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Governor Kate Brown announced on March 14 that she will appoint Amy M. Baggio and Heidi H. Moawad, and intends to appoint Steffan K. Alexander, to the Multnomah County Circuit Court. Baggio and Moawad will fill vacancies created by the retirements of Judges Marilyn E. Litzenberger and John A. Wittmayer. Their appointments are effective immediately, and they will be sworn in individually in the coming weeks. Alexander will fill a vacancy created by the expected elevation of Judge Karin J. Immergut to the federal district court; his appointment will be effective at the time of Judge Immergut’s resignation, once her nomination is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Read the full news release.

Anthony Blake didn’t grow up wanting to be an attorney, but he did always know he wanted to do something to make a difference in Portland, where he has lived his whole life. Blake attended Jesuit High School, where his father pushed him to succeed athletically and his mother pushed him to succeed academically, both with the intention of qualifying Blake for a scholarship so he could become the first person in his family to attend college. His parents’ efforts paid off when Blake was offered a scholarship to play football at College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts. However, an Oregonian through and through, Blake transferred to University of Oregon after his first year so he could be closer to his family. Blake was a promising running back on a successful U of O football team, but a ruptured Achilles tendon put a stop to his NFL dreams. Blake still had high aspirations, so he switched gears and began studying for the LSAT. His competitive nature, love of public speaking, and analytical mind made a legal career an obvious choice for Blake.

Blake wasn’t sure what to expect from law school, but he ended up enjoying the Socratic method and the challenge of being forced to think on his feet and being called out if he was unprepared. One of the surprises of law school was how little it prepares students for the practical aspects of lawyering, so Blake made a point of getting as much experience as he could during his studies. During the summer of his 2L year, Blake clerked for District Court Judge Ann Aiken, and during his 3L year, he secured an externship at Hodgkinson Street Mepham. He was eventually offered a position at Ball Janik LLP as an associate after graduatinfrom Lewis & Clark Law Schooin 2016.

At Ball Janik, Blake practices in construction litigation, which has given him the opportunity to quickly learn many practical skills and also see the direct impact of his work on the lives of his clients. Blake enjoys supporting his clients through a process that impacts something as important to them as their home. It is one way Blake is able to make a difference in the community, which is his biggest passion. Above all else, Blake wants his work as an attorney to benefit the local Portland community, which he feels grateful to for making him the person he is today.

Given the importance of local community in Blake’s life, joining the MBA was a nobrainer. Blake joined the YLS Pro Bono Committee and quickly became a rising star, eager to help with projects and come up with creative new ways for the MBA to become more involved in the community. Blake enjoys how collegial and welcoming the MBA is, and especially how the organization values the members of the YLS and their voices. Blake appreciates that YLS members are truly given the opportunity to influence the direction of the local bar, which is not available in many organizations. Through his YLS involvement and on his own initiative, Blake’s current passion is creating more of a presence for the legal community in the lives of local youths. Blake believes it is important for young people to see lawyers in their community and understand the roles lawyers can play in their lives, especially if those lawyers have diverse backgrounds and can present different perspectives. Even if they don’t end up becoming lawyers themselves, Blake wants to inspire young people to challenge themselves and believe in their capability to succeed. He thinks that if the MBA has an ongoing presence in local schools it will benefit everyone involved. Local attorneys talking to kids on a regular basis is one way Blake sees the bar continuing to take care of Multnomah County, which is his primary goal.

Blake enjoys spending time with his wife, who is a third grade teacher, their 10- month old daughter, and their two Boston Terriers. Blake credits his daughter with making him more focused and efficient at work, because any time he is in the office being unproductive is time he could be spending with her. As a family, they enjoy taking walks through Portland neighborhoods and appreciating the design and architecture of houses from a variety of eras. In his limited spare time, Blake’s primary hobby is learning, and he is currently enjoying watching Netflix docuseries on various topics, and reading books on human psychology and cognitive behavior. He also enjoys hot, high-intensity interval training yoga and is a fan of U of O football, the Cowboys, and the Portland Trail Blazers.

The MBA bylaws provide for nominations for MBA and YLS Board positions from the membership at large. MBA members may self-nominate for the MBA Board, and YLS members for the YLS Board. MBA and YLS Board nominating petitions must be endorsed by the nominee and at least 10 other MBA or YLS members, respectively. Petitions must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 22. New MBA and YLS Board members will be announced at the MBA Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 14.

As part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Multnomah Bar Association in 2005, a group of our fellow members, including Kelly Hagan, Jeff Matthews, Robert Neuberger, Bob Newell, Penny Serrurier and then MBA Executive Director Judy Edwards, officially established the Multnomah Bar Foundation (MBF). The initial mission of the MBF was as simple as it was important to our profession: “promote community understanding and access to the justice system.” As the MBF now enters its 14th year in existence, the noblest of intentions in crafting that original mission have borne out, and continue to be at the forefront as the current board looks to the year ahead.

