Oregon Law Center

PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS.

THE OREGON LAW CENTER (OLC) PROVIDES FREE CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE (THOSE LIVING AT AND BELOW 125% OF THE NATIONAL POVERTY GUIDELINES); ADVOCATES TO SUPPORT THE INTERESTS OF LOW-INCOME OREGONIANS BEFORE JUDICIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BODIES; PROVIDES COMMUNITY EDUCATION TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE; AND MAINTAINS A PANEL OF PRO BONO ATTORNEYS. OLC EMPLOYS ATTORNEYS AND PARALEGALS WORKING IN ELEVEN OFFICES ACROSS OREGON TO PROVIDE THE FULL RANGE OF CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO CLIENTS WHO LIVE IN POVERTY.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.)THE TYPES OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY OLC INCLUDE: CONSULTATION AND ADVICE; BRIEF SERVICE; COMMUNITY EDUCATION/SELF-HELP/PRO SE FORMS/WEBSITES; NEGOTIATION/MEDIATION; REPRESENTATION IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS; COURT REPRESENTATION; LIMITED APPEALS; LIMITED ADMINISTRATIVE ADVOCACY; AND LIMITED LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY. OLC PROVIDES FREE COMMUNITY EDUCATION TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS SERVING LOW-INCOME PEOPLE TO HELP OUR CLIENT POPULATION BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE LAW. OLC, WORKING IN COORDINATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, HELPS TO CREATE AND DISTRIBUTE FREE COMMUNITY EDUCATION BOOKLETS IN NEWSPRINT FORM AND IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT ON A WEBSITE. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE SELF-HELP BOOKLETS ON LANDLORD-TENANT LAW, FAMILY LAW, PUBLIC BENEFITS, SOCIAL SECURITY, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS AND WAGE CLAIMS. THE LEGAL CONTENT OF THESE BOOKLETS IS WRITTEN BY OLC ATTORNEYS. THE BOOKLETS ARE DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT CHARGE.OLC EMPLOYEES DO OUTREACH TO LOCATIONS THAT ARE CONVENIENT TO LOW-INCOME CLIENTS (HOMELESS SHELTERS, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES SERVING LOW-INCOME CLIENTS, NURSING HOMES, LABOR CAMPS, SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, AND SIMILAR LOCATIONS) AND OFFER FREE APPOINTMENTS TO PROVIDE ADVICE AND BRIEF SERVICE AND CONSIDER ACCEPTING A CASE FOR REPRESENTATION.OLC, WORKING IN COORDINATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OPERATES A HOTLINE WHERE LOW-INCOME CLIENTS CALL TO RECEIVE ADVICE, BRIEF SERVICE OR REPRESENTATION ON LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO RECEIVING PUBLIC BENEFITS, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, CHILD SUPPORT AND SIMILAR MATTERS. OLC ATTORNEYS CONDUCT REGULAR INTAKE INTERVIEWS WITH APPLICANTS WHO CONTACT AN OLC OFFICE. THE ATTORNEYS OFFER ADVICE, BRIEF SERVICE OR FULL REPRESENTATION IN THESE INTERVIEWS. CLIENTS ACROSS THE STATE CAN REACH OLC OFFICES BY TOLL-FREE NUMBERS TO RECEIVE ADVICE, BRIEF SERVICE AND TO SEEK REPRESENTATION. OLC MAINTAINS A PRO BONO PROGRAM WHERE APPLICANTS' CALLS ARE SCREENED AND THEN SENT TO PRIVATE ATTORNEYS WHO PROVIDE SERVICE WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE CLIENT. SOME OF THESE CASES ARE SENT TO PRO BONO CLINICS. OTHER PRO BONO CASES ARE POSTED ON A LISTSERVE WHERE PRIVATE ATTORNEYS CAN PICK UP THE CASE. CASES ARE ACCEPTED BASED ON APPLYING PRIORITIES THAT ARE SET THROUGH A ROUTINE ASSESSMENTS OF CLIENT NEEDS. OLC AVOIDS ACCEPTING FEE-GENERATING CASES THAT WOULD BE TAKEN BY PRIVATE ATTORNEYS. IN A FEW CASES THAT END UP IN LITIGATION, OLC RECOVERS ATTORNEY FEES FROM THE ADVERSE PARTY, BUT THESE COMPRISE A SMALL NUMBER OF CASES AND A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF OLC'S INCOME. ATTORNEY SALARIES ARE SET BY THE BOARD WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ATTORNEY FEES.IN THE MOST RECENT TWELVE-MONTH PERIOD FOR WHICH STATISTICS ARE AVAILABLE, OLC CLOSED 3,230 CASES, INCLUDING 36 CASES WHERE THE REPRESENTATION RESULTED IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY DECISION AND 137 CASES WHERE THE REPRESENTATION RESULTED IN A COURT DECISION. ABOUT 19% OF THESE CASES WERE CATEGORIZED AS FAMILY LAW (ALMOST ALL OF WHICH INVOLVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR CHILD ABUSE), 49% WERE CATEGORIZED AS HOUSING LAW (INCLUDING LANDLORD/TENANT, SUBSIDIZED HOUSING AND FORECLOSURE CASES), 7% WERE CATEGORIZED AS EMPLOYMENT LAW (CASES THAT ARISE UNDER STATE AND FEDERAL STATUTES RELATED TO WAGES, DISCHARGE, DISCRIMINATION, SAFETY AND SIMILAR ISSUES), 7% WERE CATEGORIZED AS INCOME MAINTENANCE (UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, VETERANS' BENEFITS, SOCIAL SECURITY, AND OTHER PUBLIC BENEFITS), 5% WERE CATEGORIZED AS CONSUMER LAW, 6% WERE CATEGORIZED AS INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS (INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH, DISABILITY RIGHTS, CIVIL RIGHTS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING), 3% WERE CATEGORIZED AS ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, AND 4% WERE CATEGORIZED AS WILLS/ESTATES, EDUCATION, JUVENILE, LICENSES, OR OTHERS.CLIENTS ACHIEVED A POSITIVE RESULT IN 95% OF CASES INVOLVING SOME FORM OF LITIGATION. AS A RESULT OF THIS FORM OF REPRESENTATION: 87% WERE MORE ECONOMICALLY SECURE; 88% OF THE CASES ALSO BENEFITTED THE CLIENT'S FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS; AND 31% OF THE CASES BENEFITTED OTHER LOW-INCOME PEOPLE IN OREGON BEYOND THE CLIENT'S FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD. WHERE A MATTER INVOLVED THESE SPECIFIC ISSUES: 90% OF THE CLIENTS WERE PHYSICALLY SAFER; 86% WERE BETTER ABLE TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE; AND 80% OBTAINED OR MAINTAINED HOUSING. SOME OF THE CASES IMPROVED POLICIES AND/OR PRACTICES TO BENEFIT A LARGE NUMBER OF LOW-INCOME CLIENTS, AS WELL AS OBTAINING RESULTS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL CLIENT.