Skip to Content
  • Home
  • About the Bar
  • Mission
  • Forms
  • Sitemap
    • Member Directory
      Last Name:
      First Name:
      Bar Number:
      City:


    • Login
OSB Logo

Oregon State Bar Bulletin — JULY 2008
Profiles in the Law
Public Defense Pioneer:
Jim Hennings paved the way for holistic representation
By Cliff Collins

James D. Hennings

When James D. Hennings founded Metropolitan Public Defender Services in 1971, no playbook existed for how to run a public defense office.

"When he first started the office, it was a truly visionary thing to do," notes Edwin A. Harnden, past president of the Oregon State Bar. Prior to that, "we did not do (public defense) very effectively or efficiently. People simply were not getting the representation they were entitled to."

Hennings remained executive director of the organization for the past 37 years because of his passionate dedication to the notion of "caring about our clients beyond just standing by a client in court," Hennings explains.

His reading of a lawyer’s job description — "an attorney and counselor at law" — led to his belief that "you were supposed to make your clients better for having come to you," he says.

When Hennings retired at the end of June, he stepped down knowing that a good number of the thousands of people served by his office felt they indeed had been made better.

He says the concept now is called "holistic law," but back then, when Hennings started hiring paralegals and social workers to make community connections for clients who needed help, it was a newfangled idea.

It was born from his recognition that whatever legal troubles his clients had pending, they "were the least of our clients’ problems," as he puts it. A large percentage of Metropolitan Defender’s clients can’t read, and more have chemical dependency or mental health problems, not to mention problems with employment and housing.

In addition to hiring support staff to help clients address these issues, Hennings assisted in founding a drug court to get clients into treatment, and to make them accountable to a judge.

"That (holistic) concept is being replicated around the country," says Hennings: "How do we make society better and make clients better, and stop running them through the treadmill?"

Early Years
Jim Hennings was born in a small farm community near Chicago. He came as a toddler to Oregon, where he and his family lived until he was 6 years old. He then spent all his school years in Massachusetts, including at a private prep school, Belmont Hill. Hennings majored in government at Lake Forest College near Chicago, where his grandfather, a lawyer, had graduated.

Hennings thought of going into international and business law as his granddad had done, so he went to Willamette University School of Law, where his by-then-widowed mother lived in Salem.

After obtaining his J.D., though, Hennings was not ready to go straight to work.

"In law school, you put your life on hold. You lose contact with the outside world," he says. "I needed time to decide what I wanted to do." So instead of starting practice, he applied for and got a two-year fellowship in prosecution defense at Northwestern University School of Law.

Always interested in politics, while at Northwestern, he worked as a driver at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, chauffeuring around luminaries such as Oregon Sen. Wayne Morse, and getting "gassed a couple of times in Grant Park" candlelight vigils by the Chicago police.

How it Started
From his fellowship, he learned a lot about public defense, especially how it shouldn’t be done, says Hennings, who then returned to Oregon, where he worked in the district attorney’s office in Portland for two years.

But the Multnomah County Bar Association got a grant to start a public defense office, and Hennings was offered the job. He figured he would work a couple of years there, then go into private practice.

Given that he never left, he came to caution interviewees for the agency that the job can be so "exciting and seductive" that they may decide to stay in it, as he has done.

Some have, but many more have gone on to become outstanding private practitioners, as well as a law school dean,
nearly 30 judges around the state, and leaders in the bar such as the first female and first minority presidents of the Oregon State Bar.

U.S. District Court Judge Ancer L. Haggerty, who started his career working in Hennings’ office, says he got "great experience" there, adding that all who worked there gained from the high quality of trial lawyers in that office.

"It just shows that the people he chose had the ability and character" to achieve success in whatever paths they selected, says Haggerty.

"He was a great mentor, training them to be good, professional lawyers," adds Harnden, who didn’t work for Hennings but has worked with him on issues related to legal services for the poor.

Hennings is "committed to what makes lawyers truly outstanding citizens," Harnden says. "He’s a classic example of what lawyers should be."

During his tenure, Multnomah Public Defender grew from one office with two attorneys to two offices (one in Washington County) with 60 attorneys and about 140 employees. Hennings was a founding member of the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and in 2005 received the association’s Ken Morrow Lifetime Achievement Award.

