Oregon Consumer Justice

SEE SCHEDULE O... OREGON CONSUMER JUSTICE (OCJ) ORGANIZES, ADVOCATES, AND SUPPORTS LITIGATION TO ADVANCE A JUSTICE MOVEMENT THAT PUTS PEOPLE FIRST, ENSURING ALL HAVE THE FREEDOM TO THRIVE AND EQUITABLY SHARE IN OUR ABUNDANCE OF RESOURCES. FOR TOO LONG, FLAWED SYSTEMS AND ECONOMIC POLICIES THAT FAVOR PROFITS OVER PEOPLE HAVE STOOD IN THE WAY OF THIS REALITY, WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR MOST OFTEN EXPERIENCING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT HARM. STRENGTHENED THROUGH RESPONSIVE AND ECIPROCAL COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS, OCJ IS BUILDING A FUTURE WHERE FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS CAN BE RELIED UPON AS SAFE AND WHERE ALL OREGONIANS KNOW AND HAVE RECOURSE TO EXERCISE THEIR CONSUMER RIGHTS.

LAW: OCJ HAS PROVIDED EDUCATION AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES TO EXPAND THE POOL AND INCREASE THE CAPABILITIES OF SKILLED ATTORNEYS PRACTICING CONSUMER LAW IN OREGON. OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE DILIGENTLY LAID THE NECESSARY FOUNDATIONS TO LAUNCH A MULTI-FACETED LAW FIRM, OCJ LAW, TO USE THE LAW TO CENTER CONSUMERS, ENSURING THEY CAN ACCESS AND WIN JUSTICE THROUGH THE COURT. IN EARLY 2024, OUR LEGAL SERVICES WILL LAUNCH, BEGINNING WITH DIRECT REPRESENTATION. LATER IN THE YEAR, WE WILL ALSO TAKE ON IMPACT LITIGATION (E.G., CLASS ACTIONS) TO AFFECT LARGE-SCALE CHANGE.

CONSUMER: OCJ FOCUSED ON ELEVATING THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE THROUGH RESEARCH. OCJ'S RESEARCH INITIATIVES WERE TWOFOLD THIS PAST YEAR. THE FIRST COMES THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON THROUGH CONSUMER PROTECTION GRANTS AS OUTLINED IN OUR FOUNDING COURT ORDER. FURTHER, IN SPRING 2023, OCJ CONDUCTED PRELIMINARY RESEARCH WITH THE OREGON VALUES AND BELIEFS CENTER TO UNDERSTAND CONSUMER PROTECTION MATTERS THROUGH THE LENS OF A REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY SAMPLE OF OREGONIANS.

POLICY: THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION SAW IMPORTANT VICTORIES THAT WILL BENEFIT OREGON FAMILIES IMMEDIATELY AND LONG TERM. OCJ'S POLICY TEAM HELPED PASS EIGHT NEW LAWS TO PROTECT OREGON CONSUMERS. THESE WINS INCLUDE LAWS TO PROTECT AGAINST TOXIC CHEMICALS, EXPAND BROADBAND ACCESS, ENACT SAFEGUARDS FOR PERSONAL DATA, AND TAKE ACTION ON OREGON'S HOUSING CRISIS. ADDITIONALLY, THE OCJ POLICY TEAM ENGAGED IN COALITIONS AND HELPED CREATE SPACES FOR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO LEARN ABOUT STATE-LEVEL POLICY AND ADVOCACY.

COMMUNITY: OCJ SPENT 2023 BUILDING CONNECTIONS WITH CONSUMERS AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. WE HAVE ALSO FOSTERED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CONSUMER BAR, LEGAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, NATIONAL CONSUMER ORGANIZATIONS, AND GOVERNMENT PARTNERS AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS. WE DID THIS THROUGH ATTENDING AND PRESENTING AT CONFERENCES, WEBINARS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND BY CREATING AND ACTIVELY ENGAGING A COMMUNITY COHORT IN RESEARCH, MEETINGS, AND SPECIAL PROJECTS.