contribute to the bar's historically or currently underrepresented membership; who have experienced economic, social, or other barriers; who have a demonstrated interest in increasing access to justice; or who have personally experienced discrimination or oppression. This diversity and inclusion program begins with an orientation that provides a diverse group of first-year law students at Oregon's three law schools. with the opportunity to interact with each other, and with upper division students, judges and leaders who will serve as their mentors and role models. During orientation, students meet a diverse community of supporters committed to helping them succeed. The curriculum focuses on sharpening existing skills and providing new skills to help ensure success in law school and beyond.
Local Bar Associations
The Northwest Indian Bar Association is a non-profit organization of attorneys, judges and Indian law practitioners in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon & Washington. NIBA aspires to improve the legal and political landscape for Pacific Northwest Indian communities. NIBA's purposes and goals are: To represent and foster the education and welfare of Native American attorneys, paralegals and tribal court personnel across the Pacific Northwest; To provide role models and mentors in the legal profession for Indian people, particularly Native American youth and law students; and To encourage and promote pro bono legal work and civic involvement that benefits Indian people on reservations and in urban areas throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The mission of the Oregon Arab Iranian Bar Association is to strengthen the rapidly growing Arab and Iranian legal communities with a recognized and trusted forum for professional growth and advancement, and to promote the civil rights and access to justice for Oregon's Arab and Iranian communities.
OAPABA's Mission Statement: Advancement: To promote the professional development and advancement of APA attorneys through education, research and programs. Advocacy: To act as a vehicle and forum for expressing opinions on matters of concern to APA attorneys and our communities. Communication: To encourage and foster communication among APA attorneys on issues affecting our work, communities and government.
The OCLA is a directory of Chinese-speaking lawyers in Oregon. The Oregon Chinese Lawyers Association helps identify lawyers in Oregon who speak Chinese, to better provide legal services to Oregon's Chinese-speaking community. Lawyers who speak Chinese are relatively uncommon in Oregon. The OCLA was formed to identify Chinese-speaking lawyers in the state, to help connect Chinese-speaking lawyers in different practice areas with the Chinese-speaking clients who need their services. If you are a lawyer who speaks Chinese, OCLA would love to hear from you. Membership in OCLA is free. To become a member, please contact Emery Wang.
The OC-NBA is Oregon's bar association for Black attorneys. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The objectives of the OC-NBA are to: Advance the Rule of Law[1] to ensure access to justice; Uphold the honor and integrity of the legal profession; Preserve the independence of the judiciary; Promote professional and social engagement opportunities among Black[2] lawyers, law students, members of the Bar, and the Oregon community; and Protect civil and political rights and seek to improve the social and economic condition of Black people and their allies.
OFALA is the Oregon Filipino American Lawyers Association, formed to serve the Filipino American legal community in Oregon. They are a professional association of Filipino American judges, lawyers, law students and legal professionals, and supporters. They work together to share and validate their experiences as Filipino American legal professionals, increase the visibility of Filipino American legal professionals and their accomplishments, promote equality and multiculturalism by increasing diversity within the Oregon State Bar and within the broader legal system, empower Oregon's Filipino American community by increasing its access to the legal system, cultivate relationships between the Oregon Filipino American Lawyers Association and other Filipino American organizations, and, last but not least, celebrate Filipino American culture and heritage. OFALA is an affiliate of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association (NFALA) and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).
OGALLA, the LGBT Bar Association of Oregon, is an association of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lawyers, judges, legal workers, law students, and others who support the association's purposes. Founded in January of 1991, OGALLA was created as a statewide organization to support the needs of sexual minorities and gender non-conforming people in the legal profession. OGALLA has nearly 150 members, and is associated with the National LGBT Bar, an affiliate of the American Bar Association.
The Oregon Hispanic Bar Association (OHBA) was founded in 2002 to improve the conditions for lawyers of Hispanic and Latin heritage in Oregon. One of the oldest affinity bars, OHBA encourages Latinx individuals to become attorneys; collaborates with other organizations to retain Latinx legal professionals; raises awareness of Latinx legal issues; supports Latinx law students and legal professionals; and celebrates the achievement of Latinx legal professionals. OHBA has a rich history of creating and supporting programs and scholarships to achieve its mission, including an annual $1,000 scholarship to support Oregon Latinx high school students interested in pursuing legal careers; three scholarships to Latinx students from Oregon's law schools to attend the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) Annual Convention and to compete in the HNBA's national moot court competition; the Evening With series designed to profile Latinx leaders; and its Annual Awards Dinner. OHBA also hosts numerous continuing legal education panels and networking events designed to highlight prominent Latinx attorneys and others in the legal profession.
