Emily Templeton

Emily Templeton is a lawyer for the underdog and a recipient of the Multnomah Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Rookie of the Year Award and the Oregon State Bar’s Public Service Award. As managing attorney of Underdog Law Office’s Pro Bono Tenant Rights Legal Practice, Emily provides critical legal assistance to low-income, disabled, and elderly tenants who would otherwise be unable to afford a lawyer.

Emily graduated from Portland State University with a degree in sociology and earned her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School. She began her legal career in the firm’s consumer protection section, first as a law clerk and later as an associate, joining the section in 2022.

Emily is committed to advocacy and leadership within the legal profession. She serves as the Oregon State Bar Board of Governors representative for Region 5, which includes Portland, and as Chair of the Oregon State Bar Consumer Law Section Executive Committee. She also serves on the Board of Directors for The Commons Law Center, which provides affordable legal services and legal education to income-qualified Oregonians. Emily is an active member of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and the National Association of Consumer Advocates.

Licensed to practice in Oregon State, Federal, and Bankruptcy Court, Emily is also admitted to the California State Bar. She is a graduate of the Oregon State Bar Leadership Institute, a competitive program for attorneys with nine or fewer years in practice that develops leaders committed to serving Oregon’s diverse communities and strengthening the legal profession.

Outside the courtroom, Emily enjoys practicing intermediate calligraphy and spending time with her partner, Marcus; their Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, Emma; and their four cats, Baby, Bubba, Little Bear, and Nyla.