OUTSTANDING LAW SCHOOL SENIOR STUDENT AWARD
Joshua M. Brannon
Oklahoma City University School of Law

Joshua Brannon is in his third year at Oklahoma City University School of Law. He graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. in finance and the Honors College degree.

During his time at Oklahoma State, he was a member of Mortar Board, served as an officer of Golden Key, ambassador for the Honors College, and was active in the Baptist Collegiate Ministries and several other campus organizations. He is also a Hatton W. Sumners Scholar and a member of Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity.

Mr. Brannon currently serves as a resource editor for the OCU Law Review. He is currently ranked first in his class and has received CALI awards in Legal Analysis, Legal Research & Writing I, Criminal Law, Contracts II, Criminal Procedure and Constitutional Law.

Following graduation, Mr. Brannon hopes to work in the compliance department for the National Collegiate Athletic Association or one of its member institutions.

OUTSTANDING LAW SCHOOL SENIOR STUDENT AWARD
Alicia Currin-Moore
University of Oklahoma College of Law

Alicia Currin-Moore, a third-year law student at the University of Oklahoma, has chosen law as her second career. She earned a bachelor’s in early childhood education and a master’s in education administration and curriculum from OU and was a kindergarten teacher for 10 years. Ms. Currin-Moore earned numerous awards as an educator, including Teacher of the Year. Ms. Currin-Moore is the recipient of the Crowe and Dunlevy Minority Scholarship and is a Bruce Scholar. During her first year at OU Law, she was the community service chair for the Black Law Student Association (BLSA). She created “BLSA Book Buddies,” a reading program that connected inner-city elementary students with BLSA members. She also qualified for the Sweet 16 round of the 1L Moot Court Competition.

During Ms. Currin-Moore’s 2L year, she was the vice-president of BLSA, the junior coordinator for Students Access to Justice Pro Bono Program (SATJ) and the 1L Board of Advocates Moot Court Assistant. She was also awarded “best brief” at the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition.

Currently, Ms. Currin-Moore is the coordinator of SATJ, elected the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Director, 1L Board of Advocates Moot Court Director and a member of the Luther Bohanon American Inn of Court.

Ms. Currin-Moore’s proudest accomplishment is her one-month-old son, Mason Isaiah, she has with her husband, Cedric.

OUTSTANDING LAW SCHOOL SENIOR STUDENT AWARD
Misty Cooper Watt
University of Tulsa College of Law

Misty Cooper Watt is a December 2007 J.D. candidate from the University of Tulsa College of Law.

Ms. Watt ranks in the top 10 percent of her class and is the recipient of an academic scholarship. While in law school, she served as editor in chief of the Tulsa Law Review, Women’s Law Caucus vice president, Student Bar Association class delegate, student ambassador, member of the Phi Delta Phi honors fraternity, Property Teach-ing Assistant and aid to the Legal Research Department.

Ms. Watt excelled in legal writing and was published in the Tulsa Law Review for her article, “Pharmacist Knows Best? Enacting Legislation in Oklahoma Prohibiting Pharmacists from Refusing to Provide Emergency Contraceptives.” She also sat as a panelist with three TU law professors interviewing former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Her other honors include placing first in the TU Women’s Studies Essays Contest, the John Hager Award for Excellence in Torts, and CALI Achievement Awards for Outstanding Performance in the fields of torts, criminal law, and legal research analysis and writing.

Upon graduation, Ms. Watt will join a litigation group in the law firm Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP in Kansas City.

EARL SNEED CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION AWARD
Ben Brown, Oklahoma City

Ben Brown has been an assistant public defender with the Oklahoma County Public Defender’s Office for the past 15 years and is currently assigned to the juvenile division. During his tenure he has been assigned as an attorney to the misdemeanor division, the civil division as a guardian ad litem, the felony trial division, the capital trial division and has appeared before the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals numerous times. In addition, he has supervised the misdemeanor team and recruits and supervises the legal interns, clerks and volunteers for the Public Defender’s Office.

