Hiring a Bankruptcy Lawyer in Oregon
How bankruptcy lawyers are paid, the Oregon means test and exemptions, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Oregon: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Oregon Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5 prohibits illegal or clearly excessive fees, listing whether a fee is fixed or contingent among the reasonableness factors. Rule 1.5(c) bars fees in domestic relations matters contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of spousal or child support or a property settlement, and contingent fees for defending a criminal case. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Oregon State Bar's Board of Governors voted to sunset its Fee Dispute Resolution Program effective September 25, 2026, so the program is no longer available. The bar points to its Client Security Fund for losses caused by dishonest conduct and notes that small claims court may be an option for fee disputes of $10,000 or less. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Oregon State Bar's Client Security Fund may reimburse money or property taken through dishonest conduct by an Oregon lawyer or licensed paralegal while providing legal services or acting as a fiduciary. It does not cover negligence or malpractice, business or investment dealings (including loans), interest, or losses paid by insurance or bonds. Generally the lawyer must have been convicted of a crime or be subject to a civil judgment (for losses of $5,000 or less, disbarment, suspension, reprimand or resignation also qualifies), and you must have tried unsuccessfully to recover; awards are discretionary. The maximum award is $100,000 for misconduct on or after January 1, 2022 ($50,000 for earlier conduct), and no more than the fees paid or money received. Claims must be filed within two years of the latest of the conviction, judgment, discipline or resignation, or when you knew or should have known of the loss, and never more than six years after the loss. Apply online or mail the signed application to Oregon State Bar, PO Box 231935, Tigard, OR 97281; a lawyer is not required. |
Oregon rules to know first
| Standard Chapter 13 lawyer fee | District of Oregon (the state's only bankruptcy district): Local Bankruptcy Form 1305, Chapter 13 Debtor's Attorney's Compensation Disclosure and Application (12/1/2025), used under LBR 2016-1, sets maximum fixed fees: Schedule 1 (life-of-the-case fixed fee, all reasonably necessary services for the entire case including contested matter litigation but excluding adversary proceedings and appeals) of $6,225 maximum plus expenses of $675 maximum; and Schedule 2.(a) (fixed fee through confirmation and the initial audit of claims, including prepetition services) of $4,250 maximum. Under the hourly Schedule 2.(b), an itemization (LBF 1306) is required if the agreed estimated total compensation exceeds $4,250 (LBR 2016-1, as amended December 1, 2025). Local Bankruptcy Rules (12/1/2025): https://www.orb.uscourts.gov/sites/orb/files/documents/local_rules/LBR.120125%20clean.pdf |
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| Means test median income | Median family income for Oregon: 1 person $79,089; 2 people $93,670; 3 people $116,729; 4 people $140,024; add $11,100 for each additional person beyond 4. These figures apply to bankruptcy cases filed on or after July 15, 2026. Used in the Chapter 7 means test (Official Forms 122A-1 and 122C-1). The table's first column is labeled "1 EARNER." The same figures were posted for cases filed April 1 through July 14, 2026. The U.S. Trustee Program updates the table periodically. |
| Homestead exemption | The statute sets the homestead exemption at $150,000 for one debtor, or $300,000 combined for two or more household members who are debtors, and requires the State Court Administrator to adjust these amounts for inflation every July 1. The Oregon Judicial Department's published table lists $158,300 for one judgment debtor and $316,700 for two or more in the same household for the period from July 1, 2026 to before July 1, 2027. The home must be the actual residence of the owner or the owner's spouse, parent or child. Area limit: up to 160 acres outside a town or city laid off into blocks and lots, or up to one block inside such a town or city. For child support, spousal support or restitution debts the exemption is $40,000 ($50,000 combined) and is not indexed. The exemption does not apply to purchase-money liens, mortgages, or construction liens for work on the home. Adjusted amounts read from https://www.courts.oregon.gov/Documents/Homestead-Garnishment-Exemption-Adjustments-Table.pdf (the table is labeled by garnishment dates). The table does not say how the adjustment interacts with a bankruptcy filing date. |
| State or federal exemptions | Oregon has not opted out. A person living in Oregon who files for bankruptcy may use either the federal exemptions in 11 U.S.C. 522(d) or the Oregon state exemptions, but not both. Using any exemption from one list rules out the other list. Source: Or. Rev. Stat. § 18.300 |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Oregon State Bar's Legal Referral Service refers you to a lawyer near you (or near where help is needed) who may be able to help. Use the online referral request form or call 503-684-3763 (toll-free in Oregon 800-452-7636); staff work remotely and do not accept walk-ins. You must contact the lawyer within two business days to schedule an initial consultation of up to 30 minutes for a maximum fee of $50; additional fees are arranged directly with the lawyer. Participating attorneys charge for their services; the service does not offer free or pro bono attorneys. The bar's Modest Means Program offers reduced rates to eligible moderate-income Oregonians. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Oregon State Bar's Licensee Directory can be searched by last name, first name, bar number or city (including previous names). The bar describes it as a convenience for finding licensees' contact information, not a complete listing; the Client Assistance Office says it also includes disciplinary history. A Good Standing Certificate can be ordered from the bar. Help: (503) 620-0222 x0, (800) 452-8260 x0 or info@osbar.org. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | The Oregon State Bar's Client Assistance Office (CAO) reviews all complaints about lawyer and licensed paralegal conduct. Submit online with the ethics complaint form or mail a written complaint (no particular form required; send copies, not originals, on one side of each page) to Oregon State Bar, PO Box 231935, Tigard, OR 97281. The CAO sends a copy to the lawyer and gives you a copy of any written response; it dismisses complaints without enough basis or refers them to Disciplinary Counsel's Office for investigation, after which the State Professional Responsibility Board may dismiss, admonish or authorize formal charges. All documents the bar receives are considered public records. Disciplinary history is shown in the Licensee Directory, and records can be requested through the bar's public records portal. Phone: (503) 620-0222 or (800) 452-8260. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | The Oregon Judicial Department's Get Help page points people to Oregon Law Help for free legal information and help finding free or low-cost lawyers, and notes that many courts have family law facilitators who give free information and assistance to self-represented people in family law cases. LSC lists Legal Aid Services of Oregon as its Oregon grantee. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Oregon · Do I need a lawyer?
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.