Timeline

CEJ begins offering continuing legal education seminars throughout the state on access to justice, including the work of legal aid and how legal services programs are funded

Oregon receives ABA Grass Roots Lobbying award for federal fundraising for legal aid. Oregon is one of the first states where the state bar association and representatives from legal aid cooperated in these efforts.

CEJ Associates Committee is formed to educate associates and new lawyers about the importance of supporting legal aid.

First LAF-OFF Lawyer Comedy Competition Event held to support legal aid. It is now a much-loved biannual event.

All members of Oregon’s 2003 Federal Delegation support increased funding for legal aid in the federal budget.

CEJ, OLF, and OSB work jointly to establish the Oregon Access to Justice Endowment Fund, part of a long-range plan that also includes legislative advocacy and national grant funding.

Smith and Wyden jointly win an award from the ABA for their bipartisan efforts on behalf of legal aid funding.

Republican Senator Gordon Smith pledges to work with Democrat Senator Ron Wyden to support restoration of legal aid funding at the federal level.

Oregon Legal Needs Study, sponsored by OSB and Office of the Governor, is published. It finds that only 18% of the legal needs of Oregon’s poor are being met with available resources. It also finds that perception of the legal system is greatly enhanced when individuals have access to lawyers. This is the first legal…

They host an annual event every year to benefit the CEJ and legal aid.