One of the shining stars of the MBF is CourtCare, a partnership between the MBF and Volunteers of America that provides free dropin childcare at the downtown and East County courthouses for those attending a court proceeding. Since its inception, CourtCare has served nearly 17,000 children, and averages about 100 children per month. The vast majority of these children are in the courthouse due to domestic disputes or custody issues, situations which would only be complicated if the children were present during the proceeding itself. CourtCare offers relief in some measure to the adults, the children and the courthouse staff. I am sure you will hear more about CourtCare’s good work during its annual fund drive in May, but the survey responses from those who relied on the program in 2018 paint a very positive picture of its importance: 100 percent of the participants were extremely satisfied with the program. We are grateful for the contributions of time and money many of you have made to make this program the success it is.

Over the past few years, the MBF board has developed a new program designed to promote that portion of its mission related to civic education and public awareness of the legal system. The program, CourtConnect, pairs a lawyer with a Multnomah County judge to visit with a community organization to discuss the legal system and answer questions about it. CourtConnect volunteers have met with groups at Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees (SOAR), and Lutheran Community Services Northwest. For 2019, we have reached out to these groups again, and to Catholic Charities, Lao Buddhist Center Northwest, Latino Network, Muslim Educational Trust, and Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber. We are always looking for lawyer volunteers to accompany our judges, as well as suggestions for new community organizations that would benefit from one of these sessions.

In 2018, the MBF Board voted to sunset the Civic Education Fund. The fund was established in 2006, and annually raised money from the bar to provide grants to nonprofit organizations whose civic and law related education programs promoted civic education and engagement. Over 12 years, the CEF awarded more than $468,000 in grants. Last year alone, the MBF awarded over $50,000 in grants to organizations like Elders in Action, for its Civics 101 class; to Northwest Family Services, for its Peer Court; and to SOAR, for its voter education project to newly naturalized citizens. The grants enabled many of those programs to get off the ground and improve our community’s civic awareness, and the partnerships developed between those organizations and the MBF will last well into the future.

The new courthouse has given the MBF an opportunity to work with Presiding Judge Stephen Bushong and Trial Court Administrator Barbara Marcille on a new project that will support the MBF’s mission to improve the quality and administration of the legal system here in Multnomah County. Although the project - like the courthouse itself - is still a work in progress, we hope to improve access to information and services at the new courthouse, and create a welcoming environment for the public. You’ll hear more about this program as the year progresses, and as we all anxiously await the opening of the new courthouse in Spring 2020.

None of these worthy programs would be possible without the overwhelming support we receive from you, the members of the bar. And I would personally like to thank the individuals who have devoted their time to the MBF over the last year by serving on the board of directors: Matt Donohue, Abby Wool Landon, Dana Scheele, Emilee Preble, Holly Johnston, Jen Wagner, Jim Oliver, Judge Xiomara Torres, Julie Vacura, Mackenzie Hogan, Sarah Bond and Tim Resch. And I’d like to welcome our new board members Richard Vangelisti, Jeanne Sinnott and Victoria Blachly. The next time you run into one of these folks at a bar event, be sure to ask them about the latest from the MBF.

The Housing Notice Clinic is a new pro bono pilot project coordinated by the Volunteer Lawyers Project in the Portland Regional Office of Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO). To help address the housing crisis, the Housing Notice Clinic will provide critical legal housing assistance to low-income Oregonians. The vast majority of tenants in eviction cases are unrepresented. While Legal Aid attorneys represent thousands of tenants a year, the demand for legal services exceeds our resources to provide assistance to all those who qualify for our services. 

The Housing Notice Clinic matches pro bono attorneys with tenants to provide advice on their rental termination notice. The volunteer attorney will review a client's housing termination notice and determine whether the notice is valid or defenses exist using a comprehensive check-list. Attorneys will sign up in advance to be available to take a case(s) on a specific week using an on-line sign up system. When LASO has a client to refer to a volunteer, a scheduled attorney will be contacted with conflict information and confirm they are able to accept the referral. Once the attorney has accepted the referral, LASO will provide the client contact information, rental agreement and termination notice(s) to be reviewed. 

Time commitment: Flexible. Attorneys can sign up to volunteer when it works for them. Attorneys will sign up weekly to be "on call."  Attorney will review notices remotely and contact client via telephone and/or email to advise on whether their notice is defective based upon clinic materials. Attorneys have the flexibility to accept one case during their week or multiple cases. Also, the attorney may decline the referral if they are no longer available. Attorneys have the option of providing continuing legal help to tenants. 

This project is an excellent volunteer opportunity for young lawyers, lawyers interested in housing law, and attorneys who cannot commit to taking long-term cases.  A new CLE training video and extensive written materials are available for this project at www.oregonadvocates.org.  Mentors are also available to answer volunteer questions that come up during the course of representation.

For more information or to volunteer, please contact:
Jill Mallery:  (503) 224-4086 or jill.mallery@lasoregon.org, or
Erin White (503) 224-4086 or erin.white@lasoregon.org

The Attorney Reference Manual is provided as an aid to attorneys practicing before the Circuit Court in Multnomah County. It is intended only to provide assistance regarding some local internal practices, primarily in the area of civil practice, which are determined by common law, rules and statutory authority (including the Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure, Uniform Trial Court Rules, and Supplementary Local Rules). This manual deals with procedures and practices in Presiding Court for civil cases. For procedures and information regarding criminal and family court matters, please contact the appropriate section or department.  

