The Professionalism Committee of the Oklahoma Bar Association was an active committee during 2008, holding regular monthly meetings. Established by the association to enhance the professional image of lawyers and to advance professionalism throughout the legal community, the committee has actively pursued several projects. In furthering its goal to advance professionalism and civility among the bench and bar, the activities of the 2008 OBA Professionalism Committee included:

promoting the statewide adoption of a deposition rule that has been successful in modifying lawyer behavior in the state’s two largest counties. The rule was approved by the Board of Governors to be adopted as a state court rule;

publicizing the Oklahoma “Standards of Professionalism” and the state definition of Professionalism which are located at http://www.okbar.org/ethics/standards.htm. This year the definition has been published on the cover of “The Tulsa Lawyer” magazine and on the Tulsa County Bar Association electronic mailings. The Standards Web site has been published on the OBA electronic mailings. The committee is hopeful that the BOG will approve the distribution of the Standards to newly admitted lawyers. The committee goal for 2009 is to have framed copies of Selected Standards in every courthouse in the state;

developing a joint professionalism orientation program for all three Oklahoma law schools. This year the committee invited liaisons from all three state law schools to join the committee and work with the committee members to determine the needs of law students and design instructional programs to meet those needs. The committee is working with the liaisons to develop these programs;

providing speakers for professionalism and ethics continuing legal education seminars. The committee continues to serve as a source of speakers for professionalism and ethics related CLE needs;

serving as a forum for the Oklahoma law school deans. The committee continues the tradition of inviting the three law school deans to attend the committee meeting at the annual convention to share ideas to increase and improve professionalism instruction.

For 2009, the committee’s proposed projects include advancing professionalism instruction at Oklahoma law schools, assisting with professionalism CLE needs, promoting the Standards of Professionalism and encouraging voluntary participation in community service.

Sharisse O’Carroll,
Chairperson