ONLD Job Resources


1. Contract Work

Contracting in between jobs or while looking for a permanent position is a great way to meet new people, find out about informal openings, gain additional experience, and earn money. Check the gray pages of the Oregon State Bar Membership Directory, under and "Employment Contractors," "Employment Contractors - Temporary," "Attorneys - Contract." Some attorneys have discovered that they enjoy contract work on a permanent basis, as it provides a certain amount of freedom and flexibility that a full-time position does not.

Some examples of contract agencies and their processes are listed below. The listings are only intended as a resource, and is not a complete listing. Nor is the listing of a particular agency intended as a recommendation.

Oregon Women Lawyers
(503) 595-7826
PO Box 40393
Portland, OR 97240

Leave a message to leave your name to be placed on the contract referral list, or to receive a list. This is a referral, not placement, service. OWLs will place your name on the list of attorneys available to do contract work. Referrals are state-wide. You must be a member of OWLs to get your name on the list, which is a $20 annual fee. You do your own contacting with lawyers whom OWLs refers you to—the matching occurs primarily based on practice area and interests, if you are a new lawyer without experience in a particular area. Despite its name, OWLs is not just for women—men are welcome to join and participate.

Northwest Legal Search
(503) 296-9500
PO BOX 25186-0186
Fax: (503) 213-5892

Staffing Solutions, LLC 
(503) 295-9948
Attn: Linda Vega
610 SW Broadway, Suite 500
Portland, OR 97205
Fax: (503) 295-9977
www.staffingsolutionsllc.com
Attorneys and Legal Support Staffing

2. Join your local bar association, go to the meetings, join a committee.

At least one local bar association, Multnomah County, puts together a weekly employment letter which is free and available on the web at: http://www.mbabar.org/

3. Attend a Continuing Legal Education session and set a goal of introducing yourself to two lawyers whom you do not know.


4. Law School Placement Services

University of Oregon
Career Services
(541) 346-3235

U of O Alumni: Go to the Career Services website and access Symplicity for online jobs; if you don't already have an account, click on Register. Work with a counselor. Access the Career Services library. Obtain alumni names/contacts.

Non-Alums: $10/year for subscription to graduate jobs bulletin; contact law school at (541) 346-3847.  Reciprocity with most accredited law schools, although you must ask your school to request services for you. Through reciprocity, library access is available along with online job postings if your school will offer them as well. No access to counselor. No reciprocity available August 1-November 30.

Lewis & Clark
Career Services Office
(503) 768-6608

L & C Alumni: Subscription to placement bulletin and use of Career Services resources is free. Career Services also has an ad hoc job board, where individuals may sign up and Career Services will contact them on a first-come, first-serve basis for contract work.

Non-Alums: Career Services Office resources are available to all persons as long as reciprocity with Lewis & Clark exists. Bulletin costs for non-alums is $35/year.

Lewis & Clark also has a job board which is available for use by all.

Willamette University College of Law
Career Services Office
(503) 370-6413

WUCL Alumni: Job bulletin direct mailing is sent free to interested alumni. Resource room, with access to job listings, westlaw, lexus, printer for resumes and cover letters available, access to firm resumes and special publications, and career counseling available. Workshops and on-campus interviews open to alumni, as well.

Non-Alums: Automatic reciprocity with Lewis & Clark, University of Oregon, Seattle University and Gonzaga University. Reciprocity with other law schools if request is accompanied by a letter. Reciprocity allows use of resources such as job bulletins and other resources such as job listings, and associate openings. You must come in person to the Career Services office; WUCL does not send direct mailings to non-alums.

5. Federal/State/County/City Job Hotlines

Federal Job Information Center
1220 SW 3rd
Portland, OR 97204
1-800-688-9889
www.usajobs.opm.gov

State of Oregon Job Hotline
(503) 378-8344
www.oregonjobs.org

Clackamas County Job Hotline
(503) 655-8459
www.co.clackamas.or.us

Multnomah County Personnel
Job Recording (503) 988-5035
www.co.multnomah.or.us/jobs

Washington County Human Resources
Job Hotline (503) 846-8607
www.co.washington.or.us

City of Portland Employment/Job Recording
(503) 823-4352

City of Salem Job Hotlines
555 Liberty St. SE
(503) 588-6162
www.open.org/spersonl

Marion County Human Resources
(503) 588-5589 (Jobs Available Recording)
www.co.marion.or.us

Polk County Job Line (503) 831-3010

6. Access Internet Websites

If you do not have a computer with internet access, try your local public library or a law school library. Hints for key words include the basics: "legal," "employment," "job opportunities."

7. Read "A Complete Guide to Contract Lawyering"

Author: Deborah Aaron and Debbie Guyol
Available on Amazon

8. Check the Sunday Oregonian for Private Business Job Listings


9. Lawyers in Transition Program

Contact Shari R. Gregory (503) 226-1057, ext. 14 or Mike Long at (503) 226-1057, ext. 11

The Oregon Attorney Assistance Program sponsors a Lawyers in Transition group, which provides networking, education, and support for lawyers making job or career transitions, including new lawyers.

The group meets every Thursday at noon at the OAAP office, 520 SW Yamhill St. Suite 1050, Portland. A guest speaker is featured the first Thursday of each month. In addition, lists of former lawyers who have made a transition into other careers and other forms of resource support are available.

Examples of guest speakers include the lawyer to the Executive Director of the Friends of Trees, lawyer to the founder of Legal People, Inc., and lawyer to the Adjutant General of the Oregon National Guard.