OTLA Sidebar September 2020

8 • SIDEBAR • September 2020 Due to OTLA Members’ Generosity, Mask Project A ‘Clear’ Success W hen Chief Justice Martha Walters put out the call for face masks for potential jurors, the attorney commu- nity responded. Many went online and purchased disposable masks. Others found local shops who could sew cloth masks. While we aren’t sure if anyone actually pulled out their sewing ma- chines and began mass production, we do know OTLA members once again went the extra mile. At the recommen- dation of Guardian Shenoa Payne , OTLAns gave generously to purchase clear masks/face shields. As Payne pointed out, it is much more difficult for juries and attorneys alike to do their jobs effectively with masks that obscure faces. Trial lawyers appreci- ate how important it is to see facial expressions and reactions of jurors. To assist in the effort to source clear masks, past President and fellow Guardian Michael Wise utilized his many contacts and stellar negotiating skills, found an Oregon company who produces masks and face shields and got us a screaming good deal on these much more expensive yet necessary masks. A huge thank you to every OTLA member who donated financially or sent masks to the court. Because of those generous gifts, OTLA was able to purchase and provide nearly $15,000 worth of clear masks and face shields OTLA Members Step Up Big For Our Communities in Need for courts across the state, ensuring all will be protected and business can function once we start seeing jury tri- als resume. Aid for Wildfire Victims G uardian Melissa Bobadilla didn’t set out to raise more than $30,000 when she initially reached out to OTLA for help providing much-needed relief to migrant farm workers after the awful wildfires in September. Originally, she thought she’d ask her colleagues and friends to chip in what they could for KN95 masks and bottled water. She’d found a doctor through whom she could source the mask purchases, since masks of the quality needed to protect from toxic smoke were already expensive and in short supply due to COVID-19 and weren’t easy to find. “I started with the intention of just providing immediate aid because the farm worker community in Oregon was so greatly affected by the fires,” Bobadilla said. “I was asked for help by Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) and given a specific list of basic necessities: they were low on water and they didn’t have masks. They needed baby formula and other essentials for daily life. Basically, these people working in the fields didn’t receive evacuation notices. They often don’t speak English and for many, they never received level 1 or 2 notices, only a get out now alert so they dropped everything and were left with just the clothes they were wearing. And the labor camps are often in poor conditions, especially with COVID considerations as well. Farmworker housing often lacks modern windows and ventilation systems, and they are not built to insulate from the smoke.” Bobadilla began reaching out to A van stands waiting to be loaded with additional supplies and relief for farm workers throughout Oregon. OTLA members raised enough money to buy KN95 masks galore for farm workers whose housing and worksites were decimated by the wildfires. MEMBERS STEP UP continues on page 9