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In its annual recognition of its volunteers, the Senior Law Project chose this year to honor two Portland attorneys. Briefly Legal talked with co-recipient Elizabeth Lemoine this week. Next week, we’ll will feature a conversation with her fellow honoree, Jon Fritzler.

A career as an attorney seemed like a natural fit for Elizabeth Lemoine from early on. Her father鈥檚 two best friends were lawyers, so with his encouragement and a victorious run with her high school and college debate teams, Lemoine headed to law school.

And then life happened. After graduating, Lemoine married, had two children and spent the next 11 years as a stay-at-home mom. As her youngest began first grade, she knew she wanted to go back to work, but wasn鈥檛 sure how to transition to a legal practice. One thing she did know was that the aging Baby Boomers were going to need legal help.

Lemoine began volunteering with the Senior Law Project. Operated by Legal Aid Services of Oregon, SLP has provided legal aid to seniors since 1978. Volunteer attorneys meet with seniors during 30-minute sessions held at nine senior centers throughout Multnomah County.

鈥淚 did it as much to help seniors as I did to learn about practicing law,鈥� she says. 鈥淚n my eight years or so of working with SLP, I have encountered almost every area of law and have learned an immense amount about it, and also about people.鈥�

Lemoine meets with her pro bono clients once a month at Northeast Portland鈥檚 Hollywood Senior Center. She most frequently handles basic will and power-of-attorney requests and consumer law issues.

鈥淥ften issues can be dealt with by common sense or communication. Other times I have filed responses to lawsuits on behalf of clients, and a few times I have filed lawsuits on behalf of SLP clients,鈥� she says.

Her pro bono work is most challenging when, due to financial or other constraints, Lemoine simply cannot help some of the seniors she meets. Those cases are rare, though, and she appreciates the network of other SLP volunteer lawyers who can step in if she encounters a case that is outside her expertise. Above all, Lemoine relishes the genuine gratitude she encounters in her work with SLP.

鈥淢y clients appreciate having someone to discuss their issues with and having someone in their corner, if necessary, to fight,鈥� she says.

Lemoine鈥檚 private practice also centers around fighting for people in tough situations. As an associate at Portland-based Makler Lemoine & Goldberg, where her husband is a partner, Lemoine specializes in assisting homeowners facing foreclosure. She filed lawsuits to stop non-judicial foreclosure sales and, now that the banks are suing for judicial foreclosures, Lemoine鈥檚 practice focuses on helping homeowners defend those.