"I like to solve problems," Hennings says in explaining his longevity in the post. In his line of work, "you’re the ultimate problem-solver." In addition, he adds, "It fulfills my desire to aid society."

Retired Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace P. Carson Jr., who has known Hennings since Hennings "had red hair" and Carson was in the legislature, says Hennings "served Oregon and his clients in that endeavor for a long time, and he’s done a wonderful job."

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cliff Collins is a Portland-area freelance writer and a frequent contributor to the Bulletin.

© 2008 Cliff Collins


— return to top
— return to Table of Contents

  • For The Public

      Public Legal Information

    • Public Information Home
    • Legal Information Topics
    • Juror Handbook

    • Getting Legal Help

    • Finding The Right Lawyer
    • Hiring A Lawyer
    • Lawyers Fees

    • Client Services

    • Client Assistance Office
    • Client Security Fund
    • Fee Dispute Resolution
    • Public Records Request
    • Locating Attorney Files

    • Unlawful Practice of Law

    • UPL Information
    • UPL FAQ

    • Volunteer Opportunities

    • Public Member Application
  • For Members

    OSB Login

    • Log In To OSB Site
    • Member Account Setup
    • Non-Member Account Setup
    • Reset Password

    OSB Resources

    • Attorney's Marketplace
    • Career Center
    • Events
    • Forms Library
    • Online Resources
    • OSB Group Listings
    • Performance Standards
    • Rules Regulations and Policies
    • Surveys and Research Reports
    • Unclaimed Client Funds
    • Voting Regions and By-City
      County Information

    Fastcase™

    • Log in to Fastcase
    • Overview
    • Scheduled Webinars
    • Inactive Member Subscriptions

    Legal Ethics

    • Legal Ethics Home
    • Find an Ethics Opinion
    • Bulletin Bar Counsel Archive

    Company Administrator

    • Company Administrator Home
    • Company Administrator FAQ
    • Authorization Form

    State Lawyers
    Assistance Committee

    • SLAC Info

    Volunteering

    • Volunteer Opportunities

    Court Information

    • Judicial Vacancies
    • Court Info | Calendars | Jury Info
    • Oregon Attorneys
      in Federal Court
    • Tribal Courts of Oregon

    OSB Publications

    • Bar Bulletin Magazine
    • – Bulletin Archive
    • – Legal Writer Archive
    • Capitol Insider
    • Disciplinary Board Reporter

    PLF Programs

    • (OAAP) Oregon Attorney
      Assistance Program
    • Practice Management Attorneys
    • Malpractice Coverage
  • CLE/Legal Publications

    CLE Seminars

    • CLE Seminars Home
    • Online Seminar Registration
    • General Info/FAQ

    My Account

    • My Content
    • My Events
    • Order History

    Legal Publications

    • Legal Publications Home
    • Log in to BarBooks
    • BarBooks FAQ
    • Online Bookstore
    • Legal Pubs Blog
  • Bar Programs

    Diversity & Inclusion

    • Diversity & Inclusion Home
    • Diversity Story Wall
    • D&I Programs
    • ACDI Roster
    • D&I Staff Contacts
    • D&I Links

    Legislative/Public Affairs

    • Legislative Home
    • Committee Contacts
    • Legislative Sessions
    • Staff Contacts
    • Useful Links

    Legal Services Program

    • LSP Home

    Oregon Law Foundation

    • OLF Home
    • Partners in Justice

    Fee Dispute Resolution

    • Fee Dispute Resolution Home

    Pro Bono

    • Pro Bono Home
    • Pro Bono Reporting
    • Volunteer Opportunities

    Lawyer Referral and Information Services

    • RIS Login
    • Summary of Referral and Information Services Programs
    • Lawyer Referral Service Info and Registration Forms
    • Modest Means Program Registration Forms
    • Military Assistance Panel Training Info and Registration Form
    • Problem Solvers Registration Form
    • Lawyer To Lawyer Registration Form

