91ÊÓƵ

The new president and chairwoman of the Oregon Law Center earned a bachelor’s degree in English and worked as a journalist for a community newspaper before earning her law degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1999.

Beverly Pearman had worked at Stoel Rives as a summer intern and says she fell in love with both the firm and Portland. She returned upon graduation and has been with the firm ever since. Her practice focuses on complex business,  environmental and health care litigation, and Pearman says she relishes the intellectual challenge of her specialty. However, one legal issue is even closer to her heart.

Pearman volunteers her time and expertise for Stoel Rives Legal Aid Clinic, and she began volunteering for the Oregon Law Center, a statewide nonprofit that provides free civil legal services to low-income people, about five years ago. She is the former chairwoman of the Oregon State Bar’s Legal Services Committee, where she helped coordinate the funding and oversight of statewide legal aid programs. Pearman also has served as co-chair of the Associates Committee of the Lawyers’ Campaign for Equal Justice.

Pearman shares with Briefly Legal why providing legal services to low-income Oregonians should be important to every attorney, and why the state’s legal services system is more vulnerable now than ever. Her responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Briefly Legal: What made you want to become a lawyer?

Pearman: I’ve always been interested in legal issues and how the law impacts people in their everyday lives. The law can be a very powerful influence in people’s lives, and I believe strongly in issues related to access to justice. It’s fundamental as attorneys that we do what we can to make sure anyone who has a legal grievance is given representation no matter what their income level.

BL: Are any changes in store for the Oregon Law Center?

Pearman: It’s definitely a challenging time in terms of funding, with multiple sources of revenue being down for various reasons, but I don’t foresee any sweeping changes.

BL: What do you enjoy doing in your free time? 

Pearman: I have a 2½-year-old daughter named Wilda Cate and I love spending time with her. I also enjoy hiking and running, hearing live music and eating at Portland’s great restaurants.