Oregon State Bar Bulletin — OCTOBER 2012
Bar News
Coming in October: MCLE
Compliance Reports
Members whose MCLE reporting period ends Dec. 31, 2012, will receive their compliance reports via email by the end of October.
Visit the MCLE page of the bar’s website at www.osbar.org/mcle for answers to frequently asked questions and updates on MCLE rule amendments. You can download your compliance report via the member login from the bar’s website at http://www.osbar.org. Log in to your account, click on the MCLE Reporting tab, and then click on View Your MCLE Compliance Report.
Contact the MCLE department at (503) 620-0222, ext. 368, with any questions.
Nov 2 House of Delegates Meeting Time Has Changed
The 2012 OSB House of Delegates Meeting will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 2 at the Oregon State Bar Center. Please note the time change.
Comment on Changes to ORCP
The Council on Court Procedures has posted for comment proposed changes to the Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure. The changes reflect the work of the council since September 2011. Proposed changes include amendments to the rules governing signing pleadings, affirmative defenses, appointments of guardians ad litem, depositions of organizations, discovery sanctions, subpoenas for personally identifiable health information, alternative jurors, exceptions to jury instructions and claims for attorney fees.
To look at the proposed language and to comment on the changes, go to www.counciloncourtprocedures.org . The council welcomes comments by the bench, bar and public.
For full consideration, comments to the proposed drafts should be received by the council by Nov. 15. The promulgation meeting is open to the public and will take place on Dec. 1 at 9:30 a.m. at the Oregon State Bar Center.
Request for Public Comment:
Out-of-Cycle Changes to UTCR
Chief Justice Thomas A. Balmer has approved out-of-cycle changes to the Uniform Trial Court Rules as part of the Oregon eCourt Program implementation process, to address changes to foreign discovery under ORCP 38 C. You can view the changes at tinyurl.com/2012UTCRComments .
All interested parties are encouraged to submit comment on these changes. You may post comments at the web address mentioned above, mail them to the UTCR Reporter at the Office of the State Court Administrator, Supreme Court Building, 1163 State St., Salem, OR 97301-2563, or email them to utcr@ojd.state.or.us
Bank of America Affinity Credit Card Program for OSB Ends Nov. 30
Since 1997, the Oregon State Bar has offered bar members an affinity credit card through Bank of America. The cards offered through this program carried the OSB logo. Recently, however, Bank of America indicated that they are cutting the number of affinity programs being offered, and the bar’s program will end on November 30.
Bank of America will communicate the details to all cardholders on upcoming billing statements. If you have further questions about the affinity program, call Danielle Edwards at (503) 431-6426.
Report Unclaimed Client Funds
It’s time to take a look at your lawyer trust account and forward any unclaimed or abandoned client funds to the Oregon State Bar. Funds are deemed unclaimed or abandoned if the owner has not accepted payment of the funds, corresponded in writing about the funds or otherwise indicated interest in the funds within two years after the funds are payable or distributable to the owner. Unclaimed or abandoned funds held in lawyer trust accounts must be reported to the Oregon Department of State Lands, but paid over to the Oregon State Bar with a copy of the DSL report. Funds deemed unclaimed or abandoned as of June 30 of each year are to be reported during the month of October of that same year, although earlier reporting may be allowed upon written request.
Unclaimed or abandoned client funds are appropriated to the OSB Legal Services Program to allocate funds to organizations providing civil legal services to low income Oregonians.
Questions about forwarding abandoned funds can be addressed to Judith Baker at (503) 431-6323 or jbaker@osbar.org
Where You Bank Matters
The choice of bank for your lawyer trust account can make a big difference in the lives of others. A small difference in interest rates can mean a gain of tens of thousands of dollars for the Oregon Law Foundation to distribute to organizations that provide legal services to persons of lesser means. Thanks to IOLTA (Interest On Lawyer Trust Account) contributions, Oregon legal service programs have received $29 million since 1989.
If you aren’t already depositing your funds in a Leadership Bank, please consider switching to a higher-yield account.
A full list of higher-interest banks can be found at http://www.oregonlawfoundation.org/docs/LeadershipBanks.pdf
Economic Survey Now Available
The 2012 Oregon State Bar Economic Survey is available now on the bar’s website under “Surveys and Research.” Bound printed copies are available for $10 each. Call the CLE Service Center at (503) 431-6413 or toll-free in Oregon at (800) 452-8260, ext. 413 to use a Visa or MasterCard. Or mail your with check to: Oregon State Bar, Economic Survey, P.O. Box 231935, Tigard, OR 97281. Be sure to include your name and address with your check.