Bar Associations & Sections
A good way to enhance your professional growth is by joining different bar sections.
- Oregon State Bar Sections & Committees
Joining an OSB Section offers you a chance to explore an area of law before being admitted to the bar. As a law student section member you will receive email notices for the section’s upcoming events and programs, be added to its listserve (when available), and receive its publications.
Oregon State Bar (OSB) Law Student Associate Program: https://www.osbar.org/_docs/sections/LSA.pdf
Administrative Law Section
The Administrative Law Section is composed of government and privately-employed lawyers and administrative law judges practicing administrative law before a host of government agencies. Our members are keenly interested in the quality of Oregon’s administrative justice system.
Agricultural Law Section
The Section provides a supportive forum focusing on the legal needs and issues of importance for attorneys working with the agricultural community throughout Oregon. The lawyers in this group represent farmers, ranchers, owners, and other related parties on legal matters such as business contracts, property leases, liens, litigation, employment, land use, real estate, estate planning, bankruptcy, and water law.
Antitrust and Trade Regulation Section
The Oregon State Bar Antitrust and Trade Regulation Section provides bar members interested in competition law and trade regulation with opportunities to develop and improve related skills, as well as a forum to communicate with other Section Members.
Appellate Practice Section
Appellate Practice Section serves state and federal appellate practitioners with Continuing Legal Education opportunities, provides social interaction opportunities, monitors changes to the Oregon Rules of Appellate Procedure and legislative developments, and offers a forum for suggestions to improve the practice of appellate law throughout Oregon and the United States.
Business Law Section
Business Law Section Mission is to serve the diverse group of members of the Business Law Section throughout the State of Oregon by: Providing regular, timely, and useful information about the practice of business law. Promoting quality lawyering and professionalism among business lawyers, in part through facilitating communication and networking among its members. Advocating improvements to Oregon’s business laws. Supporting Oregon’s business infrastructure and business community.
Cannabis Law Section
The Cannabis Law Section seeks to educate and promote cannabis law among Oregon lawyers and judges. The section also maintains a listserve and encourages practitioners to share information, evaluate cannabis laws, and discuss practicing cannabis law in Oregon.
Civil Rights Section
The Civil Rights Section provides bar members interested in civil rights issues with opportunities to develop and improve their skills and with a forum to communicate and take action on matters of mutual interest.
Construction Law Section
“We work with the Oregon State Bar and other organizations in the furtherance of common projects related to the legal profession, with particular emphasis on construction law. We provide CLE opportunities for local attorneys to further their professional development and provide a vehicle for local construction attorneys and industry professionals to communicate regarding important issues in Oregon construction law.”
Consumer Law Section
The Oregon State Bar Consumer Law Section focuses on advancing the interests of consumers through legal education programs and supportive legislation. The Section strives to create a better understanding and cooperation among attorneys engaged in the practice of consumer law.
Corporate Counsel Section
The Corporate Counsel Section of the Oregon State Bar is comprised of attorneys who serve as counsel to corporations and other organizations, including in-house as well as outside counsel. The Section’s primary goal is to facilitate communication and the exchange of information and ideas among nearly 500 members through continuing legal education seminars, networking opportunities, and social events
Disability Law Section
The Oregon State Bar Disability Law Section provides bar members interested in disability law with resources to help them keep updated and educated on developments in disability law, and with opportunities for collaboration and professional development on disability law related topics and issues.
Diversity Section
The Mission of the Oregon State Bar Diversity Section is to promote and support diversity and inclusion within the Oregon Bar and the judiciary, to organize educational programs that facilitate constructive discussion and enhanced understanding of diversity issues, and to assist Oregon legal professionals in advancing equity in the practice of law.
Environmental and Natural Resource Section
The Environmental and Natural Resource Section’s mission is to: Expand section members’ legal skills, and improve their knowledge of environmental and natural resources law; Facilitate communication and networking among legal professionals working on environmental and natural resource issues; and Encourage professionalism and foster ethical lawyering.
Family Law Section
The Oregon State Bar Family Law Section is a dedicated group of professionals committed to improving the practice of family law for Oregon families throughout the state.
Government Law Section
The GLS welcomes bar members whose practice involves representing the diverse forms of government in Oregon, including the state, counties, cities, special districts, regional and federal governments.
Indian Law Section
The goal of the Indian Law Section of the Oregon State Bar is to encourage a greater understanding and improve the practice of Indian law throughout Oregon. The ILS represents a wide spectrum of attorneys who handle cases, transactions and other matters involving Indian law, including attorneys in private practice, attorneys who work as in-house attorneys for Indian tribes, attorneys for nonprofit organizations advocating for tribal rights, and attorneys who serve as tribal court judges for Indian tribes in Oregon.
Intellectual Property Section
The Intellectual Property Section of the Oregon State Bar is for attorneys interested in patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, or the variety of related rights.
International Law Section
The international law sections missions is to enhance the understanding of international legal principles among its members; to educate the members in order to enable them to better serve their clients by conducting periodic legal seminars; to increase the level of professionalism of the International Bar; to act as a source of reference for the public at large with respect to international legal matters; and, to assist the membership with networking opportunities in order to enable the members to develop their practices.
Juvenile Law Section
The purpose of the Juvenile Law Section is to promote the objectives of the Oregon State Bar by improving the administration of justice in the field of juvenile dependency and delinquency law and by bringing together members of the Oregon State Bar concerned with juvenile laws and in reforms and improvements in such laws through legislation or other means.
