Oregon Women Lawyers

History

OWLS was incorporated in 1989 as a 501(c)(6) non-profit professional association. Interest in forming a statewide women’s bar organization grew out of meetings of the Multnomah Bar Association's Committee on the Status of Women in 1987-88. At the 1988 state bar convention, the Multnomah Bar Committee co-hosted a breakfast with three existing groups of women attorneys: Queen's Bench (in Portland), Lane County Women Lawyers, and The Mary Leonard Law Society in Salem. The discussion led to the 1988 establishment of Oregon Women Lawyers.

The principal purposes of Oregon Women Lawyers are:

• To promote equal rights and opportunities for women and minorities within the legal profession and the justice system
• To promote full participation of women and minorities in the organized bar and in the legislative and judicial branches of government.
• To provide opportunities for women and minorities in the legal profession to support and educate one another
• To improve the quality and image of the legal profession in Oregon
• To actively promote equality and fair treatment of all people within the legal profession and in society.

Oregon Women Lawyers uses numerous means to advance these goals, including conferences, networking events, seminars, a members-only listserve, a quarterly newsletter, and a mentoring program.