WILLS FOR HEROES UPDATE

Hello all! After months of preparation, I am exuberant to update you with details about the YLD’s planning and implementation of the “Wills for Heroes” program in Oklahoma. Our templates and other written materials have been prepared, and two waves of volunteers have been trained. In August, using laptop computers and printers donated by Gable & Gotwals, the YLD completed its first will-signing ceremony in Yukon with great reviews from the participating firefighters and their families.

On Oct. 23, with the inaugural event under its belt, the YLD hosted its second will-signing ceremony, this time for the members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge in downtown Oklahoma City. The F.O.P. was extremely excited, having dedicated its October meeting solely to the Wills for Heroes program.

If you want to get involved, we ask that you be trained as a volunteer, due to the specific issues that we address during the training session regarding police, firefighters and other first responders. Upcoming training sessions will be announced in the Oklahoma Bar Journal in the YLD news. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at landrews@coxinet.net.

I thank you for your support as this amazing project gets off the ground.

Lindsey W. Andrews
YLD Wills for Heroes Project Coordinator

YLD BOARD MEMBERS ATTEND NATIONAL CONFERENCE

OBA/YLD Directors Rick Rose, Lindsey Andrews and Doris Gruntmeir attended the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Fall Conference in Charlotte, N.C., for three days beginning on Oct. 4. ABA/YLD national conferences facilitate networking among and between affiliate young lawyer organizations, offer a variety of CLE and professional development programming, and provide participants with countless ideas and resources regarding the development and implementation of public and member service programs at a local level.

The conference got started on Thursday evening with a welcome reception hosted by local law firms. Kicking things off on Friday morning was guest speaker Brian Parsley, certified professional behavior analyst, who provided an entertaining and informative discussion on effectively communicating with non-lawyers. The day continued with excellent CLE programming, as well as a highly-attended session on financial planning for young lawyers. That evening, conference attendees were treated to a dinner and reception at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The evening’s entertainment afforded attendees the opportunity to test their pit-crew and racing skills through simulated activities.

The educational portion of the conference got up and running again early Saturday morning with the Young Bar Leader Summit. At the summit, state, local and specialty young lawyer organization leaders were provided with public service and leadership training, and were afforded the opportunity to discuss concerns, which ranged from membership and structure to project funding.

Directors Rose and Andrews attended the conference with an eye on the 2008 ABA/YLD Public Service Project, Wills for Heroes, which the OBA/YLD had itself implemented this past January. In addition to her role as one of the OBA delegates to the Fall Conference, Director Gruntmeir carried out her responsibilities as the ABA/YLD District Representative for Oklahoma and Arkansas.

RECEPTIONS HONOR NEW BAR MEMBERS

On Sept. 27, 302 new attorneys were sworn in over three separate ceremonies conducted 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 Chairperson Christopher Camp briefly spoke, urging honorees to become active in the YLD and other OBA committees and sections. Immediately after each of the three swearing-in ceremonies, the YLD held a reception in the Capitol Rotunda for the new admittees and their families and friends in attendance.

The YLD hosted a less formal reception and happy hour in the private loft of Kampai Lounge, located in Tulsa’s Brookside district, on Oct. 4. A second reception was held the following Wednesday at Mickey Mantle’s in the Bricktown area of Oklahoma City. Over drinks and hors d’oeuvres, Camp, YLD Chair-Elect Kimberly Warren, Treasurer Rick Rose and Directors John Truskett, Roy Tucker, Joe Vorndran and Dan Zemke welcomed the new admittees and distributed information regarding the YLD’s 10 public service and eight member service committees. Also in attendance were OBA President Stephen Beam, Vice President Jack Dawson and OBA board member Cathy Christensen. Thanks to everyone who turned out to honor our new admittees. Very special thanks go to Sarah Barry and John Weaver for coordinating the well-attended events.

DISASTER LEGAL ASSISTANCE CONTINUES

As the residents in a majority of counties in the state continue to recover from weather- related disasters, the OBA/YLD continues to provide volunteer legal services. There have been two disaster declarations since July 2007 for which residents are eligible for disaster legal services under a FEMA program.

The toll-free hotline for individuals who need assistance has yielded dozens of requests already and will remain in place for a limited amount of time. Volunteers are still encouraged to sign up. Through the generous assistance of the OBA staff, calls are fielded through the General Counsel’s office and referred to volunteer attorneys.

Many thanks to those who have already volunteered their time and services: Gabriel Bass, Henry Herbst, Paul Choate, John H. Graves, Jason Alan Soper, Jamie Beller, Justin Stout, Jennifer Jackson, Lu Ann Stout, Merrilyn Livermon, Mary Brown-Boren, Bryan E. Stanton, Mia Vahlberg, Heather Hendricks, Michael P. Kelly, Chad Taylor, Monty Delluomo, Casey Delaney, Timothy E. Mills, Rick Healy and Mitzy Fryer. Also, the OBA/YLD appreciates the efforts of Dana Shelburne, who is responsible for answering the hotline, maintaining the volunteer list and providing statistical reports for the ABA/YLD District Representative. As a result of these volunteers’ efforts, individuals in disaster declaration counties are receiving much-needed volunteer legal services from lawyers throughout the state.

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.