Mr. Brown assists in conducting training and providing continuing legal education for the attorneys in the Public Defender’s Office. Over the past 12 years, he has served as chairperson of the continuing legal education committees for the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Oklahoma County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, OBA Criminal Law Section, and has been the Criminal Law Track planner and moderator for the OBA Annual Meeting since 2003. He is a frequent presenter at criminal law programs, and during the past 12 years he has planned and spoken at hundreds of hours of CLE programs.

Mr. Brown is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, OBA Criminal Law Section and Oklahoma County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He is the 2007-2008 chairman of the Criminal Law Section and serves on the Oklahoma County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Board of Directors. He was the 2002 recipient of the President’s Award from OCDLA for his work in Clark v. State and 2006 President’s Award recipient from the Criminal Law Section.

His nominator said, “His work is of the highest quality and reflects a clear understanding of the needs and perspectives of the program registrants. He has an appreciation and enthusiasm for the practice of law and the law itself, and that inspiration is shared through his involvement in education.”

JUDICIAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Judge Ray Dean Linder, Alva

Judge Ray Dean Linder has been on the trial bench in western Oklahoma since 1967, serving as the county judge for Woods County. Judge Linder became an associate district judge in 1969 and ascended to district judge for the 4th Judicial District in 1983, making him one of the longest sitting trial judges in the state.

“Judge Linder’s respect and reputation are unequaled throughout the state of Oklahoma. Ask any lawyer who has practiced before Judge Linder and you will get nothing but respect and praise. He is always prepared. He reads everything that is submitted to him and gives every position its due. Judge Linder is one of the most accommodating judges in Oklahoma,” his nominator said.

For years, Judge Linder has been a leader in northwestern Oklahoma. He worked closely with the city of Alva to obtain the placement of the Bill Johnson Correctional Center. In addition, he has participated in and promoted the Grand National Quail Hunt in Enid. He has served as co-chairman for the annual Oklahoma Legislative Quail Hunt in Woods County for over 25 years. Judge Linder also serves on the statewide planning committee for the Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor’s Invitational Turkey Hunt held each April for the past 20 years.

Judge Linder was the play-by-play radio broadcaster for Northwestern Oklahoma State University sports for 28 years. He also hosted a local TV sports program originated at NWOSU. Judge Linder is a member of NWOSU’s Sports Hall of Fame. He is a sought-after public speaker and is an admired jewelry maker.

Judge Linder served as president of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference in 1984. He is currently the presiding judge of the N. W. Administrative District comprised of 18 counties. Since 1984, he has served in that position a total of 16 years.

He and his wife, Wylodean, celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary in August. Their three children are Jana Pitt, Oklahoma City; Jon Linder, Alva; and Julia Schrock, Alva. Their son Jay died in 1979. Judge and Mrs. Linder have four grandchildren.

JUDICIAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Judge Sam A. Joyner, Tulsa

Judge Sam A. Joyner has come to be known for his exemplary service to the bench, bar and surrounding community. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1966 at the top of his class. That year he went into private practice in Lawton and continued until 1995, when he became a U.S. Magistrate for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

At its annual meeting in 2005, the Federal Magistrate Judges Association congratulated Judge Joyner on the completion of his six years of service as editor in chief of the Federal Courts Law Review. The association commended him on his vital, creative and diligent service as editor in chief from 1999 to 2005 and indicated that he played a central role in developing the FCLR from its inception to its current, well-respected prominence. He remains a member of the board of editors.

Judge Joyner has presented numerous CLE seminars and most recently has become a “resident expert” in the area of electronic discovery. He is also active in the Hudson-Hall-Wheaton Chapter of the American Inns of Court in Tulsa. In 2000, Judge Joyner was selected by the administrative offices for the federal courts in Washington to go to Thailand to hold a hearing on whether four Americans being held in Thailand prisons could return to the United States to finish out their lengthy sentences. Judge Joyner has also been instrumental in the highly effective settlement program administered by the Northern District.

