Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) is an effective, high-quality legal services program with a mission to achieve justice for the low-income communities of Oregon.

LASO emphasizes areas of law where needs are greatest and where representation and advocacy can have the most impact for vulnerable Oregonians.

Our Programs

Our eight regional offices serve the general low-income population and two specialized statewide programs serve farmworkers and provide representation on Native American issues.

Because we have the resources to serve only a small percentage of the legal needs of our clients, our regional offices and statewide programs regularly engage in a priority-setting process where they survey low-income clients and groups, community partners, attorneys and judges to determine the most pressing legal need in their communities.

LASO helps people protect their livelihoods, their health, and their families. We provide a wide range of services to help guide people through complicated legal proceedings. These include legal assistance and representation, self-help information, free legal clinics and pro bono assistance, and access to web-based information and forms. LASO takes a strategic approach to addressing domestic violence and other serious legal issues affecting our clients. We advocate for our clients in a variety of forums. We provide direct representation and we work with institutions such as the courts, government agencies, law enforcement and community partners to solve systemic problems in our client communities.

Counties served by Legal Aid Services of Oregon
Counties served by other legal aid organizations

Highest Priority Legal Needs

family law issues
(domestic violence)

access to safe, affordable housing

access to healthcare

protection of income

access to social safety-net programs
(i.e. elderly/disabled)

One study found that the single most important factor in decreasing the incidence of domestic violence is the presence of a legal aid office in the community. Sometimes legal help is all that’s standing between self-sufficiency and poverty. When low-income Oregonians lack resources to get the legal help they need, LASO can help them to access the justice system.

We stand in solidarity with the Black community.

Legal Aid Services of Oregon denounces the brutal killing of all Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) at the hands of the police and others who oppress them in Oregon and across the nation.

As a legal aid organization, our mission is to achieve justice for the low-income communities of Oregon. We emphasize the right of our clients to decide the solutions that we pursue for the issues they face, and our clients have long told us that racial discrimination and violence are critical issues. We acknowledge the role of the legal community and policing and punitive systems in centuries of violence and oppression. We are responsible to our clients to work to dismantle systemic racism and white supremacy as we fight for justice on their behalf.

Legal aid lawyers and staff across the state will continue to work together to bring equity, justice, and integrity into our communities and the legal system.”

Our Accomplishments

Flora LittleDove and her husband Joe have owned a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home for over 35 years. Their two children grew up there and Flora expects to live out the rest of her life in “her own space on this earth.” Flora is in her late sixties and battling cancer. To cover surgeries, they made the tough choice to refinance their home. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, Joe was laid off from his job. When the couple was unable to cover the higher mortgage, the bank began foreclosure proceedings. Flora had little energy to face the stress of losing her home. At the last moment, Flora turned to Legal Aid Services of Oregon for help. “One of the best things was that I did not feel alone. When I could not get answers, legal aid did. They helped me carry the burden and stress.” Because of legal aid’s help, Flora and Joe have payments they can manage and are able to stay in their home.

An Eastern Oregon disabled veteran, “Santa Wayne” is a daily holiday bell ringer at a store in Walla Walla. Wayne found himself on the verge of losing his home when he received an eviction notice. He wasn’t able to meet the mobile home park’s regulations and he couldn't afford to move his single-wide trailer to a different park. LASO Pendleton's Arron Guevara stepped in to help. Arron and the park’s lawyer were able to work out a settlement that allows Wayne to stay in the park and also creates a process for the parties to work together to resolve any future issues. According to Arron, “Wayne not only looks the part of Santa with wavy white hair and beard, but he embodies the spirit as well. He’s truly a jolly ol’ soul. We’re happy that he gets to stay in his home.”

Mary was 84 years old and because she had dementia, her daughter was appointed as her guardian/conservator. Mary’s daughter sold Mary’s home, stole the proceeds, and threatened to move Mary to foster care in another county. Mary was referred to LASO by county protective services. Legal aid stopped the move and also worked to recover the stolen funds and property, some of which went into a supplemental needs trust for Mary.

Allen and his wife Penny are both 63, with four grown daughters. After working for a large company for almost 20 years, Allen was suddenly “downsized.” He received unemployment benefits while he looked for a job, but after more than a year of searching, it became clear that they would soon be living off of Social Security. Since that wouldn’t be enough to pay the mortgage, he decided to cash out his pension and pay off the balance on their home. He reported the pension distribution to the state. Then they got some bad news: the Employment Department said he’d have to pay back all the unemployment benefits. Worse, Penny had just been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. That’s when Allen called Legal Aid Services of Oregon. LASO successfully challenged the case on the basis that Allen was a dislocated worker and this is an exception to retirement distributions. Today, the mortgage is paid off, and Penny is in remission. Allen said “We are just very thankful that legal aid existed, so we could get help in an area that we had no expertise in. [Representing myself] would have been like trying to cure myself of cancer without the help of physicians and surgeons.”

Fatima came to the US for a marriage arranged by her family. Her husband was physically abusive and kept her as a prisoner in her home — she was not allowed to leave unless he was with her. She knew she needed to get away, but was not sure how to do it. She saved up quarters from doing laundry and one day was able to escape. She took a bus to the only building she had been to downtown – the immigration building. They referred her to Legal Aid Services of Oregon. LASO helped with her divorce and obtaining custody of her five year-old son. She is now raising her son in a safe household and is working to fulfill her dream of becoming a nurse.

BOARD MEETINGS

Most meetings begin at 10:00 a.m. and are held at 520 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, Oregon in Room 1120, but the time and location may vary in some situations. The meetings are open to public observation, but it is recommended that you contact us for specific meeting information and to make arrangements for us to admit you to the building by calling (503) 224-4094.

2023 MEETING DATES

May 13 10:00 a.m.
September 9 10:00 a.m.
December 2 10 a.m.