Oregon Law
Law as of Jan 1, 2026
Chapter contents
9.005Definitions for ORS 9.005 to 9.757 9.006Authority of Supreme Court 9.010Status of licensee and Oregon State Bar; applicability of statutes 9.020[Amended by 1971 c.103 §1; repealed by 1973 c.114 §5] 9.025Board of governors; number; eligibility; term 9.030Voting rights; eligibility of licensees for board of governors and house of delegates 9.040Election of governors; rules; vacancies 9.042Determination of eligibility of candidate for board of governors; procedure; review by Supreme Court 9.050Recall or removal of governors 9.055Chief executive officer 9.060President, president-elect and immediate past president 9.070Duties of president and president-elect; deposit and disbursement of fees 9.080Duties and authority of bar and of board of governors; professional liability fund; quorum; status of employees of bar 9.090Appropriation and disbursement of funds 9.100Statement of financial condition 9.110Board of governors to formulate rules 9.112Board of governors to establish minimum continuing legal education requirements 9.114Mandatory training on duties relating to reporting child abuse and abuse of elderly persons; rules 9.120[Repealed by 1995 c.302 §23] 9.130[Amended by 1979 c.508 §2; 1981 c.193 §2; 1983 c.373 §1; repealed by 1995 c.302 §23] 9.132[1993 c.131 §2; renumbered 9.685 in 2011] 9.136House of delegates created; membership; terms 9.139Powers of house of delegates 9.142Rules for conduct of business; meetings 9.145Public members 9.148Participation by nondelegates; referral of question for vote; petition for consideration or vote 9.150Termination of delegate’s term 9.152Election of delegates; rules 9.155Recall of delegate 9.160Bar license required to practice law; exceptions 9.162Definitions for ORS 9.160 to 9.166 9.164Investigation of alleged violation of ORS 9.160 9.166Enjoining practicing law without a license; restitution to victim 9.180Classes of licenses 9.190[Amended by 1957 c.271 §1; 1961 c.138 §1; part renumbered 9.200 (2); repealed by 1969 c.602 §1 (9.191 enacted in lieu of 9.190)] 9.191Annual licensure fees; professional liability assessments 9.200Effect of failure to pay licensure fees; reinstatement 9.210Board of bar examiners; fees of applicants for admission to bar 9.220General requirements for admission 9.230[Repealed by 1981 c.193 §12] 9.240[Amended by 1961 c.499 §3; repealed by 1993 c.213 §2] 9.241Practice of law by attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions; associate licensure; rules; fee 9.242Advice on law of foreign jurisdiction; rules 9.250Order for admission; oath of qualified applicant 9.260[Amended by 1953 c.604 §1; 1979 c.252 §21; repealed by 1989 c.1052 §7 (9.261 enacted in lieu of 9.260)] 9.261Resignation of licensee 9.270[Amended by 1953 c.604 §1; 1961 c.499 §4; 1971 c.193 §17; 1979 c.252 §22; repealed by 1989 c.1052 §26] 9.280Prohibition on acting as immigration consultant; definitions; exception 9.310Attorney defined; counsel 9.320Necessity for employment of attorney; effect of employment 9.330Authority of attorney 9.340Challenge by party of attorney’s authority to appear for party 9.350Challenge of attorney’s authority to appear for adverse party 9.360Compelling delivery by attorney of money or papers 9.370Compelling delivery when attorney claims lien 9.380Changing attorneys and terminating attorney-client relationship 9.390Notice of change or termination 9.400[1987 c.774 §8; renumbered 20.340 in 1997] 9.460Duties of attorneys 9.470[Repealed by 1965 c.353 §2] 9.480[Amended by 1965 c.353 §1; 1981 c.193 §9; renumbered 9.527] 9.490Formulation of rules of professional conduct; prohibition on certain sanctions for violation of rule 9.500Solicitation of personal injury business by nonlawyer 9.505Payment for referring claims resulting from personal injury or death 9.510Solicitation by attorneys 9.515Referral of claims, suits or actions between licensees; division of fees 9.520Acceptance and prosecution of solicited claims 9.525[1975 c.641 §8; repealed by 1983 c.618 §1] 9.527Grounds for disbarment, suspension or reprimand 9.528Advice on conducting covert operations; participation in covert operations 9.529Status of proceedings relating to discipline, admission or reinstatement 9.530[Repealed by 1965 c.353 §2] 9.532State professional responsibility board 9.534Disciplinary board; procedure before board; oaths; subpoenas; hearing; record 9.535[1975 c.641 §9; 1979 c.450 §1; repealed by 1983 c.618 §1] 9.536Disciplinary board decision; appeal to Supreme Court; review; costs 9.537Civil immunity of witnesses, bar officials and employees 9.539Application to admission and reinstatement proceedings 9.540[Amended by 1961 c.499 §5; 1971 c.193 §18; repealed by 1973 c.490 §1 (9.541 enacted in lieu of 9.540)] 9.541[1973 c.490 §2 (enacted in lieu of 9.540); repealed by 1975 c.641 §13] 9.542Rules for investigation of licensees and applicants; authority of board of governors to require fingerprints 9.545[1983 c.617 §2 (enacted in lieu of 9.595); 1999 c.171 §1; renumbered 9.568 in 1999] 9.550[Amended by 1961 c.499 §6; 1973 c.490 §3; 1975 c.641 §6; 1979 c.252 §23; repealed by 1983 c.618 §1] 9.555Copy of complaint or notice to Attorney General when bar is plaintiff or defendant; exceptions 9.560[Amended by 1963 c.106 §1; 1973 c.490 §4; 1975 c.641 §7; 1979 c.252 §24; repealed by 1983 c.618 §1] 9.565Tax return information from Department of Revenue; use 9.568State lawyers assistance committee; personal and practice management assistance committees; rules; confidentiality; civil immunity 9.570[Repealed by 1983 c.618 §1] 9.572Bar to establish Legal Services Program; director; advisory and technical committees 9.574[1997 c.801 §72; 2003 c.737 §98; repealed by 2011 c.595 §97a] 9.576Review of providers; mediation; hearing; suspension of funding 9.577[2011 c.595 §3a; repealed by 2019 c.643 §13] 9.578Funding sources 9.580[Repealed by 1983 c.618 §1] 9.582Use of amounts not paid to class members in class action lawsuits 9.590[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.595[1981 c.193 §11; repealed by 1983 c.617 §1 (9.545 enacted in lieu of 9.595)] 9.600[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.610[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.615Definition for ORS 9.615 to 9.665 9.620[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.625Plan to relieve client losses; rules 9.630[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.635Sources of client security fund 9.640[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.645Annual payment by state bar licensees 9.650[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.655Investigation of claim of loss; subpoena 9.657Immunity from civil liability 9.660[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.665Authority for reimbursement of client; waiver of conditions; subrogation for amount paid 9.670[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.675Mandatory certification and disclosures for lawyer trust accounts 9.680[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.685Trust account overdraft notification program 9.688Circuit court jurisdiction to determine entitlement to property in lawyer trust account 9.690[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.695Status of files or work premises of licensee; inadmissibility of evidence subject to search or seizure 9.700[Repealed by 1953 c.609 §2] 9.705Definitions for ORS 9.705 to 9.757 9.710Jurisdiction of circuit court over law practice of nonperforming licensee 9.715Petition to take jurisdiction over law practice 9.720Court taking jurisdiction over law practice 9.722[1997 c.135 §2; repealed by 2015 c.6 §5] 9.725Appointment of bar or attorney as custodian of law practice; duties of custodian, court and financial institution 9.727Service of order of custodianship 9.730Assistance by professional liability fund and other licensees 9.735Compensation of custodian 9.740Court orders appealable; stay 9.745Statutes of limitation suspended 9.750Confidentiality of files and records; attorney-client privilege 9.755Final report of custodian; petition for compensation; court approval 9.757Retention of client materials 9.760Judicial department library services; fees 9.770[Amended by 1959 c.655 §2; repealed by 1985 c.308 §6] 9.780Exchange of legal publications 9.790Legislative Counsel furnishing copies of codes and session laws for exchange 9.800Sale of surplus codes and session laws 9.810[Repealed by 1985 c.308 §6] 9.815County law libraries and law library services 9.820Law libraries in Multnomah County 9.825Law library surveys; reports 9.829Use of moneys distributed to counties 9.830[Amended by 1965 c.619 §4; 1981 s.s. c.3 §78; 1983 c.763 §36; repealed by 2011 c.595 §104] 9.840[Amended by 1963 c.519 §2; 1965 c.619 §5; 1981 s.s. c.3 §79; 1983 c.763 §37; 1997 c.801 §147; 2011 c.224 §2; repealed by 2011 c.595 §104] 9.850[Amended by 1963 c.519 §3; 1965 c.619 §6; 2003 c.14 §11; 2011 c.224 §3; repealed by 2011 c.595 §104] 9.860Universal representation program; grants; transfer of funds to Legal Services Program for immigration legal services; advisory committee; report to legislature 9.865Universal Representation Fund 9.990Penalties

Chapter 9 — Oregon State Bar; Attorneys; Law Libraries

ORS 9.460 Duties of attorneys

An attorney shall:

(1)

Support the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this state;

(2)

Employ, for the purpose of maintaining the causes confided to the attorney, such means only as are consistent with truth, and never seek to mislead the court or jury by any artifice or false statement of law or fact;

(3)

Maintain the confidences and secrets of the attorney’s clients consistent with the rules of professional conduct established pursuant to ORS 9.490; and

(4)

Never reject, for any personal consideration, the cause of the defenseless or the oppressed.

Official sources · 1Tap to view provenance details

Online copy of the published ORS edition

This independent, nongovernmental service preserves the official source behind every rendered section.

Provenance

Version history

2026-01-01

2025 Oregon Revised Statutes — official online source