Page 15 - OWLS AdvanceSheet Spring 2017

OWLS Members Lead

Oregon Lawyers for Good Government

By Jennifer Duncan Hackett
n the morning of November 9, It has been less than five months since
as the country woke up to the the election and less than 100 days since
Oreality of a Trump presidency, Trump’s inauguration, but OL4GG is
Traci Feit Love started a private Facebook already making its presence known in
group that began quietly and quickly important ways. At its first all-hands
gathering members. Originally called meeting, OL4GG members created more
Lawyers of the Left, and now called than 20 “issue groups,” each of which is
Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG), working to partner with organizations in
the group grew to over 125,000 attorneys Oregon that are already focused on those
in all 50 states and abroad in a matter of issues. One of OL4GG’s first actions was
days. Composed of lawyers, law students, to write letters to the Portland’s mayor
professors, and activists, the mission of and police chief, in coordination with the
L4GG is to promote social justice, de- ACLU of Oregon and the Portland Chap-
mocracy, and equality in the wake of a ter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG),
presidential administration that does not Banafsheh Violet Nazari
appear to promote those values.
In November in Oregon, even before • Participating in Refugee Adjustment
there was talk at the national level of Day, assisting refugees in completing
official state L4GG chapters, Kristina their paperwork to obtain their green
Holm and Banafsheh Violet Nazari, both cards.
OWLS members, began bringing together • OL4GG member Shari Gregory co-host-
hundreds of attorneys and law students ed a Toothpaste and Toiletries happy
to talk about forming Oregon Lawyers hour, which raised money and provid-
for Good Government (OL4GG). Recog- ed needed supplies for refugees in the
nizing that many attorneys and groups Portland area.
are already doing important work in OL4GG is just getting started. Its leaders
the areas of, among others, health care, have met with U.S. Representative Earl
immigration, education, civil rights, Blumenauer, are in ongoing discussions
criminal justice, environmental issues, Kristina Holm with his staff, and are in the process of
setting up meetings with other elected
objecting to the tactics used by police at officials. In the coming months, OL4GG
various demonstrations and offering to will be providing feedback on proposed
start a dialogue with the Portland Police immigration policies, police tactics, and
Bureau and the mayor’s office to resolve other issues as they arise. The energy,
differences. Those letters led to in-person enthusiasm, intelligence, and comradery
meetings, and the discussion is ongoing. of the OL4GG members is inspiring and
Other activities supported or created will make it possible for this work to
by OL4GG members include these: continue and to succeed, even in the face
• Mobilizing attorneys to respond to of seemingly relentless obstacles.
Trump’s executive orders that estab- Please contact O4LGG co-leaders
lished a “Muslim ban,” and gathering Kristina Holm (kristina.holm@gmail.
volunteer attorneys and interpreters com), Banafsheh Violet Nazari (violet@
to meet at the Portland and Seattle nazarilaw.com), or Jennifer Duncan Hack-
Jennifer Duncan Hackett
airports in order to provide repre- ett (JHackett@zelle.com) if you are inter-
sentation to people being detained ested in getting involved in the group.
and LGBT rights, the goal of OL4GG is because of the executive orders.
to support the critical work the Oregon • Recruiting OL4GG members to become Jennifer Duncan Hackett is a partner
legal community is already doing, to legal observers at protests, either with at Zelle LLP, where she concentrates on
antitrust cases on behalf of plaintiffs.
give the people doing that work extra the ACLU of Oregon or the Portland Also an OWLS member, she splits her
support and resources, and to fill in the Chapter of the NLG. time between Hood River and her office
gaps where needed. in Washington DC.

OREGON WOMEN LAWYERS AdvanceSheet 15 SPRING 2017