Our Mission
The mission of the Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation is to advance and enhance equity, inclusion and belonging in the Oregon legal profession and to promote access to justice for underserved people. The Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation is the 501(c)(3) sister organization to Oregon Women Lawyers. We fund the Armonica Law Student Grant, the Vernellia R. Randall Bar Exam Grant, the Justice Betty Roberts Leadership Conference Grant, the Janis Hardman Medical Support Grant, and partner with the Multnomah Bar Association Fellows Program.
The Need
Most new law graduates begin practice with enormous school loans accumulated through years of study. Although the exact data is somewhat difficult to pin down, there is no doubt that the great majority of recent law school grads have crushing student loans. Click here for more information.
The situation is even more difficult for those who are single parents or who lack any kind of family support. Even after graduation, there are more barriers to becoming a lawyer. The cost to take the Oregon Bar exam is currently $750 for the application fee, plus a mandatory $600 investigation fee for those who have an application pending with, or are already admitted to practice in another jurisdiction. Prep courses for the exam cost thousands of dollars. To make matters worse, many graduates are not finding law-related jobs, and despite what we see on television, only a handful of lawyers earn large salaries. New lawyers with enormous student loans pose a barrier to access to justice, as they cannot volunteer their services to gain needed experience, work in the lowest-paying legal positions or move to underserved geographic regions.
Our Grants
Although the Foundation is not currently able to assist law students with tuition, through the Armonica Law Student Grant and the Vernellia R. Randall Bar Exam Grant some financial help and mentoring is available to law students for textbooks and parents studying for the Oregon bar exam. In addition, through a partnership with the Multnomah Bar Association, the Foundation is supporting a law student’s summer public-service internship via the MBA Fellows Program.
The need for financial assistance doesn’t always end when lawyers become established in their practice. Unexpected medical problems can arise, making it difficult for solo or small-firm practitioners to meet expenses. The Janis Hardman Medical Support Grant is available to assist in a modest way with expenses relating to a short-term disabling medical condition.
On a happier note, the Justice Betty Roberts Leadership Conference Grant helps emerging leaders in bar associations and nonprofit organizations develop the skills they need by funding opportunities to participate in leadership conferences.
In addition to funding the grants described, the Foundation supports the educational work of Oregon Women Lawyers and other Oregon bar associations.
Only with the full and effective participation of all lawyers will we be able to meet the legal needs of Oregonians. The Foundation is one partner in the effort to meet those needs.
