The OBA Communications Department recently added more hardware to its trophy case; this time it was to recognize the team?s public relations work for Law Day.

Communications Director Carol Manning and Communications Specialists Melissa Brown and Jeff Kelton work closely with the OBA Law Day Committee in supporting the annual statewide student contests, Ask A Lawyer free legal advice and one-hour TV show on OETA.

For its efforts, the department won a Luminary Award for Excellence in Public Relations from the National Association of Bar Executives Communications Section. This national award is given for a public relations effort that exemplifies effectiveness of communications in getting the bar?s message across to its members and the public. The OBA?s communications team was up against larger bar associations, such as California and Texas, who have more staff and a bigger budget to back up their campaigns.

One judge said, ?This entry is excellent. The project itself is a huge undertaking ? with only three people on the communications staff! ? and it looks like it helped a lot of Oklahomans. The use of new technology is impressive? this is a fabulous project, well carried out. Good job!?

Additionally, the Communications Department received an honorable mention award in the special event category from the Public Relations Society of America, Oklahoma City Chapter.

One judge remarked that the entry was strong in that it stated a clear purpose with measurable outcomes, and the event reached out to Oklahoma?s Hispanic population.

Project Details

For the contests, the department recruited student participants by reaching out to more than 25,000 teachers statewide through a postcard mailing, teacher conventions and pinpointing teachers who have participated in the past. Once the judging was completed, the department created a personalized packet for each teacher who entered. The department also coordinated the ceremony for the first place winners with the chief justice.

The department?s responsibilities on the Ask A Lawyer TV show served primarily in a producer?s role. It was the department?s job to make sure that the Law Day Committee stayed on its production schedule and within its budget. The department coordinated and conducted the on-camera interviews, wrote the script and co-edited the raw footage into the final product.

Promotion for the free legal advice call-in also rested on the department?s shoulders. It wrote, coordinated and distributed all promotional efforts, resulting in more than 2,600 calls for legal advice.

The Communications Department was also tasked with helping the county bar associations plan their local Law Day activities by providing resources such as project and promotional ideas, a list of frequently asked questions, and sending them tools to use during Ask A Lawyer, which included phone answering guidelines, tally sheets, helpful phone numbers to refer callers and a reference guide for commonly asked questions.

Law Day 2010

Planning for Law Day 2010 is already in full swing. The contests for students are back, and the deadline is Dec. 18. If you have any questions about Law Day or would like to start planning your county?s activities, e-mail LawDay(at)okbar.org.