About the MBA

"Lawyers associated for justice, service, professionalism, education and leadership for our members and our community."


For over 100 years, the Multnomah Bar Association (MBA) has provided a forum for lawyers to gather together for collegiality, to improve the justice system, to provide law-related community service and to access services and benefits that strengthen professionalism, satisfaction and success.

MBA members are primarily lawyers from the Portland metropolitan area, including judges from the local, state and federal courts. Membership is free for first year bar admittees and there are discounted rates for under- or unemployed young lawyers and "senior" lawyers. Associate memberships are available for administrative staff who work in the profession, e.g. legal assistants, paralegals, legal administrators, etc. To join the MBA or to renew, click here.

The organization is committed to representing its members' interests. To get involved or connected, contact MBA leaders and staff. Also look for the Volunteer Opportunities form that is included in the Multnomah Lawyer newsletter each spring. We encourage members' communication and active participation - this is your organization and we pride ourselves in being responsive and in touch.

The MBA's success is due to the commitment of its loyal volunteers. Our leaders are well respected in the profession and community, and include lawyers and judges from various practice areas, courts, firm sizes, etc. 

MBA Board of Directors

The MBA Board of Directors is the policy-making body of the organization and consists of voting directors and the immediate past president. The Young Lawyers Section (YLS) President serves as an MBA director.

Officers

President: Theresa L. Wright, Willamette University College of Law
President-Elect: Brad Krupicka, O’Hagan Meyer
Secretary: Shalini Vivek, Office of the State Court Administrator
Treasurer: Sherisa Davis-Larry, Attorney at Law
Immediate Past President: Tim Resch, Samuels Yoelin Kantor LLP

Directors

Maxine Tuan, St Andrew Legal Clinic*
Austin Batalden, Stannard and Batalden Family Law PC
Justice Brooks, Foster Garvey PC
Matthew D. Colley, Black Helterline LLP
Christine Hein, Ring Bender LLP
Eryn Karpinski Hoerster, Foster Garvey PC
Hansary Laforest, Sussman Shank LLP
Tania Manners, Larkins Vacura Kayser LLP
Amanda Nadell, Multnomah County District Attorney's Office
Emery Wang, Vames Wang and Sosa
*Young Lawyers Section President

Guy Walden, Executive Director

Kathy Modie, Director, Events & Programs

Ryan Mosier, Member Services Administrator

Pamela Hubbs, Office & Foundation Administrator

Imani Smith, Program Coordinator

 

It all began with 40 local attorneys who met on February 3, 1906 to discuss organizing a Multnomah County bar association. Just two weeks later, the MBA was founded on February 17, 1906 when 57 lawyers adopted the constitution and bylaws of the Multnomah Bar Association (MBA). Today, the MBA is the oldest and largest voluntary bar association in Oregon, with thousands of members.

To commemorate the MBA's 100 years of service to the legal profession and community, the 100th Anniversary Community Gift Fund was established to provide grants for civic and law-related education programs. 

Objective of the MBA in 1906

  "To raise and maintain the dignity and honor of the legal profession, and to prevent it from degenerating into a business; to increase its usefulness in promoting the due administration of Justice; to cultivate social intercourse among its members, and to enforce such discipline among its members as   shall promote the observance of dignity and courtesy among the members of both bar and bench, and prevent unprofessional conduct; and to recommend, advocate and work for the enactment of such laws as shall promote good government."





Video Commemorating the 100th Anniversary

The MBA created a video to celebrate its 100th anniversary, "A Century of Service" (Windows Media Player format).

During 2006, each issue of the Multnomah Lawyer included a special edition with historical information about the MBA and its members. Below are links to individual editions.