His nominator said, “Judge Joyner is a man of the highest character with a demonstrated commitment to excellence and a continual effort to better himself for the benefit of the profession of law and the community around him. Judge Joyner is definitely not one to ‘rest on his laurels’ in anticipation of retirement. During his legal career – now spanning over 40 years – Judge Joyner has embodied, and continues to embody, the very characteristics for which the OBA’s Award of Judicial Excellence has been established. Presenting Judge Joyner with this award will be a wonderful tribute to his laudable service on the bench.”

LIBERTY BELL AWARD
Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, Oklahoma City

The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority is being honored for its ongoing dedication to the OBA’s Ask A Lawyer TV show. Ask A Lawyer, which is produced by both OETA and the OBA, will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year.

The program is one of the most visible ways Oklahoma celebrates Law Day. It is designed to share information about legal issues in easy-to-understand language. While OETA has always been a key partner in the show’s development, its recent efforts deserve special recognition. With the guidance of OETA, the committee transformed Ask A Lawyer into a Dateline-type format with segments shot outside the studio. These segments feature real people whose lives have been improved because of their attorneys’ hard work. The show has also featured some headline grabbers — several jurors from the state trial of Terry Nichols, Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator; and Dennis Fritz, a man who lived 12 years behind bars wrongfully convicted of murder.

Although Ask A Lawyer doesn’t air until the end of April, production starts several months in advance. The Law Day Committee usually starts planning in September, and OETA always assists the committee every step of the way.

Recently, OETA has assisted the Law Day Committee in reaching out to the state’s Hispanic community. OETA helped the committee to record and broadcast a Spanish translation of the show to air on a secondary audio programming (SAP) channel. Spanish-speaking viewers were given the opportunity to call the free legal advice hotline number shown on the screen and consult with a Spanish-speaking attorney.

The partnership that OETA creates with the OBA formed a public relations tool that is invaluable for the public image of lawyers. OETA also has continued to rebroadcast the show on its digital channel (28 times and counting) since Law Day.

OETA’s commitment to Ask A Lawyer has truly shined since the show adopted its current format and reached out to broader audiences. This mutual cooperation of 30 years in the making has established Ask A Lawyer as an essential element of Law Day in the state of Oklahoma.

JOE STAMPER DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Winfrey Houston, Stillwater

Winfrey Houston became Oklahoma Bar Association president in 1969 while serving on many other committees and remaining active in the association. He is now the association’s longest serving past president.

Following his presidency of the OBA, Mr. Houston served as the president of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation, the Payne County Bar Association and served as a member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association. Despite the length of time since his presidency, he continues to attend the OBA Annual Meeting each year and continues to serve on various committees.

“He brings his extensive knowledge, wisdom and experience to these groups, most recently serving on the Awards Committee,” said his nominator. “Winfrey’s philosophy has always been that the price of the opportunity for leadership was continued service to the bar.”

Mr. Houston shows leadership in his community as well. He served as a city commissioner to the City of Stillwater from 1990-1993 and was a crucial part in forming the Stillwater Community Band. He is a charter member of the Stillwater Community Center Board. He led the effort in organizing a cultural district in Stillwater and was honored with the rededication of the Community Center auditorium as the Winfrey D. Houston Theater for the Performing Arts.

“Winfrey’s dedicated and tireless service to the community brought esteem to our profession. He has practiced law with honesty, integrity, civility and professionalism, with respect for the law, the bench, the bar and his fellow man,” his nominator said.

ALMA WILSON AWARD
Denny Johnson, Tulsa

Denny Johnson began her service at the Tulsa County Public Defender’s Office in 1981. In the early 1990s, the courts saw a need for independent representation of children based on the escalation of high conflict between divorcing parents. Ms. Johnson responded to this increased need and was granted the authority to limit her representation to children. Thus, she began what is now known as the “civil division” of the Public Defender’s Office, whose representation is limited to children in divorces, paternity suits, guardianships, protective orders and adoptions.

This was a new and unknown area of law, and Ms. Johnson had to research and implement protocols for effectively representing children. The program proved to be challenging at first. Ms. Johnson aspired to educate other lawyers and the judiciary in order to change the traditional focus of divorce from a fight between parents to one of adjudicating what is in the best interests of the child. The courts soon realized that the best interests of the child were paramount and should be the primary consideration in all litigation involving children.

