Landlord-Tenant Law

Serving Portland | Beaverton | Gresham | Lake Oswego

Landlord-Tenant Lawyers in the Portland Area

Tenants' Rights Attorneys

Michael and Emily worked tirelessly over the past two years to create a more just society for low-income tenants through the Underdog Law Office’s innovative Pro Bono Tenant Rights Clinic. The Pro Bono Clinic specializes in representing Portland-area tenants at trial who are low-income, disabled, or elderly.

Eviction Defense

Landlords often get away with unfair evictions because many tenants can’t afford a quality legal defense against a landlord with deep pockets. In the past two years, the Pro Bono Clinic has provided legal representation to 45 low-income Portland tenants facing wrongful eviction. The Pro Bono Clinic has secured outright dismissals in over a dozen eviction cases, only losing one eviction case at trial, which was later vacated on appeal.

Oregon law prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants by:

Increasing rent
Decreasing or stopping services
Attempting to or threatening to evict a tenant

Tenants in Oregon have rights to act without being retaliated against by their landlord, including the right to complain reasonably and in good faith to the landlord or government agency about something related to the tenancy, join or start a tenants’ union, and to assert or express an intent to assert their rights as a tenant.

If you feel your landlord has filed a retaliatory eviction against you in Multnomah or Washington County, reach out with the case number and one of our Pro Bono attorneys can review the eviction complaint for potential legal defenses at no cost.

Habitability

Landlords are legally obligated to keep your dwelling in a habitable condition at all times during your tenancy. Serious conditions like mold, pests, major housing code violations, and the absence of essential services such as water, heat, or electricity can render a rental unit unsafe or uninhabitable.

In the past two years, the Pro Bono Clinic has represented numerous low-income tenants before local juries to address ongoing habitability issues ranging from rodents to broken smoke alarms.

If you feel your landlord has failed to maintain your rental unit in a habitable condition, reach out to us.

Legal Education & Community Impact

Last year, Michael taught courses at all three Oregon law schools with Emily’s assistance on tenant rights under the Oregon Residential Landlord-Tenant Act. By helping train the next generation of lawyers and generating interest in tenant defense, Michael and Emily hope to address the bar’s dire need for qualified attorneys to represent low-income tenants.

Public Awareness

Many of the Pro Bono Clinic’s cases have gained media attention, exposing predatory landlord practices and highlighting tenant rights issues[1][2][3][4][5][6]. This coverage educates tenants, deters bad property managers, and drives broader discussions on housing justice, keeping systemic issues in the public and policymaker spotlight.