    (LRAP) Loan Repayment Assistance Program

    • LRAP Home
    • LRAP FAQ
    • LRAP Policies
  • Member Groups

    Sections

    • Section Info/Websites
    • Joining Sections
    • CLE Registration Services
    • Standard Section Bylaws (PDF)
    • Leadership Resources
    • Treasurers Tools

    Committees

    • Home
    • Leadership Resources
    • Professionalism Commission
    • Volunteer Opportunities

    House of Delegates

    • HOD Home
    • HOD Resources
    • Meetings
    • Rules (PDF)
    • Roster (PDF)
    • Staff Contacts

    Board of Governors

    • BOG Home
    • Meetings & Agendas
    • Members
    • Liaisons
    • Committees
    • Resources
    • Task Forces

    Oregon New Lawyers Division

    • ONLD Home
    • Law Students
    • Student Loan Repayment
    • Committees
    • Upcoming Events

    Task Forces and Special Committees

    • Task Forces Home

    Volunteer Bars

    • List/Contacts
    • Leadership Resources

    Volunteering

    • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Licensing/Compliance

    Admissions

    • Admissions Home
    • Alternative Admittance
    • Applicants for Admission
    • Admissions Forms
    • Past Bar Exam Results

    Licensed Paralegal Program

    • LP Home

    Pro Hac Vice/Arbitration

    • Pro Hac Vice
    • Arbitration

    Lawyer Discipline

    • Discipline Home
    • Disciplinary Board Reporter
    • Disciplinary Boards
    • Client Assistance Office
    • (SPRB) State Professional Responsibility Board

    Membership Records

    • Address Changes
    • Good Standing Certificate
    • Request Discipline File Review

    MCLE

    • MCLE Home
    • Program Database
    • Forms
    • Rules (PDF)

    IOLTA Reporting

    • IOLTA Home
    • IOLTA FAQ

    Membership Fees

    • Member Fee FAQ
    • Member Fee Payment

    Status Changes

    • Status Changes FAQ
    • Inactive Status Form
    • Retired Status Form
    • Active Pro Bono Status Form
    • Reinstatement Forms
    • Resignation Form A
    • Pending Reinstatements

    Unlawful Practice of Law

    • UPL Information
    • UPL FAQ

    New Lawyer Mentoring Program

    • New Lawyer Mentoring Program Home

    Professional Liability Fund

    • Professional Liability Fund Website
For The Public

Public Information Home
Legal Information Topics
Juror Handbook
Finding The Right Lawyer
Hiring A Lawyer
Lawyers Fees
Client Assistance Office
Public Records Request
Unlawful Practice of Law
Fee Dispute Resolution
Client Security Fund
Volunteer Opportunities
for the Public

For Members

BarBooks™
Bulletin Archive
Career Center
Fastcase™
Judicial Vacancies
Legal Ethics Opinions
OSB Group Listings
OSB Login
OSB Rules & Regs
SLAC Info
Surveys and Reports
Volunteer Opportunities

CLE/Legal Pubs

CLE Seminars Home
Legal Publications Home

Bar Programs

Diversity & Inclusion
Fee Arbitration/Mediation
Legal Services Program
Legislative/Public Affairs
Loan Repayment
Assistance Program

Oregon Law Foundation
Pro Bono

Member Groups

Board of Governors
Committees
House of Delegates
Volunteer Bars
Oregon New
Lawyers Division

OSB Sections
Professionalism
Commission

Volunteer Opportunities

About The Bar

About the Bar
ADA Notice
Contact Info
Copyright Notice
Directions to the Bar
Meeting Room Rentals
Mission Statement
OSB Job Opportunities
Privacy Policy
Staff Directory
Terms of Use

Licensing/Compliance

Admissions
Client Assistance Office
Client Security Fund
IOLTA Reporting
Lawyer Discipline
MCLE
Member Fee FAQ
New Lawyer
Mentoring Program

Professional Liability Fund
Status Changes

Oregon State Bar Center

Phone: (503) 620-0222
Toll-free in Oregon: (800) 452-8260
Facsimile: (503) 684-1366

Building Location:
16037 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road
Tigard, OR 97224

Mailing Address:
PO Box 231935
Tigard, OR 97281

Oregon State Bar location Map

Copyright ©1997 Oregon State Bar  ®All rights reserved | ADA Notice | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use