By Sofia Baum | 3-minute read
This summer, Legal Apprentice Robb Wolfson and I sat down to talk about his history with 1000 Friends of Oregon, dating back to 2001 when he was a Gerhardt Intern. Robb’s first day in Oregon was memorable thanks to then-executive director Robert Liberty:
“He came and picked me up at the airport in his convertible with the top down. It was a picture perfect Portland day, and that was the first time I was ever in the city. We were driving down the highway from Portland International Airport, and I was blown away by how beautiful and interesting this city was. I was like, this has got to be the best place ever!”
The year before Robb began his Gerhardt Internship, he took time off from his studies in law and a graduate planning program to support a growth management initiative in his home state of Colorado. Robb was quite discouraged when the initiative failed.
“I would say [the Gerhardt Internship] did renew my hope in growth management legislation and its ability to affect human and environmental health,” Robb says. “It gave me good insight into land use law, when it works, creating good systems around it, and all the impacts it can have, positive and negative.”
After school, Robb moved back to Oregon, and spent a couple of years as a city planner in Portland. From there, his career took a few surprising turns, including serving as Multnomah County’s citizen engagement coordinator and running a side business as a board game maker.
For the last seven years, Robb has served as a public safety support specialist at the Portland Police Bureau, including rebuilding their bike security and registration program. Robb’s desire to utilize his law degree and get his license to practice law through the Oregon State Bar's apprenticeship program is ultimately what led him back to 1000 Friends of Oregon in 2024.
As a part-time legal apprentice supported by Associate Director and Managing Attorney Mary Kyle McCurdy, Robb receives direction on case assignments, supports our staff attorneys, and participates in organizational activities that advance our mission. He has undertaken dozens of assignments largely focused on researching and writing legal memos and comment letters.
Robb said the assignment of which he’s the most proud is one in which he recognized a county was engaging in an ongoing series of inappropriate approvals of relative farm dwellings. After conducting a thorough investigation involving over 20 county approvals, he collaborated with our other attorneys to bring 1000 Friends’ first enforcement order action in more than five years. This is an ongoing action that is currently headed to mediation.
When I had asked how 1000 Friends of Oregon had changed or stayed the same, Robb named Mary Kyle as a consistent, stabilizing presence. He added, “I have always appreciated the mission that 1000 Friends has carried… The organization has more diverse goals including housing, wildfire preparedness, and other issues we’ve seen grow over the years.”
As our conversation wrapped up, one point that stayed with me: Interconnectedness. As Robb explained, land use policy impacts nearly all elements of our society, whether it's farmland preservation, the economy, human health, along with people's access to housing, transportation, and outdoor recreation. He also described how, based on his police work, he has even come to see how land use can impact crime prevention and mitigation.
Robb also noted that just like him, other interns have “come back to support the organization in a variety of forms. So, to me, that represents a healthy organization, an organization that's moving forward and cares about the community.”
If you are considering becoming a Gerhardt Intern, Robb’s final advice is to go for it: “Just as I realized that land use was so interconnected with aspects of my own life, this work will touch upon your own interests and experiences,” Robb says.
Learn more about the Gerhardt Internship