The mission of the Oregon State Bar is to serve justice and the public interest by promoting respect for the rule of law, by improving the quality of legal services, and by increasing access to justice. The bar is committed to serving and valuing its diverse community, to advancing equality in the justice system, and to removing barriers to that system. The Diversity & Inclusion Department serves the OSB's mission by educating attorneys about the cultural richness and diversity of the clients they serve, and by removing barriers to justice.
Diversity and inclusion mean acknowledging, embracing and valuing the unique contributions our individual backgrounds make to strengthen our legal community, increase access to justice, and promote laws and creative solutions that better serve clients and communities. Diversity includes, but is not limited to: age; culture; disability; ethnicity; gender and gender identity or expression; geographic location; national origin; race; religion; sex; sexual orientation; veteran status; and socio-economic status. A diverse and inclusive bar is necessary to attract and retain talented employees and leaders; effectively serve diverse clients with diverse needs; understand and adapt to increasingly diverse local and global markets; devise creative solutions to complex problems; and improve access to justice, respect for the rule of law, and credibility of the legal profession.
D&I programs are open to individuals who can help advance the department’s mission. As such, students whose applications support an intent to practice law in Oregon will be given preference. However, the D&I Department encourages all law students who can advance the mission of the department and who might consider practicing law in Oregon to apply. Eligible students include those whose life experiences help contribute to this mission. Such experiences may include: (a) having experienced economic, social, or other barriers; (b) having personally experienced discrimination or oppression; or (c) otherwise demonstrating a commitment to advancing the D&I mission.
Our department is working to evaluate the efficacy of our programs on an ongoing basis. As such, programing may change in order to address current student needs, improve efficiency, or better meet the D&I mission. The program descriptions below reflect current and past programs and may be subject to change in the future.
The Oregon State Bar is subject to the State Public Records Law. Public records are generally subject to public inspection through the Public Records Law which contains a number of exemptions including one for personal information. Should anyone seek to examine your application under the Public Records Law, the bar will invoke the personal privacy exemption except for the following information: your name, and your list of references and contacts if included in the application. The State Attorney General has authority to review the decisions of the state bar in this area and public records disputes can reach the courts. The bar reserves the right to respond as it deems appropriate to any requests to inspect D&I Department records, including your application. The state bar will abide by all final court decisions concerning the public records status of D&I records.
The Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Department, administers a yearly Judicial Mentorship Program in collaboration with the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD). The program provides support, advice, and connection to the legal community for diverse law students in Oregon by matching law students with a member of Oregon's judiciary. The program is open to all law students who can advance the department's mission, as outlined above.
The Judicial Mentorship program is designed to attract a diverse group of students who will then remain in Oregon to practice law. A diverse and inclusive bar more effectively serves a broad scope of client needs, provides creative solutions to solve problems, fosters diverse leadership in the Oregon legal community, and improves perceptions of the legal system. By supporting and connecting lawyers and judges who are familiar with the equity and inclusion issues that, historically has impeded access to our legal system, access to justice for our marginalized populations will be expanded.
Program Information: Each grant award consists of stipend of $800 to be used for expenses associated with preparing to take the bar exam as well as a reimbursement of the $750 admissions application fee. Bar Exam Grants are available for both the February and July bar exams each year.
If you have questions about the OMLA Bar Exam Grant program or about the application process, please contact Suji Patel at the Oregon Minority Lawyers Association: [email protected] or Suraya Barbee at [email protected].
Rebar is a holistic program designed to help JD's retaking the bar exam and to support them in the process of preparing for the bar exam. This program can be time-intensive and calls for a 3-month commitment from participants. ReBar includes: 1) an online bar prep course, tailored for those repeating the exam; 2) classes with the ReBar cohort to develop testing skills and address known challenges; 3) support and counseling from the Oregon Attorney Assistance Program (OAAP) and participation in a 5-session ReBar Support Group; 4) a stipend to help alleviate financial pressures when an applicant takes time from work to prepare for the bar; and 5) an attorney mentor for periodic check-ins.
The program is open to law school graduates, not currently licensed in any jurisdiction or any country, who have taken a bar exam at least once without passing, who may contribute to the OSB's membership and advance the OSB's mission, and who are planning on taking the Oregon February 2025 Bar Exam. A cohort will be formed in preparation for the February 2025 Bar Exam in Oregon.
There is a mandatory information session on November 1st at 6 pm for all applicants over Zoom. All applicants before November 1st will receive an email with a Zoom link. The application deadline is Sunday, November 3, 2024.
Accepted applicants will be notified by Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Classes will begin on November 17, 2024 and will continue up until the February 2025 Bar Exam. Classes consist of weekly sessions: Sunday afternoons from 2-5 pm, and two evening weekdays classes (TBD) from 6 – 7:30 pm.
The selected ReBar cohort will be required to meet in-person for the duration of the ReBar Program to work on bar exam skills. They are expected to participate in a biweekly confidential support group facilitated by an Attorney Counselor of the OAAP.
The ReBar Support Group is a resource for Rebar participants. The group is designed to bring cohort members together to share their experiences. The cohort will receive support, learn healthy coping strategies, and enhance their resilience during bar preparation. More importantly, the support group is an opportunity for cohort members to build relationships and to experience a sense of community. Among the benefits of participating in a support group include feeling less isolated, reducing distress, improving skills to overcome challenges, and strengthening a sense of control or hope.
