YLD HOSTS RECEPTIONS HONORING NEW BAR ADMITTEES

In late April 93 new attorneys were sworn in as new lawyers at the House of Representatives chamber at the State Capitol. Following opening remarks by Chief Justice James R. Winchester and OBA President Stephen Beam, OBA/YLD Chairman Christopher Camp briefly spoke, urging honorees to become active in the YLD and other OBA committees and sections.

He told the new members, “Your bar involvement will prove every bit as beneficial to your professional development as anything else in your career. It will allow you to cultivate one-on-one personal relationships with judges, bar leaders and fellow attorneys. It will reinforce that you can be adversarial without being enemies and train you to practice with civility.”

Immediately after the swearing-in ceremony, the YLD held a reception in the Capitol rotunda for the new admittees and their family and friends in attendance. YLD Director Amber Peckio Garrett and former OBA Law Student Division Chair LeAnne McGill were present to greet the newest OBA members, answer questions and promote involvement in the bar.

The following Thursday, the YLD hosted a less formal reception and happy hour in the private loft of Kampai Lounge, located in Tulsa’s Brookside district. Over drinks and hors d’oeuvres, Chair Chris Camp and YLD Director Roy Tucker welcomed the new admittees and distributed information regarding the YLD’s 10 public service and eight member service committees. The event was well-attended by attorneys, both new and not-so-new, including U.S. District Court Judge Ronald A. White, Sean Hanlon (law clerk for U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam A. Joyner), Penina Chiu (Fred Dorwart Lawyers and former law clerk for Judge Edward C. Prado of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit), Leah Carpenter (Gable & Gotwals), Eric Schelin (Dorwart) and new admittees Geoffrey Beeson, Jessica Carriger, Simon Harwood, and Tracy Smith. Thanks to everyone who turned out to honor our new admittees. Special thanks go to Sarah Barry (Gable) and Jasen Corns (Jenks Law) for coordinating the event, as well as to John Weaver (Oklahoma Tax Commission), who organized and hosted the Oklahoma City reception at Bricktown Brewery on May 17.

YLD DIRECTORS APPOINTED TO ABA LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

The YLD extends its congratulations to Director Doris Gruntmeir on her appointment as American Bar Association YLD District Representative for Oklahoma and Arkansas. As the district representative, Ms. Gruntmeir will represent both states before the ABA/YLD, which has more than 300 state and local affiliates including the Young Lawyer Divisions for the Oklahoma, Tulsa County and Oklahoma County bar associations. She will attend all meetings of the ABA/YLD Council, the general executive and administrative authority over the division.

The YLD also applauds Director Roy Tucker for being appointed Vice Chair of the ABA/YLD General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Committee for 2007-2008. This committee provides an avenue for young lawyers to gather and share ideas about how to market, manage and master a general or solo practice by offering opportunities to organize and speak at seminars and author articles and publications. In his role as vice chair, Mr. Tucker will be responsible for assisting the chair in operating and managing the 169-member committee, as well as helping to draft and implement the committee’s plan of action. He assumed his duties after participating in an orientation in May.

YLD DIRECTOR FOSTERS DEMOCRACY IN FORMER COMMUNIST BLOC

YLD Director Randy Grau traveled to the Czech Republic to represent Oklahoma as part of Civitas, an international program teaching individuals how to be involved in their local government.

“It was an honor to represent my country and my state,” Mr. Grau said. “Seeing the Czech Republic struggle with the growing pains of democracy made me appreciate my homeland even more.”

Grau, who serves as a deputy Oklahoma County commissioner, served as part of a delegation along with three other lawyers from Michigan and Colorado. The OBA Law-related Education Department selected him to represent Oklahoma because of his involvement in government and law-related activities. He is the YLD’s representative to the OBA Law-related Education Committee. He was a former candidate for the Oklahoma House of Representatives before joining the administration of Commissioner Ray Vaughn in March 2007.

The conference took place in the Czech capitol of Prague. Mr. Grau participated in round table discussions with Czech senators, political scientists and legal professionals regarding democracy and the rule of law. He also met with Ambassador Richard W. Graber at the U.S. Embassy.

YLD SEEKS VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS TO ASSIST WITH DISASTER LEGAL SERVICES

Due to recent flooding, FEMA has made a federal disaster declaration for five Oklahoma counties. FEMA has set up Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in Miami (Ottawa County), Bartlesville (Washington County), South Coffeyville (Nowata County) and Shawnee (Pottawatomie County). Plans are to set up a DRC in Comanche County, and others may follow. The centers are staffed Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and provide individuals assistance relating to a number of issues.

Many of the individuals affected by the recent flooding are in need of legal services. The YLD has a long-standing agreement with FEMA to provide volunteer legal services in the event of a disaster. The most anticipated needs at this time are related to insurance claims, counseling, landlord/tenant issues, environmental issues and other legal issues arising from the conditions related to the recent flooding.

If you are able to volunteer your services, please send your name and contact information to Dana Shelburne at danas@okbar.org or (405) 416-7007 in the OBA’s Office of General Counsel. The OBA will maintain a list of volunteers and will refer individuals to volunteer attorneys as calls are received. Volunteer attorneys who are faced with difficult legal issues are encouraged to contact FEMA attorney Patricia Trask, who is willing to help on difficult issues. She may be reached at (405) 869-3983.

YLD BOARD AMENDS BYLAWS

Article 3.1 of the YLD bylaws provides that the board is composed of the chairperson, chairperson-elect, past-chairperson, 20 voting members and ex-officio members. The 20 voting members are one from each nine judicial districts, plus two for Districts 3 and 6 each and seven at-large (two of which are non-District 3 and 6, i.e. rural).

Article 3.3 provided that all (non-chair track) directors are elected for two-year terms as follows:

Even years – Districts 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 and 3 at-large

Odd years – Districts 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 2 at-large

As it stood, Article 3.3 only addressed the elections of 16 of the 20 voting seats. It did not address when elections for the extra seat from Districts 3 and 6 or the two additional at-large seats were to be held (nor did it address the at-large rural). It appears the intent was to have the extra seat from District 3 and the two additional at-large seats elected in odd years, with the extra seat from District 6 to be elected in even years (based on recent practice and handbook provisions). This would result in an even number of voting seats being elected in both even and odd years (10 and 10).

Accordingly, the YLD board of directors voted to amend Article 3.3 of the bylaws to read: