Preamble

The Oregon Supreme Court promulgates these Bar Rules of Procedure as part of Oregon's integrated system for the regulation of lawyers. These Rules should be evaluated and implemented with consideration to the entirety of the Bar's regulatory system. In regulating legal professionals and the practice of law in Oregon in the public interest, the Bar and the Court should be guided by all of these regulatory objectives

i. Protecting the public by minimizing the risk of professional misconduct by legal professionals.

ii. Enhancing required standards for professional responsibility and competence in the legal profession.

iii. Enforcing compliance with admission requirements, Rules of Professional Conduct, and other regulatory rules in a manner that is efficient, focused, and proportionate.

iv. Assisting legal professionals proactively in maintaining their competence, compliance with regulatory obligations, and well-being throughout their career.

v. Remediating noncompliance consistently in a manner that limits the harm to the public, deters future noncompliance by other legal professionals, and reduces the likelihood of re-offense while supporting the well-being of the legal professional to the extent possible.

vi. Ensuring transparency and procedural fairness within the regulatory system.

vii. Balancing public protection with access to legal services and supporting innovation to address unmet legal needs.

viii. Advancing pathways that increase diversity in the legal profession.

ix. Supporting diversity, inclusion, and equity throughout the legal profession and in the administration of justice.

x. Promoting the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and the independence of the legal profession to allow for the fair administration of justice and public confidence in the legal system.