Oregon State Bar Sustainable Future Section

Minutes of Executive Committee Meeting of April 8, 2011

Oregon State Bar Sustainable Future Section

4:00 p.m. at Jim Kennedy’s office

Attending: Jennifer Gates, Diane Henkels (legislative contact), Amie Jamieson, James Kennedy (Chair), Pat Neill, Dick Roy, Robin Bellanca Seifried (Treasurer), and Michelle Slater

Participating by telephone: Ellen Grover

Excused: Dallas DeLuca (Secretary)

Guests: Dylan Cernitz

J. Griggs

1. Discussion re Events and Meeting in Bend, Oregon in June – Ellen

·  A block of hotel rooms have been reserved but won’t be held open indefinitely. Reserve sooner rather than later.

·  Ellen is in the process of planning a program, possibly on the topic of human rights for water. Program will likely be 1 ½ hours, followed by a mixer with the Deschutes County Bar. The Executive Committee meeting will be Saturday morning followed by a field trip. The program and the meeting will take place at the Bend Parks & Recreation Building. We will plan to be done mid-afternoon for those that need to travel back to Portland that evening.

2. Discussion of Law Office Award – Ellen

·  The Section will make a Law Office Award only (not an individual award). This change to our program needs to be communicated to OSB.

·  Criteria for the Law Office Award needs to be tied to the Partners in Sustainability criteria.

·  OSB will provide the Section with the nominations for the President’s Sustainability Award for review. The Section will coordinate with Rod and make a recommendation to OSB. Dick suggested that recipients of the Award in the prior three years participate in the review and recommendation.

·  Discussion about how to advertise the Section’s Award, including via Web site, e-mailing several Sections, in the newsletter, in the Bar Bulletin, and by announcing it at Section programs. We determined that the Section Award should be advertised together with the OSB Award whenever possible to avoid confusion.

·  Action items: (1) confirm our coordination with OSB, (2) pick a deadline for nominations, (3) approve nomination packet.

3. Partners in Sustainability – Dylan Cernitz

·  Dylan Cernitz offered a report on work being done on the partners in sustainability program. The objective is to have criteria in place by Fall 2011. Discussed whether criteria should be flexible or rigid (voluntary or imposed), how rigorous the criteria should be (e.g., should we require that a firm’s management have a adopted a sustainability policy in order for a law firm to qualify), how to keep certification from becoming a non-event and give certified firms prominence (e.g., on OSB Web site).

·  Action item: Michelle and Jim agreed to talk to OSB about getting a “sustainability” section on the OSB Web site to house a number of sustainability-related items, including partners in sustainability.

·  A discussion about whether a law firm may satisfy SFS criteria by obtaining a third party certification was lightly debated and deferred.

4. Approve Minutes of December 3, 2010, and March 4, 2011, Executive Committee Meetings

·  Approved with two corrections (Item No. 5: change “Jeanne Ray” to “Jeanne Roy” and item No. 6: include Dick Roy in attendance at the meeting with Antitrust and Trade Regulation Section). Approval of minutes from February 4, 2011, meeting was deferred.

5. Programs – Dick

· General discussion of upcoming programs.

·  Diane and Dick to partner in planning ethics program, which will be able to be used to satisfy the ethics CLE requirement.

·  The fact that many who register do not attend our programs and many attend who do not register was noted as an issue.

6. Update on Section Goals – Jim

· Dick reported on membership losses in other sections; Dick and Jim noted that we have to add 6 members per month in order to reach the 325membership goal established at the beginning of the year. We all need to market the Section.

·  Stacey Mark is willing to help with the Web site.

·  The goal that is really lagging is proceeding with a study group on an office of legal guardian. Jim reported on his plans to move that forward.

·  It was noted that Jennifer needs someone on the RFP study group who can be responsible for research and legwork. It was also suggested that she contact Regina Hauser to participate in the group.

Next meeting date established as May 6, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. Jim will be out of town so Michelle will lead the meeting.

The meeting was then followed by dinner and socializing.

OSB Sustainable Future Section Meeting Minutes April 8, 2011 2