Labor and Employment Section
The Executive Committee’s mission is to provide useful resources and educational events for practitioners of labor and employment law from all sides of the “v”, and to promote the development of a collegial relationship between Section members.
- Affinity Groups
Diversity Section
The Mission of the Oregon State Bar Diversity Section is to promote and support diversity and inclusion within the Oregon Bar and the judiciary, to organize educational programs that facilitate constructive discussion and enhanced understanding of diversity issues, and to assist Oregon legal professionals in advancing equity in the practice of law.
NIBA - Northwest Indian Bar Association
The Northwest Indian Bar Association is a nonprofit organization of attorneys, judges and Indian law practitioners in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon & Washington.
OAPABA - Oregon Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Advancement: To promote the professional development and advancement of APA attorneys through education, research and programs.
Advocacy: To act as a vehicle and forum for expressing opinions on matters of concern to APA attorneys and our communities.
Communication: To encourage and foster communication among APA attorneys on issues affecting our work, communities and government.OC-NBA – Oregon Chapter of National Bar Association
The Oregon Chapter of the National Bar Association (OC-NBA) is Oregon’s Black bar association.
OCLA - Oregon Chinese Lawyers Association
The Oregon Chinese Lawyers Association helps identify lawyers in Oregon who speak Chinese, to better provide legal services to Oregon’s Chinese-speaking community. Lawyers who speak Chinese are relatively uncommon in Oregon. The OCLA was formed to identify Chinese-speaking lawyers in the state, to help connect Chinese-speaking lawyers in different practice areas with the Chinese-speaking clients who need their services.
OFALA – Oregon Filipino American Lawyers Association
The Oregon Filipino American Lawyers Association is a professional association of Filipino American judges, lawyers, law students and legal professionals, and supporters
OGALLA – The LGBT Bar Association of Oregon
OGALLA, the LGBT Bar Association of Oregon, is an association of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lawyers, judges, legal workers, law students, and others who support the association’s purposes.
OHBA – Oregon Hispanic Bar Association
The Oregon Hispanic Bar Association (OHBA) operates in Oregon to encourage Latinos to become attorneys, retain Latino legal professionals, raise the awareness of Latino legal issues, and support Latino law students and legal professionals.
OMLA – Oregon Minority Lawyers Association
OMLA seeks individuals interested in participating in activities that benefit minority attorneys, Oregon’s minority legal community, and the minority community in Oregon.
OSB Diversity & Inclusion
The Diversity & Inclusion Department serves the OSB’s mission by striving to increase the diversity of the Oregon bench and bar to reflect the diversity of the people of Oregon, by educating attorneys about the cultural richness and diversity of the clients they serve, and by removing barriers to justice.
OWLS – Oregon Women Lawyers
The mission of Oregon Women Lawyers is to transform the practice of law and ensure justice and equality by advancing women and minorities in the legal profession.
SABA Oregon – South Asian Bar Association Oregon Chapter
SABA chapters seek to strengthen the rapidly growing South Asian legal community with a recognized and trusted forum for professional growth and advancement, and promote the civil rights and access to justice for the South Asian community.
- County Bar Groups
Local Oregon Bars and Contacts
- Additional Groups
OCDLA - Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Mission Statement: Championing justice, promoting individual rights and supporting the legal defense community through education and advocacy.
ONLD - Oregon New Lawyers Division
The mission of the Oregon New Lawyers Division is to assist new lawyers with the transition to practicing law in Oregon and to engage and leverage new lawyers in support of the mission, functions, and values of the Oregon State Bar.
Oregon Chapter - American Constitution Society
ACS is the nation’s largest progressive legal network. We strive to ensure that the Constitution and the law work for all people by empowering leaders and informing discourse.
Oregon Chapter - Federal Bar Association
Our local FBA Chapter is comprised of approximately 350 federal judges and practitioners, and our organization is the primary source of educational programs and contact with the federal bench in Oregon.
OSB Diversity & Inclusion
The Diversity & Inclusion Department serves the OSB’s mission by striving to increase the diversity of the Oregon bench and bar to reflect the diversity of the people of Oregon, by educating attorneys about the cultural richness and diversity of the clients they serve, and by removing barriers to justice.
OTLA - Oregon Trial Lawyers Association
OTLA’s 1000+ attorney members and support staff represent injured consumers, patients, workers, employees and all Oregonians. OTLA provides many tools and services to help you help your clients. These include immediate access to hundreds of colleagues through the OTLA listservs, cutting-edge Continuing Legal Education seminars, advocacy work to preserve and enhance your clients’ rights at the state and federal levels, first-rate professional publications, networking opportunities and more.
Young Lawyers Section
An inclusive section of the bar, comprised of any MBA member in practice less than 6 years or under the age of 36. The YLS provides leadership, networking, professional development and service opportunities, in addition to a business development network.
Student Affairs is located in Legal Research Center (LRC) on the Law Campus.
MSC: 51
email lclawsa@lclark.edu
fax 503-768-6671
Associate Dean of Student Affairs
Libby Davis
Associate Director of Student Affairs
Alyssa Salstrom
Director of Equity, Inclusion & Academic Resources
Alexandra Cook
Student Affairs
Lewis & Clark Law School
10101 S. Terwilliger Boulevard MSC 51
Portland OR 97219