New Member Information
Supporting Your Practice
OSB Legal Publications are top-rated legal resources written by and for Oregon lawyers, and are a great way to start research. The Legal Publications library contains about 48 titles that are available in print or as part of the BarBooks™ online library. The books focus on Oregon cases, statutes and administrative rules including forms, practice tips, legal tradition, caveats, queries and much more. 503.431.6345
New members can meet their MCLE requirements through the many CLE events sponsored by the CLE Seminars Department. Credits are available in a variety of formats live, online, audio, or video and cover a wide range of topics and practice areas. To learn more, please visit www.osbarcle.org or call the OSB CLE Service Center at 503.431.6413 or toll-free in Oregon at 800.452.8260, ext. 413.
The Professional Liability Fund (PLF) provides malpractice coverage, at a discount, to newly admitted lawyers in private practice. In addition, the PLF offers many free services to help you with your law practice. These services include confidential assistance setting up and improving your law office systems, a CLE specifically designed to meet new admittees’ first MCLE reporting requirements (Learning the Ropes), over 500 free forms and CLE programs, a practice management weekly blog, inPractice, and in Brief, a quarterly malpractice prevention publication. For more information about practice assistance, malpractice coverage, CLEs, or other services, visit www.osbplf.org or call 503.639.6911.
Oregon Lawyers’ Conference Room (OLCR) – The PLF also offers a conference room in downtown Portland, which can be reserved and used for free. To reserve the room for a client meeting, go to www.osbplf.org > Practice Management > Oregon Lawyers’ Conference Room.
The Oregon Attorney Assistance Program provides a wide range of free and confidential personal assistance to all Oregon lawyers. For more information, call 503.226.1057 or visit www.oaap.org.
From Administrative Law to Worker's Compensation, OSB Sections provide members with opportunities to develop and improve skills alongside other attorneys who practice in the same area. The bar also has numerous committees, task forces and other volunteer opportunities. 503.431.6385
A complete member directory of the OSB is available as a fast online resource.
The Oregon New Lawyers Division (ONLD) encourages new lawyers to participate in bar activities and creates programs of value to new lawyers and law students. In addition, the new lawyers division promotes public awareness and access to the legal system. 503.431.6384
The Bulletin is the bar's monthly magazine made real by members who serve as contributing writers. In addition to opinion pieces, profiles of Oregon lawyers and practice-oriented articles, the Bulletin also includes announcements, classified ads and bar news. 503.431.6436
New lawyers with ethics questions or would like information on ethics opinions, should contact the General Counsel group. 503.431.6475
Working with sections and committees of the bar, the Public Affairs program advises government officials, responds to issues affecting the justice system, proposes legislation for law improvement and advocates on the matters that affect the legal profession and the public it serves. 503.431.6380
Lawyer to Lawyer can connect new members with experienced lawyers willing to offer informal advice at no charge. Resource lawyers are listed according to areas of expertise and geographic location. 503.431.6408
Signing up quickly for the New Lawyers Mentoring Program will ensure that you have guidance and support as you begin your practice. 503.431.6367
Protecting the Legal System
Members of the Board of Bar Examiners design, administer and grade the bar exam. In addition, the board recommends candidates to the Oregon Supreme Court for admission to the bar and coordinates character and fitness reviews of all applicants. 503.431.6310
The Client Assistance Office reviews all inquiries and complaints about OSB members. Inquiries and complaints are screened by the office so that only matters presenting credible evidence of misconduct will be recorded in bar records as disciplinary complaints. Just as important is the client service that the office provides: the bar will endeavor to assist clients with problems that may not raise actual ethics issues, but which should still be addressed from the standpoint of customer service. 503.431.6332
The bar aims to provide fair and efficient disposition in all discipline matters while protecting the public and the integrity of the legal profession. With the introduction of the Client Assistance Office, the Regulatory Services department is able to spend more time on cases after credible evidence of misconduct has been presented. 503.620.0222
The Client Security Fund reimburses clients who have suffered a loss of money or property through the dishonest conduct of lawyers. 503.431.6386
The Fee Arbitration Program offers an inexpensive and informal mechanism to resolve fee disputes between Oregon lawyers and their clients, or between Oregon lawyers. Participation is voluntary. 503.431.6334
Serving the Public
The Referral and Information department fields thousands of requests for lawyers each year. The Lawyer Referral Service, Modest Means, Military Assistance Panel and Problem Solvers programs are all part of the bar's legal information outreach initiative. Approximately 2,000 OSB members participate in the different referral programs. 503.431.6418
Legal Links, a series of law-related public information programs, is all about outreach and education. The bar strives to provide Oregonians with the tools they need to understand laws, lawyers and the legal system. We hold public legal education seminars, produce law-related cable TV programs, distribute pamphlets and specialty publications, create public service announcements, provide extensive legal information on the OSB website and continue the use of Tel-LawÑour legal information service provided by phone. 503.431.6402
The Oregon Law Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization. The OLF grants funds primarily generated from IOLTA account interest to programs providing legal services to low-income Oregonians, to organizations that promote diversity in the legal profession, and to educate the public about the law. Through a partnership between the OLF and banks, when lawyers use OLF Leadership Banks for their IOLTA accounts, significantly more interest is generated to fund the OLF. 503.431.6323
The Legal Service Program uses revenue from filing fees, pro hac vice fees, unclaimed lawyer trust account funds, and class action cy pres awards, to fund a statewide system of free legal services for the poor in Oregon. The program also collaborates with other organizations to improve access to justice in Oregon through the Pro Bono Roll Call, Pro Bono Directory and other initiatives. 503.431.6323
Electronic Tools
The bar's website at www.osbar.org features the tools you need to get things done. Pay your fees, search the member directory, download forms, vote in online elections and preference polls, join a section, look for a job, search for Pro Bono opportunities do it all online. 503.431.6414
Fastcase™ is an online legal research tool featuring Oregon case law, OSB ethics opinions, general statutes and more. Fastcase™ is now available to every active member of the OSB and is included in annual membership fees. 503.431.6414
Coming to an inbox near you, Bar News Online and BOG Updates are regular, once-a-month e-mail services providing bar-related news and information. The Bar News features OSB election results, notice of upcoming events and important announcements. The BOG Update recaps decisions made at bi-monthly Board of Governor meetings. Every member who has an e-mail address on file with the bar will receive the Bar News and BOG Update. 503.431.6314
BarBooks™ is an online library published by the Oregon State Bar Legal Publications Department. With over fifty titles and updates throughout the year, it is the easiest way to access information written by Oregon lawyers about Oregon law. Includes almost 2,000 downlaodable forms and jury instructions. Over 5,700 lawyers in Oregon are using this online research tool. BarBooks is availabe to every active member of the OSB and is included in annual membership fees. 503.431.6415