FEBRUARY 22, 2011

Thank you for helping to make our 20th annual campaign and awards luncheon a success. We celebrated reaching our $1 million goal this year and raising $20 million in 20 years for legal aid!

• Justice Tom Balmer spoke about the 75th anniversary of legal aid in Oregon and the 20th Anniversary of the Campaign for Equal Justice.
• We heard legal aid and CEJ updates and about the importance of adequate funding for both the courts and legal aid programs in order to maintain an effective legal system to serve all Oregonians.
• We acknowledged some of CEJ's incredible donors, including:
  • Pillars of Justice: donors (800+) who have given 15 or more gifts during CEJ's 20 year history
  • Defenders of Justice: donors (almost 50) who have made individual contributions of more than $20,000 during CEJ's 20 year history
  • Guardian of Justice Firms: firms of 3 or more attorneys which contributed an average of more than $1000 per attorney during this campaign year (Barran Liebman LLP, Gaylord Eyerman Bradley PC, Stoll Berne, and Williams Love O'Leary & Powers PC)
• We acknowledged firms who went above and beyond this campaign year, including:
  • Cosgrave Vergeer Kester and Ball Janik, large firms which had the largest increase in number of donors from last year
  • Dunn Carney and Stoel Rives, large firms which had the largest dollar increases since last year
  • Bodyfelt Mount and Sussman Shank, midsize firms with increased overall giving which also had the largest percentage increase in number of donors
• We heard updates from around the state, including:
  • Lane County donors contributed more than $82,000 to the campaign this year
  • Marion-Polk donors contributed more than $65,000 to the campaign this year
  • Jackson County donors contributed more than $20,000 to the campaign this year
• Legal aid lawyer Meghan Collins spoke about the new Gateway Center for domestic violence that brings together a variety of service providers in East County, including counseling support for children who have witnessed abuse. Domestic violence victims can obtain restraining orders at the Center, via video conferencing with the court.
• Senator Jeff Merkley spoke about his work in the Senate in extending FDIC insurance for IOLTA accounts.
• Oregon Law Foundation presented its “Partners in Justice Award” to Key Bank and Pioneer Trust Bank.
• Henry Hewitt presented Ed Harnden with the Access to Justice Award for his strong leadership, consistent effort and commitment to the ideal of equal justice under the law, and having made a substantial contribution to legal aid for low-income Oregonians.

Thanks to our generous sponsors: