2 Trial Lawyer • Spring 2023 By Blair Townsend OTLA Guardian If you had asked me (or anyone, frankly) when I was younger if I thought I was going to be a politician someday, the answer would have been yes. Absolutely. Years, okay, decades later, I was still contemplating running for political office. In 2017, I applied and was selected for that year’s Emerge class along with twenty-four other like-minded women, including OTLA member and now Oregon Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson. Emerge’s mission was clear — over seven months, instructors and elected officials trained us on how to run an effective political campaign and more importantly, WIN IT. The course was instructional and also aspirational. We were challenged to question our motivations, what set us apart, what we perceived as personality failures, Protecting our clients what we hoped to change. Early on, we scribbled on a sheet of paper what political office we wanted to hold. For me, it was HD 45, House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner’s seat (planning for when she retired). The rest of the course focused on boots on the ground fieldwork, strategy, media, campaign fundraising and the rest of the exhausting work it takes to win. So many from my class, and those before and after it, have gone on to attain those dreams. Emerge was eye-opening for me because I realized, and this was definitely not Emerge’s objective, I did not want to run for political office. I was more inspired by the behind-the-scenes work, the campaign managers over the politicians. Ultimately, Emerge taught me the language of campaigning, being on a team, helping to raise issues, voices and people to the positions they deserved and we need. That work feels more satisfying to me than running for office. The full circle moment for me was when House Majority Leader Smith Warner announced her retirement before the end of her term. A democratic candidate would have the opportunity to be appointed to her seat and then run as an incumbent, about as welcoming as running for office gets. Albeit briefly, it was quiet — no one had put their name in. I revisited that scrap of paper and thought, if you are going to do this, this is your sign to go for it, regardless of what happens. As quickly as I considered it, I felt in my gut that I no longer wanted it, at least not in the way you have to want it to do it well. Political and legislative strength When I became president of OTLA, I knew I wanted to talk to you about an important benefit of our OTLA membership — OTLA’s political and legislative strength and advocacy work through our Legislative Committee and our Political Action Committee. These committees are working committees. For the Legislative Committee, our legislative concepts are discussed and prioritized months before session begins. The committee is busiest during the first few months of session. The Legislative Committee leadership meets every Tuesday at 7 a.m. via Zoom to discuss strategy, problematic bills and bills that need amendments, as well as our game plan throughout the everchanging session. Tuesday evenings, the Legislative Committee members meet and sign up to review bills with some impact on our work and our clients’ rights. More than 80 OTLA members served on the committee reviewing more than 600 bills, a herculean feat. Unfortunately, as this edition hits your inbox, session is over and our two priority bills, adding insurance to the Unlawful Trade Practices Act and enhancing the Unfair Claims Settlement President’s Message Blair Townsend
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