The past 14 years, Ms. Johnson served as head of the civil division of the Tulsa County Public Defender’s Office. There was never a time when she did not represent children in some capacity throughout her 26 years of practicing — even when she was in the felony trial rotation and trying capital murder cases.

“Ms. Johnson’s reputation as a fierce advocate and extremely skilled trial lawyer helped pave the way and set the bar for the standards of child representation in Tulsa,” her nominators said. “She received numerous offers for employment in the more lucrative private law field, yet she always chose to continue to represent those most in need of protection -— children.”

Her nominators also noted that while Ms. Johnson’s retirement is a deep loss for all, she leaves behind a legacy of excellence and a new perspective on the most important issues.

Ms. Johnson is married to Ron Wallace, and they have two children, Philip and Sunny.

GOLDEN GAVEL AWARD
OBA Member Services Committee
Debra Charles, Chair

The OBA Member Services Committee’s purpose is to evaluate commercial benefits which could be made available to members of the OBA. By concentrating the buying power of the OBA membership, the committee actively seeks out and evaluates beneficial goods and services provided by various vendors. This year, Chairperson Debra Charles of Oklahoma City, and her outstanding group of committee members, including Vice-Chair Keri Williams, generated some exceptional perks for the OBA membership.

In 2006 and 2007, the committee spent considerable time locating and evaluating low-cost avenues for more comprehensive public domain legal research tools, and received and reviewed proposals for legal research alternatives. After thoroughly evaluating the options, the committee recommended that the OBA adopt Fastcase as an OBA membership benefit. Fastcase provides all state bar members with free online access to a comprehensive national law library. Both the time-saving and economic impact of the new benefit makes Fastcase one of the best perks the OBA has offered its members in many years.

In view of the computer-driven law practice of 2007, the committee identified a need for OBA members to have access to a reliable and professional data backup system. After receiving and reviewing proposals from several vendors, the committee recommended CoreVault for the OBA membership. In April 2007, the OBA endorsed Oklahoma-based CoreVault as the official online backup service of the OBA.

The CoreVault backup system frees OBA members from the worry of losing data and not being able to restore it due to virus, hard drive crash, accidental deleting of data, natural disaster, flood and the many other ways that could cause data loss. It is an excellent benefit and very useful in today’s law practice.

The Member Services Committee continues to evaluate possible benefits for OBA membership. This year was a productive one for the committee, and the committee looks forward to being able to provide many more benefits to OBA members in the future.

NEIL E. BOGAN PROFESSIONALISM AWARD
Judge Bana Roberts, Oklahoma City

Judge Bana Roberts has been a model of professionalism throughout her life. As an attorney for 30 years and a judge for almost 20 years, Judge Roberts has exemplified the greatest ideals of our profession while being kind, courteous, honest, diligent and trustworthy.

She is intensely involved in community service. For the last three years, she has served as a lay leader for Chapel Hill United Methodist Church and has actively served on countless church-related committees. Her church work includes mission trips to Venezuela and Mexico, spending hundreds of hours helping to build houses for those living in poverty. In addition, Judge Roberts has served for over 10 years as a volunteer with Special Olympics Oklahoma on the Board of Directors and is currently the chairperson-elect.

She has also served the bar with the same intensity. Judge Roberts has served as the president of the Oklahoma County Bar Association and the William J. Holloway Jr. American Inn of Court. In addition, she has served on the Oklahoma County Bar Association’s committees for Bench and Bar, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Law Related Education, Civil Procedure and Law Schools.

JOHN E. SHIPP AWARD FOR ETHICS
Sidney G. Dunagan, Oklahoma City

“Many Oklahoma lawyers know Sid not as a bar leader, but as an honest, principled, hard-working and accomplished advocate for his clients,” read the award nomination for Sidney G. Dunagan. A practicing attorney in Oklahoma since 1973, he is recognized as a strong mentor by other attorneys.

