OTLA Trial Lawyer Winter 2021

3 Trial Lawyer • Winter 2021 those roles. This was a a daunting task. We couldn’t have done it without the orga- nizational and strategic support of OTLA Membership Director Kathleen Bergin. She gathered and organized dozens of documents, scheduled the volunteer shifts for the phone bank, provided all different types of support to Johnston and the regional captains. Many volunteers We had more than 75 OTLA mem- bers participating in the program. (See list of all volunteers on the next page.) They worked with the regional coordina- tors to be sure we had coverage at the physical locations for one-on-one con- sults with fire victims as well as staffing the phone lines. The program has been a success, and news of its creation traveled fast. I’ve had elected officials reach out to me for ad- ditional information, so they could share it with their constituents. Several news outlets ran stories about our efforts: • https://www.opb.org/ article/2020/11/09/oregonians-affected- by-wildfires-get-legal-aid/ • https://www.registerguard.com/story/ news/2020/10/19/oregon-lawyers-offer- free-help-wildfire-victims-rebuild-navi- gate-insurance/3698452001/ • https://ktvl.com/station/news-10- first-alert-fire-recovery/oregon-trial- lawyers-providing-free-counsel-to-wild- fire-victims Fundraising With all of the organizational success of the fire project, I need to shine a bright light on another OTLAmember who has stepped up in this crisis — board mem- ber Melissa Bobadilla. As most of us can recall, folks across the state were given evacuation notices of Level 1—“alert that a fire is nearby,” Level 2—“high probability of a need to evacuate” and, ultimately, Level 3—“get out NOW!” Unfortunately, many mi- grant farmworker communities in Jack- son, Lane andMarion Counties were not notified of Level 1 or Level 2 evacuations. They were only approached when things hit Level 3, often leaving only moments to flee. As a result, most left with only the clothes on their backs. They lost everything they owned, and, because of their migrant status, had no family to stay with. Bobadilla immediately recognized the need for help and sprang into action. Even before the pro bono program got off the ground, she took it upon herself to raise money for essential supplies includ- ing N95 masks, bottled water, baby formula, diapers, toothpaste and other personal hygiene products, and more. She and her husband made several Costco runs and filled their van and a U-Haul trailer with supplies. Knowing the financial needs were even greater, she sent out a request for help from OTLA members who quickly and generously answered the call for financial assistance. She raised over $33,000 for three non- profits: NOWIA Unete (Center for Farm Worker and Immigrant Advocacy), Willamette Valley Law Project/PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste) and Rogue Climate to help displaced migrant workers and other community members in these hardest hit areas. The recipients will forever be grateful for the generosity of those they will never meet. It is humbling to see such care and compassion for our communities. Never have I been prouder of who we are. Of what we stand for. Of the lives we touch. Tim Williams specializes in personal in- jury and product liability. He is a manag- ing partner at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Attorneys PC, where he serves as the lead litigation attorney. He contributes to the OTLA Guardians of Civil Justice at the Stalwart level. His office is located at 1558 SWNancyWay, Ste 101,Bend, OR 97702. Williams can be reached at 541-617-0555 or [email protected].