OWLS News

News Release: June 3, 2020

Oregon Women Lawyers shares the outrage and mourning at the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, Shelly Frey, Atatiana Jefferson, and the many others who have been murdered or harmed by law enforcement and white vigilantes, but whose names didn’t make the headlines. The violence committed against Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC), in Oregon and the broader U.S., comes in many forms and is oppressive, systemic, and pervasive. It must end.

Oregon Women Lawyers condemns white supremacy in all of its implicit and explicit forms, and is committed to working toward equity, justice, and an end to oppression in our legal system and beyond. We acknowledge that racism and oppression are systemic and entrenched. As lawyers, we recognize that we can be complicit with an unfair system or use our privilege to dismantle it. As legal professionals, we have a responsibility to be informed and engaged on these issues. We affirm our commitment to look at our own individual and structural biases and eradicate them, by continuing to require anti-racism training for our board of directors, engaging in ongoing education, and critically reviewing and changing guiding documents. We affirm commitment to speak out and work against systemic racism and police brutality and towards access to justice for all.

Click here for anti-racism resources.

We also encourage engaging with organizations such as Self-Enhancement, Inc., NAACP, Don’t Shoot Pdx, Urban League, Black Lives Matter, Black United Fund of Oregon, Black Parent Initiative, Momentum Alliance, and the Oregon Justice Resource Center.

News Release: June 27, 2019

Hon. Allison Boomer was elected as president, having served previously as president elect and secretary. Ms. Boomer is a Tax Magistrate at the Oregon Tax Court in Salem.

Maya Crawford Peacock was elected as OWLS’ president-elect, having served previously as secretary and historian. Ms. Crawford is the executive director of the Campaign for Equal Justice, headquartered in Portland. Jacqueline Alarcón was elected secretary, having served previously as historian. Ms. Alarcón practices family law with Yates Family Law in Portland. Joining the OWL S Executive Committee as treasurer is Kristin Sterling. Ms. Sterling is Associate General Counsel at Cura Cannabis Solutions. Joining Executive Committee as Historian is Adele Ridenour. Ms. Ridenour is a partner with Ball Janik in Portland, and serves as a pro-tem Judge in Washington County. All OWLS officers are also members of the board.

OWLS is also pleased to announce its newly elected board members, Keshmira McVey (Portland), and Marisa Moneyhun (Portland). Additionally, appointed to the board to fulfill outgoing member terms are Elizabeth Ballard Colgrove (Portland) and Sheeba Suhaskumar (Portland). Reelected to serve a three-year term are: Sara Kobak (Portland), May Low (Portland), Ericka Langone (Lake Oswego).

With over 1200 members, Oregon Women Lawyers is committed to the advancement of women and lawyers outside the dominant culture. To achieve this goal we provide and support programming that includes attention to issues of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and ability. We strive to make meaningful connections with other specialty bar organizations, and attorneys outside of the dominant culture not encompassed within any particular specialty bar, and to partner with them to provide support for all underrepresented lawyers in our profession.