House of Delegates Resolution 7
Establish a Committee to Investigate and Propose Solutions for Reducing Oregon State Bar Dues
Whereas, The Oregon State Bar currently has the highest bar dues in the country, which imposes a significant financial burden on its members; and
Whereas, High bar dues disproportionately affect solo practitioners and small law firms, who often have limited financial resources compared to larger firms; and
Whereas, These increased financial pressures can lead to a decrease in the number of solo and small law firms, which in turn can reduce access to legal services in rural and underserved areas; and
Whereas, Solo and small firm practitioners play a critical role in serving diverse and marginalized communities and providing affordable legal representation to individuals and businesses across Oregon; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Oregon State Bar shall establish a committee to investigate why Oregon has the highest bar dues in the country, explore the impacts of high bar dues on solo practitioners and small firms, and propose actionable solutions to reduce the cost of bar dues while maintaining the Bar’s essential functions and services.
Oregon’s high bar dues place an undue financial burden on its members, especially solo practitioners and small law firms, who typically operate on tighter margins than larger firms. These practitioners are essential to ensuring access to justice for individuals and small businesses, particularly in rural, underserved areas and in marginalized communities. High bar dues can exacerbate financial strain on these firms, potentially leading to fewer solo and small firm attorneys, reduced access to legal services, and less affordable legal representation.
This resolution proposes the formation of a committee tasked with investigating the reasons behind Oregon’s elevated bar dues, understanding the specific financial challenges faced by solo practitioners and small firms, and developing concrete recommendations to lower dues without compromising the Bar’s core responsibilities. By addressing this issue, the Oregon State Bar can better support the diversity of its members and promote broader access to legal services.
Financial Impact
This committee should be staffed with volunteers so as to minimize additional costs to the Bar.
Submitted by:
Mario Musil, OSB# 206766, HOD Region 7
Vote Percentages
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Yes Votes: 19
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No Votes: 112
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Abstentions: 7
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Vote Tally
Name |
Yes |
|---|---|
| Mario Musil | Yes |
| Kimberly Riley | Yes |
| Greg Raburn | Yes |
| Jeremiah Ross | Yes |
| Theresa Kohlhoff | Yes |
| Wendie Kellington | Yes |
| David Wu | Yes |
| Andrew Mittendorf | Yes |
| Emil Ali | Yes |
| Rick Quarles | Yes |
| Thomas Flaherty | Yes |
| Daniel Evans | Yes |
| Chase Beguin | Yes |
| Nicole Tudhope | Yes |
| James Oberholtzer | Yes |
| James Klonoski | Yes |
| Laura Burgee | Yes |
| Brian Gardner | Yes |
| Michael Fuller | Yes |
Name |
No |
|---|---|
| Shane Davis | No |
| Bradley Holbrook | No |
| James Gregory | No |
| Peter Werner | No |
| Douglas Primmer | No |
| Jennifer Kinzey | No |
| John Bachofner | No |
| Tomas Hernandez | No |
| Cody Berne | No |
| Kristie Gibson | No |
| Kamron Graham | No |
| Lake James Perriguey | No |
| Brent Smith | No |
| Andrew Schpak | No |
| Carl Mueller | No |
| Amber Labrecque | No |
| Nicholas Lumley | No |
| Timothy Williams | No |
| Micah Moskowitz | No |
| Nicholas Yanchar | No |
| Stephanie Brown | No |
| Aaron Reichenberger | No |
| Christopher Potts | No |
| Matthew McKean | No |
| Vanessa Nordyke | No |
| Royce Williams | No |
| Emet Klepper | No |
| Erin Christison | No |
| Jon Rand | No |
| Andrea Madison | No |
| Michael Lowry | No |
| Linda Degman | No |
| Elizabeth Inayoshi | No |
| Cameron Tinker | No |
| Curtis Peterson | No |
| Elizabeth Savage | No |
| John Grant | No |
| Brian Stimson | No |
| Joseph Walsh | No |
| Apolinar Montero-Sanchez | No |
| Damien Munsinger | No |
| H Zamudio | No |
| Xin Xu | No |
| Emily Oberdorfer | No |
| Howard Newman | No |
| David Robinson | No |
| Christopher Larsen | No |
| David Wade | No |
| Laura Coffin | No |
| Hertsel Shadian | No |
| Kevin Yolken | No |
| Maureen McGee | No |
| Jason Posner | No |
| Angela Engstrom | No |
| Kyle Sciuchetti | No |
| Sonya Fischer | No |
| Earl Christison | No |
| Bryan Boender | No |
| Samuel Imperati | No |
| John Schlosser | No |
| Jeremy Bordelon | No |
| Philip Kirk | No |
| Mark Johnson-Roberts | No |
| Eddie Medina | No |
| Matthew Sutton | No |
| Christopher Rounds | No |
| Myah Kehoe | No |
| Garrett Ramsey | No |
| Christopher Morgan | No |
| Michelle Burrows | No |
| Trevor Byrd | No |
| Michael Stevens | No |
| John Devlin | No |
| Travis Benn | No |
| Mike Truesdale | No |
| Scott Lucas | No |
| Heather Decker | No |
| Theodore Reuter | No |
| Kay Teague | No |
| Russell Garrett | No |
| Melissa Jaffe | No |
| Sonia Montalbano | No |
| Juhi Aggarwal | No |
| Shannon Flowers | No |
| Sara Foroshani | No |
| John Marandas | No |
| Shallon Martin | No |
| Steve Milla | No |
| Adam LeBrun | No |
| Catherine Schulist | No |
| Jennifer Meisberger | No |
| Janae Bly | No |
| Michael Purcell | No |
| Whitney Stark | No |
| Caleb Berthelsen | No |
| Clinton Williams | No |
| Joshua Lay | No |
| Mia Getlin | No |
| Shawn Lillegren | No |
| Sara Butcher | No |
| Lauren Grace | No |
| Victory Walker | No |
| Kathryn Clarke | No |
| Rudy Lachenmeier | No |
| Bradley Thayer | No |
| Aurelia Erickson | No |
| Ryan Collier | No |
| Benjamin Haile | No |
| Faith Morse | No |
| Kristen Farnworth | No |
| Karen Moore | No |
| Joshua Gums | No |
Name |
Abstain |
|---|---|
| Andrew Johnson | Abstain |
| Kellie Furr | Abstain |
| Ryan Bickler | Abstain |
| Jus Singh | Abstain |
| Daniel Lang | Abstain |
| Esther Smith | Abstain |
| Eddie Passadore | Abstain |