About
The Oregon State Bar Family Law Section is a dedicated group of professionals committed to improving the practice of family law for Oregon families throughout the state. The following discusses the goals of our section and benefits of membership.
The OSB Family Law Section has over 1,000 members statewide. Our members come from all over the state of Oregon representing rural and urban locations of the state. Our membership is a diverse group of professionals from private practitioners, to government and legal services attorneys. We are dedicated to serving the field of family law in areas such as adoption, divorce, custody, military law, alternative families, and elder law.
The Section’s leadership strives to address the needs of all of our members through the planning and implementation of an annual multi-day CLE program. This annual conference covers topics that support and educate all Section members, including basic family law topics for attorneys new to the field and advanced treatment of evolving issues for family law veterans.
Our Family Law Section Annual Conference, held at the Sunriver Resort in Central Oregon, offers members incomparable networking opportunities in an always welcoming and academic setting. In 2012, the conference set an Oregon State Bar record for its most well-attended CLE ever in the state of Oregon. As a member of the Family Law Section, you will receive a discount to attend Section sponsored CLEs including the annual conference.
The Family Law Section publishes a bimonthly newsletter, which is made available to all section members. The newsletter is a collaboration of writings from knowledgeable and diverse professionals throughout the United States. The newsletter addresses topics that are currently evolving and relevant to practitioners in our state. Members have access to archived newsletters. The newsletter is edited by The Honorable Daniel R. Murphy.
Members also have access to the Section’s listserve on which members can engage directly in discussions with each other. The Section’s listserve is frequented by experienced practitioners willing to share their knowledge. In addition, the listserve covers a vast array of family law topics that can immediately improve your ability to assist your clients. Members of the listserve strive to maintain a respectful online forum for family law attorneys to converse and share ideas.
Members of the Family Law Section take an active role in legislative developments affecting family law in Oregon. Through the legislative sub-committee of the Family Law Section, which is chaired by Ryan Carty, Members monitor legislative developments and prepare comments on proposed legislation. If you want to be on the forefront of developing legislation in the area of family law, you may choose to join the legislative subcommittee upon becoming a Section member.
Executive committee members and officers are elected by the Section membership at the annual meeting.
The current members are:
Executive Committee
Keri Smith, Chair
Shallon Halttunen, Chair-Elect
Hon. Erin Fennerty, Past Chair
Alexander Michael Jones, Secretary
Amanda Thorpe, Interim Treasurer
Brittany Ann Berkey, Member
Kacie Bitzenburg, Member
Laura Eckstein, Member
Shala Kudlac, Member
Patrick S Melendy, Member
Kendra Russell, Member
Adam Shelton, Member
Kristi LT Skalman, Member
Annelisa Smith, Member
Kayla Nicole Steindorf, Member
Ryan Hunt, BOG Contact
Susan E Grabe, Bar Liaison
Legislative Subcommittee Chair
Newsletter and Website Editor:
Vacant
Annual Conference Planning Committee Chair:
Professionalism
The Family Law Section periodically recognizes and honors the personal and professional qualities, reputation, and conduct of a particular member through the grant of its Professionalism Award.
Past Winners:
2011 Ronald E. Hergert
2015 Paul J. DeBast
2016 Michael Yates
2017 Eric Larson
2018 Robert McCann
2019
2020 Nicole Deering
2023 Laura Rackner
Professionalism Award Policy and Nomination Form
Lawrence Gorin “Professor Award”
This award recognizes a member of the Family Law Section whose service stands out for the individual’s exemplary service and contributions to the Family Law Section, legal community, and makes the practice of law more fulfilling.
2020 Gil Feibleman
Information and Nomination Form
Membership
We invite you to join the Family Law Section of the Oregon State Bar and look forward to your participation. Membership dues are $25 per year. To sign up for the Family Law Section, click here.