Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Portland, Oregon Permit No. 3215 THE LAWYERS’ CAMPAIGN FOR EQUAL JUSTICE SUPPORTING LEGAL AID IN OREGON Fall 2004 921 SW WASHINGTON STREET, SUITE 520 • PORTLAND, OR 97205 • 503-295-8442 • [email protected] other families, failed jobs and increasing anger and Advocating in Oregon abuse. While staying with Bill’s sister in Virginia, Debi took a blow to the stomach that caused her to miscarry. EBI In the doctor’s office that afternoon, she saw some Legal Aid Open D women in poor condition with visible bruises. She recalls, “I just didn’t associate myself with that at all.” Houses set for WESTENBARGER That night, Bill hit Wyley for the first time and left a by Jane Wilcox mark. Debi waited until he was out of the house and ebi Westenbarger and her sons Wyley, four and fled with her baby to a crisis shelter. There she saw the October 19th a half, and Kaleb, three, are building a new women with new eyes, “I met women like those I saw in ake plans to attend a 2004 Legal Aid Open family life. They play at the park, attend day- the doctor’s office—I was amazed. I cried all that night.” House in your area. Ceremonies are sched- D care, celebrate birthdays and have fun at home. It has Over the next year Debi Westenbarger repeatedly uled at 16 legal aid offices and courthouses M not been that way for long. Until Debi sought help tried to make things better and, when that failed, to rec- on Tuesday, October 19th. from legal aid in May of 2002, she and her sons were oncile and adjust. Kaleb, her second son, was born that • Albany, LASO/OLC Offices, 4-6 pm, Speakers: First living day to day with the reality of domestic violence. summer. When he came home, Bill became even more Lady Mary Oberst and Governor Ted Kulongoski To Debi, marriage is such a serious commitment violent. Soon after Bill slammed her fingers in the cup- • Bend Legal Aid Office, 1029 NW 14th St, 11:30 am- that it took some time for her to be certain what was board, Debi visited her grandparents. They encouraged 1:30 pm, Speaker: Ira Zarov, Executive Director, right. Although it was far her to leave her husband. Professional Liability Fund from the worst thing that Her grandparents told her, • Coos Bay Oregon Law Center, 295 S 10th St, happened, Debi’s endur- “What you live with is 4-6 pm, Speaker: State Rep. Joanne Verger ance ended one night what your children will • Eugene, Lane County Legal Services, 376 E 11th Ave, when Bill slammed her become. You have to be 4-6 pm, Speaker: Senator Ron Wyden fingers repeatedly in the strong for you and your • Grants Pass Oregon Law Center, 207 SW G St, Suite cupboard door and a kids.” She heard their mes- C, 4-6 pm, Speaker: William Carter, Oregon State Bar short time later, frustrat- sage. She returned home President ed that Wyley wasn’t and called legal aid. • Hillsboro Legal Aid Office, 230 NE 2nd Ave, Suite A, walking fast enough, Attorneys Anna Davis 4-6 pm, Speakers: Hon. Marco Hernandez, Washington picked the two-year-old and Leslea Smith helped County Circuit Court; Rep. David Wu (invited) up by the hair to ‘walk Debi with a restraining him along.’ Debi found order and later with a • Medford Center for Nonprofit Legal Services, Jackson County Courthouse, 11:30-1:30, Speaker: Hon. James Legal Aid Services of divorce and custody Redden, US District Court Oregon in the phone arrangements. Davis says, book. Attorney Anna “She was just learning the • McMinnville Legal Aid Office, 720 E 3rd, 11:30-1:30, Davis at the Hillsboro danger of her situation but Speakers: Michael Mason, Chair, Legal Aid Board of Directors; State Rep. Donna Nelson office helped her get a she knew she needed restraining order. Debi help.” When Debi was • Newport, Lincoln County Courthouse, 225 W Olive St, says, “When I met Anna frightened to go into the Newport, 12-1 pm, Speaker: Hon. Ann Aiken, US Davis, she was like a hearing, Anna Davis District Court PHOTO: JULIE KEEFE light in the darkness for described the process to • Ontario Oregon Law Center, 225 SW 1st Ave, #6, that part of my life. She helped me legally and then, for prepare her for what she would face. When Bill violat- 11:30-1:30 pm, Speaker: Mike Neal, Litigation the things she couldn’t help with, she just listened.” ed the restraining order, legal aid provided moral sup- Director, Oregon Law Center Debi left her family home in Beaverton at 18 to port and information to Debi while the district attorney • Oregon City Legal Aid Office, 421 High St, Suite 110, attend a religious college in Michigan. She hoped to prosecuted the violation. Bill served three weeks in jail. 12-2 