January - Unique MBA Historical Characters
February - Enduring MBA Themes
March - MBA Worthy Projects
April - History of the Young Lawyers Section
May - The Changing Practice of Law
June - Women Advancing the Bar
July/August - Diversity and the Bar
September - Legal Aid and Pro Bono Service
October - Evolving Practice Areas
November - More Evolving Practice Areas
December - Legal Organizations

The MBA also created a commemorative publication for its centennial year.
Interviews with individual presidents are linked to their names:
1906-07 S.C. Spencer
1907-08 W.M. Cake
1908-09 George Shepherd
1909-10 Gus Moser
1910-11 Charles Schnabel
1911-12 Harrison Allen
1912-13 Arthur Langguth
1914-16 J.F. Boothe
1916-17 Lotus Lee Langley
1917-18 William M. Davis
1918-19 Clarence Gilbert
1919-20 Barg Leonard
1920-21 John Winter
1921-22 Clarence Gilbert
1922-24 Robert Tucker
1924-26 W.W. Davis
1926-27 John Stevenson
1927-29 George Shepherd
1929-31 James Crawford
1931-34 Eugene Oppenheimer
1934-35 Omar Spencer
1935-36 Alfred Kelley
1936-38 John Beckwith
1938-39 Charles R. Spackman Jr.
1940-41 Irming Rand
1942-43 Hugh Barzee
1944-45 Carl A. Dahl
1949-50 Nicholas Jaureguy
1951-53 No Record
1954-55 Harold Davidson
1955-56 Herbert H. Anderson
1956-57 Randall B. Kester
1957-58 Donald S. Richardson
1958-59 Wendell Gray
1959-60 Phillip J. Roth
1960-61 George H. Fraser
1961-62 William F. Bernard
1962-63 John U. Yerkovich
1963-64 Herbert C. Hardy
1964-65 Frank E. Nash
1965-66 Burl L. Green
1966-67 John L. Schwabe
1967-68 Dwight L. Schwab
1968-69 John R. Hay
1969-70 Clifford B. Olsen
1970-71 John R. Gilbertson
1971-72 Howard A. Rankin
1972-73 
Edwin J. Peterson
1973-74 James F. Spiekerman
1974-75 John R. Faust
1975-76 Garr M. King
1976-77 Thomas H. Tongue
1977-78 Martin J. Howard
1978-79 John J. Haugh
1979-80 Don H. Marmaduke
1980-81 Robert A. Bennett
1981-82 Marvin S. Nepom
1982-83 Leonard A. Girard
1983-84 Douglass M. Hamilton
1984-85 Michael D. Schrunk
1985-86 Walter H. Grebe
1986-87 Jerome E. LaBarre
1987-88 Susan M. Hammer
1988-89 Walter H. Sweek
1989-90 Michael E. Haglund
1990-91 Ruth M. Spetter
1991-92 Cynthia L. Barrett
1992-93 Marc D. Blackman
1993-94 Monte Bricker
1994-95 John H. Holmes
1995-96 Lynn T. Nagasako
1996-97 Edwin A. Harnden
1997-98 Albert A. Menashe
1998-99 S. Ward Greene
1999-2000 Judy Danelle Snyder
2000-01 Ruth A. Beyer
2001-02 Michael A. Greene
2002-03 Robert D. Newell
2003-04 Robert J. Neuberger
2004-05 Sylvia E. Stevens
2005-06 Kelly T. Hagan
2006-07 Peter H. Glade
2007-08 Thomas W. Brown
2008-09 Michael Dwyer
2009-10 Leslie Nori Kay
2010-11 Sarah J. Crooks 
2011-12 Steven K. Blackhurst
2012-13 Gregory T. Moawad
2013-14 Richard J. Vangelisti
2014-15 Dana L. Sullivan
2015-16 C. Robert Steringer
2016 Eric L. Dahlin
2016-17 Thomas C. Sand
2017-18 Andrew M. Schpak
2018-19 Rima I. Ghandour
2019-20 Sarah Radcliffe
2020-21 Valerie Colas
2021-22 Jovita T. Wang
2022 Jacqueline L. Alarcón 
2022-23 Tim Resch

 
   

For over 100 years, the Multnomah Bar Association (MBA) has provided a forum for lawyers to gather together for collegiality, to improve the justice system, to provide law-related community service and to access services and benefits that strengthen professionalism, satisfaction and success.

Learn More