|
QUEEN'S BENCH
Queen's Bench, the Portland chapter of Oregon Women Lawyers (OWLS), is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to promote the professional advancement, camaraderie, and good fellowship among women in the legal profession and in our
community. Anyone interested in this goal may become a member. We provide a supportive environment for attorneys, law students and those who work in the legal field to meet, network and make friends.
Regular Meetings
We meet every second Tuesday of the month at 11:45 am until 1:00 pm at Jax Restaurant, 826 SW Second Avenue in downtown Portland. Each month we have a speaker or offer a program, and there is time to visit before and after the formal
program. Lunch is $12.00 for a full meal, which includes vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, beverage, and tip. Pay as you arrive. Reservations are not required. If you would prefer not to have lunch, you are welcome to come and join
us at no charge. Usually, we introduce ourselves at the luncheons. Anyone can make announcements, and we encourage mention of job openings and volunteer opportunities.
Note that our December Luncheon will be our annual Holiday Luncheon Honoring Women Judges and will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Portland.
CourtCare
As part of our outreach to the community and in coordination with Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation, Queen's Bench has adopted CourtCare, a free, drop-in child care facility for the children of litigants and witnesses in the Multnomah County
Courthouse. At our monthly luncheons, we have suggested that donations be made for the benefit of CourtCare, by making ear-marked donations through the Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. If you would like
to contribute to this worthy cause, please contact Laura Caldera Taylor at 503.228.3939 or send a check made payable to "Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation," to P.O. Box 82522, Portland, OR 97282.
Other Special Projects / Events
One of the most-beloved members of Queen's Bench was Manche Langley, who died in 1963 while still practicing law at age 79. Queen's Bench started collecting the seed money in 1963 for what is now the Manche Langley Scholarship Fund,
intended to benefit women law students who embody Manche Langley's professionalism and integrity. Anyone may contribute to this fund by sending a check to the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College and designating it as a
contribution to the Manche Langley Scholarship Fund.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Queen's Bench's founding, we published a Commemorative 1998 Calendar, featuring many of the women who were founders or early and long-time members. Pictures and biographical sketches bring these
inspirational women alive, and this is a great resource on the history of women lawyers in Oregon. Many dates are marked with pertinent events, including firsts for women judges and practitioners. All proceeds of the calendar are a direct
contribution to the Manche Langley Scholarship Fund at Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College. To order a calendar, call Trudy Allen at 503.797.0219.
History of Queen's Bench
"Queen's Bench of Oregon" was founded in early 1948 by approximately 25 women lawyers who wrote a constitution, collected dues and met monthly. Queen's Bench has been meeting monthly ever since!
Since 1972, Queen's Bench has met on the second Tuesday of every month. Queen's Bench has often held additional meetings, including cocktail-hour mixers with other groups of professional women and brown bag lunches.
Although Queen's Bench is now a chapter of Oregon Women Lawyers, Queen's Bench predates the formation of OWLS. The group had members throughout the state and sponsored a breakfast at the annual state bar convention most years. In the late
1970's, Queen's Bench began hosting these breakfasts with Lane County Women Lawyers and the Mary Leonard Law Society. It was during one of these breakfasts, in 1988, that visionary members pledged support for a state-wide organization to
benefit women lawyers. OWLS was incorporated on March 30, 1989. Queen's Bench, organized as a non-profit corporation with articles filed on January 12, 1988, became OWLS first chapter by vote of the Board on January 10, 1990.
For more information about our history, call Trudy Allen, OWLS Foundation Historian at .503.797.0219.
Membership
If you are a member of Oregon Women Lawyers, you will receive news of Queen's Bench programs in the Advance Sheet. If you select Queen's Bench as your local chapter when you join OWLS, you will also receive notification of upcoming events
by postcard.
Queen's Bench is proud of its lasting tradition of providing a supportive forum for networking, welcoming women into the law, and enhancing the participation of women in the legal profession. Join us any time!
For more information about Queen's Bench, contact Queen's Bench President Marja Selmann at
marja_selmann@comcast.net.
Queen's Bench Board of Directors 2008
Marja E. Selman, President
Dana Forman, OWLS Liaison
Sarah Krick, Vice President
Kristin Sterling, Secretary
Susan O'Toole, Treasurer
J. Nicole DeFever, Immediate Past President
Christine Coers-Mitchell
Parna Mehrbani
Hon. Julia Philbrook
Christine Uri
Amy Vandenbroucke
|
|
Home