Following the class portion of the program, ReBar participants are expected to continue their individual preparation and study until the time of the exam. To maximize success in this program, it is expected that ReBar participants make arrangements to take time off of work to the extent personal/family/health/work obligations permits. A Stipend will be provided to the selected cohort based on the time each individual commits to full time study in the weeks immediately prior to the exam. The stipend amount will not exceed $4,750 (which includes the $750 bar exam application fee). The disbursements will be made as follows:
If you have any questions or need more information please contact Suraya Barbee, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist at [email protected] or by telephone at 503-431-6335.
The Oregon State Bar (OSB) Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Department, with the assistance of the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (ACDI), administers summer employment stipend programs for law school students who will help achieve the bar's diversity mission. Two Public Fellowship Summer Stipend awards are reserved for each of the three Oregon law schools. The remaining are open to all continuing Oregon law students. Please note that for 2024 the number of Public Fellowship Stipends is six (two per Oregon law school). The remaining stipends will be Clerkship Stipends. Please see the 2025 Summer Stipend Handbook for detailed information regarding both stipends.
We have partnered with the Oregon State Bar Solo & Small Firm Section to highlight many employers who are offering paid summer placements through our Clerkship Program. We encourage all participants to utilize the 2025 Employer Catalog.
Applicants will be notified by January 30, 2025 of decisions.
If you have any questions please contact Suraya Barbee at [email protected]
The Public Fellowship Program allows law students to explore public interest opportunities with the Oregon public employers or 501(c)3 non-profit organizations. These fellowships are offered during the summer. The stipend for the Public Fellowship Program is $5,600 and paid in three installments. Students will not be eligible to receive a fellowship award for a paid position.
The Clerkship Stipend Program offers law students a wide variety of employment opportunities. This program is also offered during the Summer. The D&I Department contributes up to $9.00 per hour to a student's wages. Employers in the Clerkship Stipend Program must agree to contribute at least the $9.00 per hour to a student's wages. However, a student's combined hourly wage will not exceed $18.00 per hour. And the D&I Department's contribution will not exceed $3,750 per student.
Prior to the student's employment, the employer must submit a signed stipend agreement to the D&I Department. The employer is responsible for directly paying the student's wages. The employer will submit to the D&I Department signed timecards documenting the student's hours worked. And the D&I Department will reimburse the employer for the Clerkship Stipend Program's share of the student's wages. The employer can expect the stipend reimbursement within two weeks of submitting timecards.
The Business Law Section of the OSB provides two $3,750 stipends to students who choose to work in the area of business law for the summer of 2024. The application process is the same as the Clerkship Stipend Program. Students applying for the Business Law Section stipend must mark the appropriate box on the application. Efforts will be made to distribute this opportunity to students from different law schools each year.
The Environmental and Natural Resources Section of the OSB provides one $3,750 stipend to a student who chooses to work in the area of environmental and natural resource law for the summer of 2024. The application process is the same as the Clerkship Stipend Program. Student's applying for the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section stipend must mark the appropriate box on the application.
The New Tax Lawyer Committee of the OSB (NTLC) provides one $7500 Fellowship to a student who chooses to work with one of the NTLC Program Partners for the summer of 2024. Eligible program partners include Legal Aid Services of Oregon LITC, Oregon Law Center LITC, Lewis and Clark LITC, the Oregon DOJ Tax and Finance Section, the Oregon Tax Court, or the IRS Chief Counsel's Office. OSB Tax Stipend recipients will be assigned a mentor who is a practicing tax attorney, will receive a scholarship to attend the Oregon Tax Institute and be invited to all New Tax Lawyer Committee events. Students applying for NTLC Fellowship must mark the appropriate box on the application.
Please read the Summer Stipend Handbook for more information and program requirements.Opportunities for Law in Oregon (OLIO) is part of the Oregon State Bar’s recruitment and retention program. Its focus is for law students who:
The D&I Department serves the OSB’s mission by educating attorneys about the cultural richness and diversity of the clients they serve and by removing barriers to justice.
OLIO Orientation traditionally brings together law students and members of Oregon’s legal community to share, inspire, and empower. For this year, the D&I Department presents an in-person OLIO program that is inclusive and supportive of intersectionality and intended to provide a collaborative environment for attendees to connect with other diverse Oregon law students and legal professionals and foster allyship across all communities.
Geared toward first-year law students, OLIO will be a multi-day event that provides Oregon’s 1Ls with the opportunity to interact with each other as well as with upper division students, attorneys, judges, and affinity bar leaders who will serve as their mentors and role models. In addition to creating and fostering these relationships, OLIO will include sessions to engage students in dialogue about impactful issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion that will build skills for success in law school and beyond. These sessions include topics on how to interrupt racism, building a professional community as a minority, and mental health awareness for students.
There is no charge to attend OLIO but law student participation is limited to 60. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. In addition to first-year law students, a number of spots will be reserved for upper division law students (aka “THUDS,” or The Helpful Upper Division Students). Upper division students who are committed to the OLIO program objectives and the D&I Department mission are invited to apply to be student mentors and actively engage in the workshops and activities. Historically, THUDS often continue their mentor relationships with 1Ls throughout the academic year.
OLIO will be a new experience for THUDS, attorneys, judges and most importantly to the incoming 1Ls. The program is designed to motivate and encourage participant to engage with one another in a new and unique way that fosters community and continued support throughout the law school experience.
The Leadership Institute aims to foster a bar serving the legal needs of Oregon's diverse communities and to develop bar leadership by enhancing the personal development and leadership skills of lawyers from diverse backgrounds.
The Institute is open to Oregon attorneys in good standing with three to nine years of practice (suggested) and who can commit to the full duration of the program. The first session of the Institute is scheduled to begin in February 2025.
The OSB Diversity & Inclusion Department is proud to sponsor the Multnomah Bar Association's LSAT Scholarship Program, which provides recipients with an LSAT preparation course.