Reserve Your Seat for the 2011 OSB Awards Luncheon

The Oregon State Bar will hold its 2011 Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at The Governor Hotel in Portland.  Awards are given out each year to recognize outstanding work in the legal profession in Oregon.  Note that this year’s award ceremony has been moved up to November from the usual December date.

The OSB presents the Award of Merit, President’s Awards, and the Wallace P. Carson, Jr. Award for Judicial Excellence. The Oregon Bench and Bar Commission on Professionalism will present the Edwin J. Peterson Award. Oregon New Lawyers Division awards will also be recognized.

This year’s award recipients are:

OSB Award of Merit
Former Gov. Ted Kulongoski

OSB President's Affirmative Action Award
Hon. Thomas Rastetter

OSB President's Membership Service Award
John “Jack” Lundeen & the Hon. Jill Tanner

OSB President's Public Service Award
Carl Neil and Brent Renison

OSB President’s Special Award of Appreciation
John D. Ryan

Wallace P. Carson, Jr. Award for Judicial Excellence
Hon. Janice Wilson

Edwin J. Peterson Professionalism Award
John Gartland

Public Leadership Award
Judson Randall, Bar Press Broadcasters Council

Sustainability Award
Jim M. Kennedy

ONLD Member Service Award
Allison Boomer

ONLD Public Service Award
Jamie Hazlett

ONLD Volunteer of the Year Award
Karen Clevering

ONLD Project of the Year Award
James Bruce, Karen Clevering, Ben Eder and David Eder

Online reservations are available on the bar website.  For additional event information, contact Karla Houtary at (800) 452-8260, ext. 367, or (503) 620-0222, ext. 367. Space is limited; registrations are due by October 28.

Beware of Fake Emails Asking for OSB Login Information

Several Oregon State Bar members have reported receiving an email from someone pretending to be from the bar. If you receive an email from "Oregon Bar" or "oregonbar@live.com" asking for personal information, do not respond to it – it is a phishing scam.

Note that the Oregon State Bar will never ask you for your login password via email. Also, all legitimate Oregon State Bar email addresses end in @osbar.org.

U.S. District Court Vacancy

With the announcement that Judge Michael R. Hogan has taken senior status as of September 24, 2011, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley will appoint a committee of Oregon attorneys to recommend possible judicial nominees to the President.

Those wishing to be considered as a judge for the U.S. District Court for Oregon must send a letter of interest, a resume and any supporting material to Sen. Wyden’s office as soon as possible. Materials and inquiries should be sent to the attention of Christina Rohner at ORfederalcourt@gmail.com.

Get Ready to Celebrate Pro Bono!

The 2011 Annual Pro Bono Fair and Social will be held Tuesday, Oct. 25 at the World Trade Center in downtown Portland. Join Oregon lawyers and judges in celebrating the pro bono work of Oregon lawyers during the past year.  Three free CLEs will run concurrently from 2:30 to 5:00pm, followed by the pro bono fair, awards and social from 5:00 to 7:30.

This year’s award ceremony will feature two members of the Oregon Supreme Court: Chief Justice Paul De Muniz and Associate Justice Martha Walters. To register for the CLEs or for more information, contact Michelle Lane at 503-431-6384 or or register online here.

Information on Court Closure Days Available Online

The 2011 legislature effectively reduced the Oregon Judicial Department budget by 10.3 percent across the board. In response, Chief Justice Paul De Muniz has announced a budget reduction plan that includes a combination of 9 court closure days as well as staff furloughs; see Chief Justice Order (#11-033) which went into effect August 31, 2011.

The Chief Justice has also issued Judge Protocols to provide guidance on what judicial activities would be permitted on a closure day, distinguishing between suspension of court operations, where staff is required or the public has a right to attend, as opposed to use of the facility.  Judicial activities that would be permitted include Judicial Chambers work, Judge Only Meetings and Emergency Judicial Orders.

MCLE Compliance Reports Are Coming Soon to Your Email Inbox

MCLE Compliance Reports for the reporting period ending 12/31/2011 will be sent to members via email within the next week. If you need a replacement, you can download your compliance report from the bar’s website. If you have questions, please contact the MCLE Department at 503-620-0222, ext 368.

OSB Members' Library Permanently Closed

With the availability of Fastcase and BarBooks™ as member benefits, together with free online access to statutes, AG Opinions, and many other legal references, usage of the OSB Members’ Library has dwindled to almost nothing. Because of that, together with space needs in the Legal Publications Department, the OSB Members’ Library has been closed.

BarBooks Web Training – Tuesday, Oct. 25

Mark your calendar to join a free BarBooks™ Web conference training session on Tuesday, October 25, at 2:00 to 3:00. Email Linda Kruschke for conference attendance information. If you cannot attend this training session, look for additional training opportunities in the coming months. This training has been approved for 1 Practical Skills MCLE credit. Participation is limited to 100.

Environmental and Natural Resources Section
Seeks Award Nominations

The Environmental and Natural Resources Section is seeking nominations for a new annual award program to recognize leadership, service, and outstanding contributions in the areas of environmental and natural resources law. Award recipients will be honored at the ENR Section Annual Meeting on December 9, 2011.

Nominations must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct. 28.  For more information and the nomination form, click here.  For further questions, please contact Jas Adams at 503 947-4500.