In the Community, Bend Oregon

Equal access is intrinsic to justice – if justice is our goal, then equal access must be our cause.

Our efforts and interests have been rooted in local and state endeavors invested in Access to Justice (ATJ); Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI); and Lawyer Wellness. This three part focus has led to a series of roles within the justice system and bar programs that we are proud to be a part of, including:

Creation of the ATJ Committee in Deschutes County.
Creation of Lawyer in the Library (LITL), providing free legal consultations each week.
Implementation of on-demand Spanish interpretation services for LITL consultations.
Creation of a pilot program bringing access to court documents to rural libraries throughout the County.
Formation of DEI Committee for the Deschutes County Bar Association and amendment of Bar Association bylaws encouraging Directors to proactively engage with the concepts of DEI as they relate to the practice of law.
As part of OLF, commission “Barriers to Justice,” study assessing the civil legal needs of low income Oregonians in order to prioritize changes to Oregon legal aid.

2021 President of the Oregon Law Foundation which distributes over $1.5M grants annually to organizations in Oregon that provide legal services to people of lesser means, promote diversity in the legal profession, and educate the public about the law.
Regional Director for OTLA Wildfire providing free legal help for victims of Oregon Wildfires.
As part of Uniform Civil Jury Instructions Committee revise jury instructions to include detailed information and instructions on unconscious bias to be provided to potential jurors at jury selection.
Currently serving on the Oregon State Bar Board of Governors, working to reduce the gap in access to justice and create a statewide Legal Help Portal.