Crag Law Center

Mission

Crag Law Center provides free and low-cost legal services to people working on the ground to protect our communities, wild places, and climate. We work with activists, environmental groups, and Tribes to protect our forests, fight against fossil fuels, and support communities most impacted by environmental injustice. We are legal aid for the environment.

Bottom Line for Portland

Most communities don’t have the power or resources that industry does, and not all people have equal voice in the decisions that affect us. But, when communities have the power of a lawyer standing beside them, we can balance the scales of justice.

Every dollar you donate helps us provide over $4 million of legal aid a year to conservation groups, communities, and Tribes. As community-based lawyers, we are protecting old-growth forests and watersheds, helping local residents stand up for their communities against corporate bullies, and stopping fossil fuel projects around Portland and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Quote

“What inspires me most about Crag are the incredible and brilliant people that work there and how they use their passion and energy to help protect the environment. At Crag, I learned how to practice law. Because of them, I have some of the tools in the toolkit I need to take on exploitative industries that are harming the planet and its people.” - Ka'sha Bernard, former intern, staff and current Board President

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Crag balances the scales of justice by supporting communities to achieve their goals for a healthy environment. Environmental justice in practice to us means elevating the voices of historically excluded communities, sharing tools to influence decision-makers, and making environmental laws work for everyone. Read more about our commitment to equity here. 

Partner(s)

As community-based lawyers, we are grateful to have the support of these local businesses:

eNRG Kayaking is one of the top paddling schools in the Northwest with an on-water location in Oregon City at the confluence of the Clackamas and Willamette River.

McCarthy Family Farm is a fourth generation farm in Mt. Hood, Oregon, producing premium fruit, fresh cut flowers and traditional wreaths using sustainable farming practices. Since 2001, Crag has helped the McCarthy family and many other Hood River Valley residents protect the farmland, forests and wild areas that make this place so special.

Thunderpants USA's wedgie proof underwear is made in Portland, OR with organic cotton, and their core values are: ethical manufacturing, sustainable business practices, and exceptional quality.