Mission Statement 

The Ethics Committee Mission is to promote legal and professional ethics in the Oregon Paralegal Association through various opportunities to educate its members about the Codes of Ethics and the Standards of Professional Conduct and Responsibility, as established by OPA and by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, as well as ethical standards for legal professionals (e.g., lawyers) as set forth in the Oregon Revised Statutes and by the Oregon State Bar Association.

Duties

• The Committee may, from time to time, be asked to interpret certain ethics codes related to a specific request from the Board. Concerns of OPA members related to ethics shall be conveyed to the Committee through the Board, or by email to  ethics@oregonparalegals.org. The Committee will respond to specific requests with an Advisory Opinion that addresses only the conclusions of the committee. Advisory Opinions issued by the Committee concerning the interpretation of ethics codes may be made publicly available through publication in the Paragram, by other distribution in writing, or on OPA’s website.

• The Committee is not a disciplinary body. The Board is solely responsible for the disciplinary process and imposition of sanctions for violations of OPA’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct or NFPA’s Model Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility. OPA’s Board of Directors may request an Advisory Opinion from the Committee regarding any disciplinary matter that may come before the Board, including, but not limited to, an alleged violation and any proposed sanction resulting from any such violation. Advisory Opinions issued by the Committee concerning disciplinary matters will be submitted in written form to the Board only, and shall not be made publicly available.

• The Committee members will maintain confidentiality in all their duties and shall not otherwise violate the privacy of any member, person, attorney, law firm, or other entity whose information may be discussed in Committee meetings. Ethics Committee Minutes, Advisory Opinions, or other writings and reports shall not mention identifiable names or description that would in any way specifically identify any member, person, attorney, law firm, or other entity.

• The Committee’s Mission, and thus its primary duty, is to promote Legal and Professional Ethics in the OPA. This will be achieved by educating OPA’s members about the general topics of ethics in the profession, as well as specific topics from both the OPA Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct and NFPA's Model Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility. This may be accomplished, in part, through writings and articles in OPA’s bi-monthly Paragram (obtained by reprint permission if required) and through CLE events on topics related to ethics and on the positive effects good ethical practices will have for all members in the paralegal profession.

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