The recently revised MBA professionalism statement is available for MBA members to order and display in their offices. The statement is printed on quality 11" x 14" parchment paper and is suitable for framing. Reconfirm your commitment to professionalism; order your free professionalism statement.

MBA Online Directory

Do you use it?

 

Update your profile at www.mbabar.org/Membership/Login.html by clicking on the "Update My Profile" link.

Sarah Petersen is one of MBA's talented, generous and much appreciated volunteers. She currently serves as YLS treasurer. Since joining the YLS Futures Committee in 2008, she has been involved in a variety of MBA projects and programs. She was instrumental in the redesign of the MBA website, which launched a little over a year ago. One website redesign feature that was important to her was the enhancement of the online directory to include members' biography information, education, volunteer involvement and social media links. We recently asked her a few questions about the online directory.

What was your goal for the members' online directory?

The goal for the directory was for members to have the opportunity to make their entries as complete or as simple as they wanted. We knew that many of our members wanted to link to their LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook pages, so we made sure that the directory would allow people to add those links. It was important to us that the directory allowed members to add a photo of themselves, too. It is much easier to recognize someone at a Starbucks if you have only met them through phone conversations or email, when you can see what they look like beforehand! Our overall goal was to create a tool that members would find easy to use and useful.

Can you describe how to update your online directory profile?

It's very easy - the hardest part is remembering a password, so if you can do that, you'll have no problems. To update a profile, the member just needs to log in to the Member Center, found under the Membership tab. This page offers a few options, including Judicial Preferences, access to free handouts from MBA CLEs, and "Update My Profile." After the member clicks on "Update," she will see her "Profile" page. Adding or updating information in the directory is very simple; the "Profile" page offers several prompts to "click here" to add certain information, like practice areas, a bio, educational background, or memberships. When I wanted to update my bio information, I clicked on the "click here," entered my bio in the text box and clicked "OK," and the info was added to my profile.

Why do you recommend that members update their directory profiles?

Updating your directory profile is as important as keeping your LinkedIn profile or your firm's website up-to-date. So many people begin their information or contact searches online that keeping everything accurate and up-to-date is critical for putting your best foot forward. This is one place where the MBA directory is a big help, because the contact information is updated on a regular basis via a link with the OSB, so even if you have not updated your MBA directory page, your current information - name, address, phone, email, bar number, etc. - will appear in the directory automatically. It's one more benefit of MBA membership.

If you have not kept your directory profile up-to-date, only the Bar's contact information will show up, without practice area, bio, education or any other personal information you would want to share. Go ahead: look up members of your firm and see who has been lazy about advertising themselves! Just stop and update your own information first.

How has updating your own profile on the members' directory benefited you and your practice?

Updating my profile has allowed me one more point of connection for people who might be looking for my contact information. The basic information is available through the OSB directory, but the MBA directory has allowed me to personalize my profile with more information about who I am and the work I do. Plus, it's fun to see what opposing counsel looks like before you meet for the first time.

See Sarah's profile at www.mbabar.org/Membership/Directory/View/34219/.

To update your own profile, log in at www.mbabar.org/Membership/Login.html and click on the "Update My Profile" link.

If you have questions about updating your profile, contact the MBA at 503.222.3275 or mba@mbabar.org.

The May 2 MBA Annual Meeting, Dinner and Judges Reception recognized exemplary members of our profession, the MBA Professionalism Award recipient Carolyn Walker and the MBA Diversity Award recipient Ernest Warren. In addition to Carolyn and Ernest, seven outstanding volunteers were recognized. MBA Awards of Merit were presented to David Bean and Joe Franco. The YLS Award of Merit was given to Amelia Andersen. Ashley Carter received the YLS Rookie of the Year Award. Pro Bono Awards recognized Lisa Kenn, John Koch and Judge Peter McKittrick and the OSB Debtor-Creditor Pro Bono Committee.

 

Congratulations to all the very deserving award recipients!

 

Photos from the event are available here. Photos by Ildiko Arndt Smith.

 

Thank you to MBA Annual meeting sponsors 

 

Reception Wine Sponsor

Alterman Law Group PC

 

Dinner Wine Sponsor

Chernoff Vilhauer LLP

Legal Northwest

NAEGELI Deposition and Trial

Wyse Kadish LLP

 

Affinity Sponsors 

Aldrich Benefits, LP

Clio Legal

Columbia Bank

LawPay

Legal Northwest

NAEGELI Deposition and Trial

UPS

 

Major Sponsors 

Northwest Bank

PLF Excess Program

Richardson Wright LLP

 

Table Sponsors

Alterman Law Group PC

Barran Liebman LLP

Bullivant Houser Bailey PC 

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Holland & Knight LLP

Lane Powell PC

Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP

Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt PC

Smith Freed Eberhard PC

Stoel Rives LLP

Tonkon Torp LLP

Hoffman Construction is hosting a webcam allowing you to view the construction of the central courthouse and see the progress live.

 

See the live view here.