Crag Law Center

     Client Advocates & Educators.  The Crag Law Center attorneys view themselves as both advocates and educators, in that it is part of our philosophy to not only expand the capacity of our clients by educating them about the services Crag provides and the social and legal framework in which they operate, but also to show them how they can take charge of certain aspects of their legal needs in the future. By empowering our clients, Crag exponentially increase our collective effectiveness, and, simply put, it makes our clients that much more fun to work with.

     Attorney & Student Mentoring.  Crag staff attorneys are also taking an active role in educating law students and young attorneys and encouraging them to identify ways in which they can serve the community if their passions lead them in that direction. To that end, we continually mentor law students from Lewis and Clark College, University of Oregon, Willamette University, College of Law and other law schools from around the country.

     Litigation Philosophy.  The Crag Law Center is a non-profit law center and, therefore, Crag frequently handles cases without charge except for out-of-pocket costs.   Crag is not interested in lawsuits designed to protest public policies, rather, Crag supports people who wish to stand up for their legal rights and hold corporations and government agencies accountable when they break the laws intended to preserve our natural legacy for current and future generations.   Crag pursues cases to protect the public’s interest in the health and conservation of their public lands, waters, wildlife and natural resources when unlawful actions or management threaten these values. All of the Crag Law Center’s court cases are based on sound science and the rule of law.

     Engagements.  Crag is primarily concerned with the social value and impact of the work. Therefore, the Crag Law Center intake committee selects cases based upon whether the proposed work presents issues that are in line with the Crag Law Center’s mission statement, whether the clients are in need of The Crag Law Center’s services because of a lack of financial means and whether the Crag Law Center has the capacity to handle the work at that particular time. While these factors dominate the intake process, generally speaking Crag has worked with clients on the following basis: pro bono, reduced hourly fee, reduced flat fee and fee recovery cases. In sum, the Crag Law Center is dedicated to serving the missions of local residents and conservation organizations on pro bono or financially accessible and sustainable terms that are not otherwise available in the community in a manner that also serves to sustain the Crag Law Center for the long-term.