May 2006

Reciprocity Admission in Oregon: Easier Than You Think

by Tom Breen

If  you have ever been curious about obtaining Oregon Bar membership via reciprocity but never really looked into it, look no further. The Washington Young Lawyers Division (WYLD) CLE Committee has come up with a weekend CLE program designed to save you time, money, and the hassle of attending various CLEs so that you can quickly be on your way to becoming an active member of the Oregon Bar.

What is reciprocity?

Effective January 1, 2002, changes to Oregon's admission rules allow Washington lawyers to be admitted to the Oregon Bar without having to take a bar exam. According to Oregon Rule 15.05 regarding reciprocity: "Lawyers who have taken and passed the Idaho, Utah, and/or Washington bar examinations, who are active members of one or more of those state bars as a result of the passage of those examinations, and who have lawfully engaged in the practice of law for no less than three of the four years immediately preceding their application for admission under this rule may be admitted to the practice of law in Oregon without having to take and pass the Oregon bar examination, subject to the requirements of this rule." So long as Washington attorneys meet all the standard criteria for admission, they merely need to take 15 hours of specific Oregon CLEs in order to be admitted to practice law in Oregon. For additional details about the rule, see www.osbar.org/admissions/reciprocityFAQ.html, and for a comprehensive overview about Washington attorney reciprocity in Oregon, an informative article by Robert D. Welden, WSBA general counsel, found at www.wsba.org/media/publications/barnews/archives/2001/sep-01-reciprocal.
htm, is quite helpful.

Benefits to becoming a member of the Oregon Bar

There are many benefits to becoming a member of the Oregon Bar. Perhaps you currently retain local counsel on cases you have in Oregon. Or maybe you could benefit from keeping some Oregon cases rather than referring them out to counsel in Oregon. Perhaps you would like some exposure to the Oregon market and want to have Oregon credentials on your résumé. Whatever your reason, the WYLD wants to make it as easy as possible for you to achieve Oregon Bar membership.

How to become a member of the Oregon Bar

There are three simple steps toward obtaining Oregon Bar membership. First, you must determine if you are eligible to apply. You are eligible only if you have active membership in Washington, Idaho, or Utah and have actively practiced law for three of the last four years. Second, you must apply to the Oregon Bar and pay your fee to the Oregon Bar before you take any CLE credits. Third, you need a combination of 15 specific CLE credits from Oregon. Rather than figure out which CLEs you need, you can satisfy all of your CLE requirements in one weekend.

The Reciprocity Weekend

When? September 9-10, 2006. Where? Vancouver, Washington. What? The WYLD CLE Committee has coordinated with the Oregon Bar and will have video sessions that will cover all your Oregon CLE reciprocity requirements. You don't need to figure out which CLEs to attend in Oregon or which videos to request — they will all be provided to you. The total cost to view the videos will be less than $300, a significant reduction from what you'd have to pay if you did this on your own. The weekend will include a social gathering between Washington and Oregon attorneys. More details will be available by early summer. In the meantime, if you have any questions contact Allison Williams, co-chair of the WYLD CLE Committee, at 206-749-9460. For now, if you are interested in gaining admission to Oregon, mark off the weekend of September 9-10 on your calendar. This is a fabulous opportunity that you won't want to miss.

Reminder: It is your responsibility to apply to the Oregon Bar for reciprocity admission well in advance of the Reciprocity Weekend. The WYLD is not able to do this on your behalf. The WYLD is only able to provide you with the CLE portion of the admission process. 

Tom Breen is a King County deputy prosecuting attorney and a member of the WYLD CLE Committee. He can be reached at 206-205-6643 or at tom.breen@metrokc.gov.