Mr. Dunagan spent five years of distinguished and decorated service with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps (including a tour in Vietnam). Following his military service, he joined the Tulsa law firm of Gable & Gotwals. In 1995, he moved his family and law practice to Oklahoma City to establish and then manage his firm’s office there.

Mr. Dunagan has been an active volunteer in several legal organizations. In 1994, he served as OBA president, having previously served on the Board of Governors in the mid-1980s and as vice president in 1987. He also served as president of the Tulsa County Bar Association and as state chair of the Oklahoma Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. Mr. Dunagan served in the ABA House of Delegates and is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is licensed to practice in the 5th, 9th, 10th and 11th Circuits of the U.S. Courts of Appeals.

His nominator said, “He gave me a keen sense through his advice and how he practiced that you could be a strong and effective advocate, but you should never forget ethical considerations in your practice. Sid’s many contributions to those of us that have the good fortune to practice with or around him have had a lasting effect on us and our profession.”

TRAILBLAZER AWARD
John Green, Oklahoma City

Soon after John Green was admitted to the Oklahoma Bar Association in 1957, he started a private practice that focused on segregation in Oklahoma City. Throughout his legal career, he has made a name for himself as a pioneer in the pursuit of racial equality.

Nine years after Brown v. Topeka Board of Education, Oklahoma City’s public school district was still segregated. Mr. Green took on the school district and was the lead attorney in Dowell v. School Board of Oklahoma City Public Schools, the case that forced the Oklahoma City school system to integrate the public schools and make education in Oklahoma equal for all races. Mr. Green was also instrumental in a state lawsuit resulting in obtaining access for blacks to restaurants.

This accomplishment wasn’t Mr. Green’s first experience with risk taking. After graduating from high school in Idabel, he attended Morehouse College, where he became a close friend and confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his fellow fraternity brother. Mr. Green earned a distinguished combat record in the Korean War, where he was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and Bronze Star Medal in a newly integrated Army. Following his military service, Mr. Green was the second African American to graduate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

Mr. Green broke several other racial barriers during his career. He was the first African American to serve in the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor, as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma and on the OBA Board of Governors.

Outside of the legal profession, he created the Southwestern Urban Foundation, which has raised more than $2 million in the past four years. Its mission targets financial support for the needs and problems within the African American and other ethnic communities in Oklahoma.

Even in retirement, Mr. Green continues to help young attorneys and advises the governor and others on the selection of judges and appointments.

OUTSTANDING COUNTY BAR AWARD
Carter County Bar Association

The Carter County Bar Association prides itself on several projects that directly benefit the county’s children. With a membership of 85 members, 51 of whom are in private practice, 42 of these members volunteer to represent children and parents on the deprived child docket. From looking at the numbers, Carter County has perhaps the highest percentage of practicing lawyers who volunteer for this docket. It is clear that Carter County is setting the precedent of volunteerism across the state.

Another aspect of involvement in these deprived cases is the number of Carter County attorneys who act completely pro bono. Of the 42 volunteers, 30 never submit a claim for reimbursement and three do so only if the hearing is contested and lasts longer than an hour. Compared with attorneys across the state, those nine who routinely submit court fund claims are paid much, much less than their usual hourly rate.

Outside of the legal arena, the county bar awards two $1,000 scholarships that are open to any student in the county who is not related to a member of the bar.

In addition, the bar oversees a locally administered fund that benefits abused, neglected and abandoned children. A few years ago, three Carter County children died in a fire, and their mother was convicted of criminal neglect, and a civil suit was filed against several other parties. The case settled shortly before trial. Included in the terms of the settlement was setting aside $100,000 to benefit deprived children in a manner decided by the judge. Rather than disburse the $100,000, the judge decided to create a perpetual fund in the name of the three deceased children and asked the county bar to assume the responsibility for overseeing it.

OUTSTANDING COUNTY BAR AWARD
Oklahoma County Bar Association

During the past year, the Oklahoma County Bar Association concentrated on innovative programs made possible through the hard work of its members. This voluntary bar of 2,150 members established several new programs that will benefit the association for many years to come.