Founded in 1991, OMLA sponsors numerous activities and programs each year, including: Networking and Social events in Portland, Salem, Eugene and Bend. Fundraising for their Bar Exam Preparation Scholarship. Scholarship Administration for the Angel Lopez Scholarship, Business Law Section Scholarship and Litigation Section Scholarships. Quarterly Luncheons on issues of interest to their membership. Past speakers have included the Governor of Oregon, Supreme Court Justices, and many prominent minority attorneys. Participation in statewide committees and task forces including the Oregon Supreme Court Task force on Racial and Ethnic issues in the Judicial System and the OSB Diversity section. Amicus Curiae briefs filed on issues such as Interpreters in the Courtroom and same sex marriages. Sponsorship of Legal Education Programs including the Oregon State Bar Diversity & Inclusion Department's Opportunities for Law in Oregon, Oregon Hate Crimes Conference (2000), Convocation on Equality (2001), Attorney Recruitment and Retention (2001), ABA National Conference of the Minority Lawyer (2003-2005). A monthly electronic newsletter with a distribution of over 700 attorneys. The e-newsletter contains information about upcoming OMLA sponsored events, events of interest to the community, as well as job opportunities and announcements.
The Oregon Muslim Bar Association (OMBA) is a representative body of lawyers, legal professionals, and aspiring attorneys committed to creating a robust Muslim presence in Oregon’s legal arena. Our mission is manifold—to network, mentor, support, and educate each other and the greater community, so as to further the interests of all Muslims in our state and in our country. Guided by the Islamic principles of mercy and justice, we invite practicing and aspiring legal professionals from all backgrounds, regions, and belief systems, to unite in advocating for those principles.
The mission of Oregon Women Lawyers is to transform the practice of law and ensure justice and equality by advancing women and minorities in the legal profession. The principal purposes of Oregon Women Lawyers are: To promote equal rights and opportunities for women and minorities within the legal profession and the justice system; To promote full participation of women and minorities in the organized bar and in the legislative and judicial branches of government; To provide opportunities for women and minorities in the legal profession to support and educate one another; To improve the quality and image of the legal profession in Oregon; To actively promote equality and fair treatment of all people within the legal profession and in society.
The South Asian Bar Association of North America is the umbrella organization for all SABA chapters and South Asian legal professionals throughout North America. SABA chapters seek to strengthen the rapidly growing South Asian legal community with a recognized and trusted forum for professional growth and advancement, and promote the civil rights and access to justice for the South Asian community. Our goals and objectives at SABA OR are: Professional Growth: To provide our members with mentorship, a network and development opportunities for individual law students and attorneys. To promote full participation of women and minorities in the organized bar and in the legislative and judicial branches of government. Diversity and Inclusion: To promote diversity and inclusion efforts that ensure equal participation in the legal profession and greater representation in the judiciary. Civil Rights: To combat efforts to limit and marginalize the South Asian and immigrant communities. Access to Justice: To educate the South Asian community by providing legal information and access to a network of pro bono services.
The National Lawyers Guild is dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system. Through its members—lawyers, law students, jailhouse lawyers and legal workers united in chapters and committees—the Guild works locally, nationally and internationally as an effective political and social force in the service of the people. We seek to bring together all those who recognize the importance of safeguarding and extending the rights of workers, women, LGBTQ people, farmers, people with disabilities and people of color, upon whom the welfare of the entire nation depends; who seek actively to eliminate racism; who work to maintain and protect our civil rights and liberties in the face of persistent attacks upon them; and who look upon the law as an instrument for the protection of the people, rather than for their repression. The Portland NLG’s aims are to: Be a legal arm of the radical movement by being responsive and proactive, and building connections between diverse community groups. Be a radical arm of the legal world by inserting radical ideas into the legal culture and providing a home for radical and progressive legal folk. Have our work and our organizational structure build, energize and support our members and our organization.