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From Marisol McAllister鈥檚 point of view, it was inevitable that Oregon Court of Appeals Judge Darleen Ortega would receive the Oregon Hispanic Bar Association鈥檚 Paul J. De Muniz Professionalism Award.

鈥淚t just blew me away when I found out that she does weekly sessions with law students,鈥� says McAllister, an associate at Farleigh Wada Witt and an OHBA board member. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a very special person who wants to give her time in that way.鈥�

During the Feb. 24 awards dinner, Chief Justice De Muniz noted that Oregon鈥檚 appeals court carries a staggering caseload, leaving precious little time for other professional endeavors. Ortega, however, has made it a point to mentor young attorneys and encourage minority attorneys to succeed within the profession.

Ortega is an active leader in several organizations that promote diversity, including Opportunities for Law in Oregon, which provides a summer orientation program for incoming minority law students. She is reputed for her willingness to meet with minority law students and attorneys over lunch, coffee or during regular discussion groups at all three Oregon law schools.

Ortega graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1989 after earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in writing and literature from George Fox University. She specialized in complex civil cases and appeals in private practice from 1992 until 2003, when she joined the appeals court.

A member of the Multnomah Bar Association鈥檚 Equality Committee and a board member for Oregon Women Lawyers, Ortega is a co-chairwoman and a founding member of OWLS鈥� Judicial Endorsement Committee. She also serves on the Oregon Supreme Court/Oregon State Bar Task Force on Access to State Courts for Persons with Disabilities and chairs the Surveys Work Group for the task force.

McAllister said the OHBA鈥檚 De Muniz Award recognizes outstanding service to the bench and state bar, dedication to advancing legal education in Oregon, exceptional efforts to provide all Oregonians with equal access to the legal system, and consistent community involvement.

McAllister noted that she first met Ortega in 2001 when Ortega was in private practice and McAllister had applied for a summer clerkship at her firm.

鈥淔rom the first time I met her, she made it clear that she was going to be an ally. I have never forgotten that and I鈥檓 a very big fan,鈥� McAllister said.