One of the first initiatives of the year was establishing a more effective communication system between the OU and OCU law schools. Liaisons from both schools have been added to the OCBA Board of Directors. These liaisons will report pertinent news and events regarding their prospective schools at each board meeting. In the same way, they will report OCBA news back to their schools.

The Evaluation and Young Lawyer Outreach Task Force formulated the first-ever electronic membership survey this year. This survey was conducted to evaluate the OCBA’s performance according to its members and was also designed to understand what the members would like to see in the future. This task force was also instrumental in passing a resolution from the OCBA Board of Directors requiring each committee to add at least one new young lawyer to its membership annually.

Through several projects, the OCBA is dedicated to fostering growth among Oklahoma’s children. The Voices for Children Committee provides attorneys to act as readers at the Carver Mark Twain Headstart Program. Also, the annual Holiday Reception held in December provided mittens, coats and other winter clothing articles for the children of the school. The Community Services Committee volunteered as Christmas in Wonderland characters for the Children’s Center in Bethany. This committee also plans monthly parties or events for the residents of the Family Junction youth shelter. Additionally, the “E-Mentoring Esquire” program will pair attorneys with students in the pre-law program at Douglass High School to support and encourage them.

The YLD is also working with the OBA in their “Wills for Heroes” campaign, an effort is to provide free wills to those “heroes” in our community such as fire fighters, police and first responders.

Several other annual OCBA events continued with success this year, including Lawyers in the Classroom, the INFORM methamphetamine abuse education program, the YLD’s Harvest Food Drive, Law Day, the annual golf tournament, and the Bench and Bar Committee’s bi-yearly conference at Quartz Mountain.

Other new initiatives the OCBA took on were a members-only Web site, a credit card program that generates funds for the association, and a courthouse security access card was developed in cooperation with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department.

HICKS EPTON LAW DAY AWARD
Payne County Bar Association

The Payne County Bar Association orchestrated a successful Law Day with the theme of “Empowering Youth, Assuring Democracy.” This year’s events were coordinated by Jodie Gage and Mozella Irwin-Smith.

Payne County’s Law Day incorporated a children’s contest in conjunction with the state bar’s Law Day contest. Children were asked to submit entries of artwork in differing categories while four Payne County bar members met and judged the competition. About 120 entries were received. Local winners from both the county and state contests were honored at the county’s “Honor Docket” and presented with cash prizes and certificates. Another component of the Honor Docket was the awarding of the R.L. Hert Memorial Scholarship to a Perkins High School student. The scholarship is presented annually to a graduating senior of Payne County. A local Liberty Bell Award was presented to Sheriff Carl Hiner for his distinguished service to the legal community. The Stillwater NewsPress covered the Honor Docket presentation with a story and photos from the event.

Locally, an Ask A Lawyer event was put into action first at the Stillwater Public Library and then a phone-a-thon event occurred with the OBA television broadcast.

In addition, there was a bowling tournament held on May 15, in which 13 teams participated. The event raised $583 for a local charity. The annual Law Day banquet was held on May 17. Justice Steven Taylor was invited as the keynote speaker and administered a speech about ethical legal behavior and heroes in the legal practice.

HICKS EPTON LAW DAY AWARD
Pontotoc County Bar Association

The Pontotoc County Bar Association utilized a new, effective technique for their Law Day activities, which were carried out with the leadership of Ada lawyer Kaycie Sheppard.

Pontotoc County Bar kept consistent with the “Liberty Under Law: Empowering Youth, Assuring Democracy” theme. The members traveled to several schools in the county during the weeks of April 13 to May 11 to speak with junior high students about Law Day, the legal profession, the court structure and educational avenues that students may take if considering a career in the legal field.

The bar association worked directly with East Central University’s Legal Professions Association and the Student Activities Center to host a Law Day Blood Drive to benefit the Oklahoma Blood Institute. As many as 68 students, attorneys and support staff contributed to the success of this event by donating blood.

The Ada Evening News featured stories and photos from both the classroom visits and the blood drive.

Law Day events at East Central University also showcased panel discussions on topics such as drug court, family law and paralegals.

