Gov. John Kitzhaber today appointed a Portland lawyer and a Multnomah County deputy district attorney to fill two vacancies left on the Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Ms. Allen, a veteran of the United States Army, received a Bachelor of Science from Portland State University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Willamette University College of Law. Ms. Allen has had her own law practice since 2006, where she developed a specialized practice dealing with family law and related issues impacting the LGBT community. She also has experience in a wide area of civil law including employment and accommodation law, estate planning and general business law.  Ms. Allen has been a tireless advocate for diversity and access to justice issues and has received numerous awards, including the Oregon Gay and Lesbian Law Association’s Special Merit Award.  Ms. Allen has served in many volunteer roles including on the Board of Directors of the Q Center and as a volunteer with the Multnomah Bar Association High School Dropout Prevention Program.
 
Ms. Holmes Hehn received a Bachelor of Science from Willamette University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Suffolk University College of Law. Ms. Holmes Hehn has served as a prosecutor in the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office for 25 years, most recently as the head of the Domestic Violence Unit. She previously served as the head of the Juvenile Unit and has served on the Office’s Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team. Ms. Holmes Hehn has dedicated her personal and professional life to the service of children and families. She has extensive community service working with various task forces and organizations including the Multnomah County Family Violence Coordinating Council and the Oregon Law Commission Juvenile Code Revision Work Group.
 
“Ms. Allen’s domestic relations and civil experience and Ms. Holmes Hehn’s experience as a juvenile and domestic violence prosecutor will bring over 40 years of expertise to the Multnomah County Circuit Court,”   Kitzhaber says in the release. “But more important than their substantive experience, Ms. Allen and Ms. Holmes Hehn bring a keen understanding of the critical role that judges in Oregon’s family courts play in the community and an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of Oregon’s children and families.”