pm, Speaker: Robert Grey, President, American complete the two-year program and be sent on a mis- Bar Association; Hon. Karin Immergut, US Attorney sion to Africa. Her grandfather had been a medical mis- for Oregon sionary in Brazil and her father had grown up in Brazil. ”When I met Anna Davis, she was like • Pendleton Convention Center, 1601 Westgate, Soon after the school year started, Debi met Bill. Bill a light in the darkness for that part of 6-8:30 pm, Speakers: Kent Robinson, Chief, Criminal was interested in Africa, too. They started dating, my life. She helped me legally and Division, US Attorney’s Office; Hon. Ronald Pahl, became engaged in January 1999 and married the fol- Umatilla Circuit Court lowing June. then, for the things she couldn’t help • Portland Offices of Legal Aid Services of Oregon and From the beginning Debi was afraid things were not with, she just listened.” Oregon Law Center, 921 SW Washington St, 5th right. Her parents had told her that marriage was a dif- Floor, 3-5 pm, Speakers: Robert Grey, President, ficult adjustment and so she tried to adjust and found American Bar Association; State Senator Kate Brown herself apologizing a lot—for her housekeeping, for As the divorce proceeded, Debi began to teach pre- • Roseburg Legal Aid Office, 700 SE Kane, 4-6 pm, her cooking, for opening the curtains when someone school. This fall, she will return to school to prepare for Speaker: State Rep. Susan Morgan might see her. Even speaking to male acquaintances a nursing career. Portland Community College helped • Salem Marion-Polk Legal Aid Services, 1655 State St, was not allowed. her find grants that would pay expenses for her first 12-1 pm, Speaker: Hon. David Brewer, Oregon Court Wyley, Debi’s first son, was premature and stayed in year. She hopes, when the boys are older, to fulfill her of Appeals the hospital for six weeks. Beginning then, Bill became dreams by going on short-term medical missions. She • Woodburn Community Center, 491 N 3rd St, 4-6 pm, more abusive and began hitting Debi. Wyley needed praises Anna Davis and Leslea Smith, “I cannot thank Speaker: Hardy Myers, Oregon Attorney General I special care and so Bill and Debi were asked to take a you and legal aid services enough for the support and leave from school. This began a series of stays with borrowed strength to move over that awful hill.” I PAGE 1 OPEN HOUSES PAGE 2 LEGAL AID PROFILE PAGE 3 LAF-OFF PAGE 4 ENDOWMENT FUND INSIDE Schedules and Speakers Ann Lininger 2004 Campaign Kicks Off Lou Savage THIS ADVOCATING BRIEFLY PITCHING IN OTLA lawyers ISSUE IN OREGON Pro Bono lawyers take on discuss Endowment Debi Westenbarger Supreme Court Case Legal Aid Profile: ANN LININGER al housing group, attempting to create hous- Lewis and Clark Law School beginning in September. by Jane Wilcox ing consistent with the goals of the fair share Lininger and Charlie Harris, CDLC senior staff attorney, ttorney Ann Lininger, Co-Director of the project. She says, “That was a situation will serve as adjunct faculty to Lewis and Clark. Through Community Development Law Center, where I first glimpsed the kind of work that this program, known as the Community Development Areturned to Oregon after graduating I’m doing now. At Victims Services Agency, Law Project, law students will work at CDLC, receive from Yale University, New York University I participated in housing development from training in the types of legal assistance CDLC provides, School of Law and working in Denver where, the client side, working with lawyers, and assist nonprofit housing organizations and other non- among other jobs, she was an associate at the law bankers, foundations, contractors, and archi- profits under staff supervision. Although there are many firm of Hogan & Hartson LLP. It had always tects to create more housing for these fami- civil legal clinics in law schools across the United States, been her plan to live and work in Oregon. She says, “My lies. Now I’m doing similar transactions from the lawyer this is one of the few clinics to provide hands-on training family has lived in Oregon for four generations and I feel side.” in transactional work. really rooted to this state. The poet Wendell Berry says, Back in Oregon in 2001, Lininger began work at the Lininger says that the project is exciting because “We ‘If you don’t know where you are, you don’t know who Community Development Law Center to help address are going to be able to expand our capacity to help you are.’ In Oregon I feel most like myself.” Oregon’s shortage of Oregon’s non- Lininger moved to New York in 1990 to work for the low-income housing.