OUTSTANDING YOUNG LAWYER AWARD
Keri Williams, Stillwater

Upon graduation from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 2000, Keri Williams promptly became active in the OBA Young Lawyers Division serving as a board member. In 2001 and 2002, Ms. Williams was named Outstanding Director of the YLD, and she received the YLD Committee Chairperson of the Year Award in 2004.

Last year, Ms. Williams served as chair of the YLD and is said to be one of the most active past chairs. She served as treasurer before becoming YLD chair. Currently, she is chair of the YLD Nominating Committee.

In addition to her YLD involvement, Ms. Williams has been an asset to the OBA overall, as she served as the YLD representative on the Board of Governors in 2006 and has been involved in the OBA Strategic Planning Committee, Awards Committee, Budget Committee and Legal Ethics Committee. Ms. Williams is currently vice chairperson of the Member Services Committee.

She has also been active in the Payne County Bar Association since 2005 and serves as its vice president. She is also involved in the American Bar Association, having served as a YLD state representative and an ABA/YLD District Representative for Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Ms. Williams is a senior director of gift planning for the OSU Foundation in Stillwater. She is involved with the Junior Service League of Stillwater, Sunnybrook Christian Church and serves as president of the Stillwater Chi Omega Alumnae Chapter.

In the nomination for the OBA award, it was said that “Keri exemplifies the spirit of this award, as she has demonstrated a successful ability to manage and excel in her career, her bar involvement and her community efforts.”

OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC AWARD
Frank D. Hill, Oklahoma City

Frank Hill’s long, distinguished record of service to the public is nearly as long as his distinguished professional career. He began by serving as a captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps shortly after graduating from law school. More than 35 years later, he continues to generously share both his time and skills in ways that have had a lasting impact on our state.

One of the enduring examples of Mr. Hill’s commitment to public service is expressed in the countless hours he has devoted to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation. Since 1995, he has played an ongoing role in the inception, construction, development and advancement of the memorial. More recently, he served as chairman of the board of trustees of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation during a very momentous time in its history. Not only did he preside over the National Week of Hope that commemorated the 10th anniversary of the bombing, but during his tenure, the memorial trustees and staff also developed and began implementation of a five-year strategic plan and launched the Second Decade Campaign to grow the memorial’s permanent endowment, which has since tripled in size.

Those who have worked beside Mr. Hill say it is not uncommon for him to go out of his way or put in extra hours for any role he takes on. In addition to continuing to serve as a trustee of the Memorial Foundation, he also currently serves as trustee and president-elect of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, trustee of Casady School, president of the Bizzell Library Society of the University of Oklahoma, and benefactor fellow and former trustee of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation. He is also a former trustee of Bone & Joint Hospital and Episcopal Retirement Community and a former director of the Last Frontier Council of Boy Scouts of America.

Described as a consummate professional with the highest integrity and character, Mr. Hill’s achievements in the professional realm as an attorney with McAfee & Taft are just as significant as his achievements in the public realm. In addition to being recognized by his colleagues and numerous professional publications for his career achievements, Mr. Hill also continues to give back by serving as a frequent lecturer at workshops and seminars sponsored by universities and the Oklahoma Bar Association.

OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC AWARD
Don Shaw, Idabel

Don Shaw, a lawyer known for his generosity and giving nature, has made a great impact in his community by his endless volunteer work.

Mr. Shaw has been a member of the Idabel Chamber of Commerce since 1975 and served as the director at one time. He has also been actively involved with the Boy Scouts, Idabel Lions Club, Gideons and Idabel Mainstreet Project, among many others. He served our country on active duty in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He is active in the First Presbyterian Church as an ordained deacon, ordained elder, clerk of the session and Sunday school teacher.

Mr. Shaw has done pro bono legal work for the Idabel Mission Market Inc. and is currently the chairman of the Oklahoma Blood Institute and has personally donated over 13 gallons of blood to its cause.

Every year, Mr. Shaw participates in local Law Day activities, including the area Call a Lawyer radio show. He also speaks at schools and nursing homes in celebration of Law Day.

His nominator said, “It is practically impossible to account all the contributions he has made. If a volunteer is ever needed in the community, he is always happy to step up to the plate and help in any way needed.”

OUTSTANDING PRO BONO SERVICE
John Hermes, Oklahoma City

John Hermes has been a volunteer with Oklahoma Lawyers for Children since the program started in 1997. He has been a member of the Oklahoma Lawyers for Children Board of Directors since 1998 ensuring that deserving children receive the highest levels of legal representation available by encouraging others to volunteer. In addition, Mr. Hermes has spent hundreds of hours in court due to representing children in eight cases during the past 10 years.

Mr. Hermes’ career achievements as a trial lawyer and the former managing director of McAfee & Taft have earned him the respect of his colleagues and perennial recognition in noted publications such as Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America and Oklahoma Super Lawyers.

He has also devoted countless hours focusing on the legal needs of senior citizens and low-income Oklahomans through his involvement as a member of the board of directors of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma and its predecessor, Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma. While serving as its president, Mr. Hermes played an instrumental role in negotiating the merger of Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma with Legal Aid of Eastern Oklahoma.

Throughout his many accomplishments and recognitions, he is most proud of serving as a legal advocate for our state’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens.

“Mr. Hermes is someone who never seeks or desires attention for his good deeds, but is one who deserves to be recognized for them,” his nominator said.

OUTSTANDING PRO BONO SERVICE
Lewis N. Carter, Tulsa

While Lewis Carter has been a partner at the firm of Doerner, Saunders, Daniel & Anderson for 21 years, he also has devoted a substantial amount of his time to pro bono work.

Mr. Carter is conversant in Spanish as a result of having lived in Paraguay for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer. Early in his career, he saw that many people who are at or below the poverty level were unable to afford an attorney although in need of legal assistance. As one of the few Spanish-speaking attorneys in Tulsa at the time, Mr. Carter decided to focus his efforts in that area. When he first started providing pro bono services to Spanish-speaking people, he met them in his downtown Tulsa office. He quickly realized that the people he was trying to help were not familiar with downtown Tulsa, and were intimidated by meeting him in the law firm offices. Mr. Carter established a relationship with social workers at Catholic Charities, a key entity in providing services to the Tulsa Hispanic community. This relationship led to the availability of meeting space for Mr. Carter to work with his pro bono clients.

This clinic has been in existence for approximately 15 years. Throughout this time, Mr. Carter works at the clinic every other Thursday evening and continues until every person has received services. In addition to consulting with them, Mr. Carter frequently handles follow-up work. The legal matters he handles through this representation are diverse, ranging from such things as landlord-tenant disputes, debtor/creditor problems, name changes, real property title problems, and child care and custody issues.

On top of his pro bono work, Mr. Carter has served as an adjunct settlement judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma for approximately 10 years. He is active in various civic and charitable organizations, including Tulsa Global Alliance as past president.

MAURICE MERRILL GOLDEN QUILL AWARD
Karen Youngblood, Lawton

Karen Youngblood receives the Maurice Merrill Golden Quill Award for her article titled, “Oklahoma’s Material Witness Law: Time for Change,” which appeared in the April 14, 2007, issue of the Oklahoma Bar Journal.

Ms. Youngblood received her bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of Oklahoma and following graduation, immediately enrolled at the OU law school. Once she completed her law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1975, she went into private practice in Lawton and continued until 1987. While in private practice, she concentrated in the areas of criminal law, family law and probate.

Since then, Ms. Youngblood has served as an associate professor in the department of criminal justice and sociology at Cameron University. She served as chair of the department from 1994 to 1997. In 1992, Ms. Youngblood received the Professor of the Year Award, and in 2005 she received Cameron’s highest award, the Hackler Award for Teaching Excellence. She reserves full-time teaching duties and is a participant in Writing Across the Curriculum program.

The one activity that Ms. Youngblood is most proud of is her involvement on the development committee and initial board of directors for Lawton’s New Directions Shelter for Women and Children.