Cindy began a new job last year with a fast-growing oilfield industry manufacturer. She was a good worker and enjoyed her job. Things were going great for Cindy and Fred, her new husband of five months. Previously she had been married several years to her son Matt’s father. Things were never right during that turbulent time, and it was always difficult making ends meet. Fred was very generous and very social, taking her and Matt to a variety of expensive events. Fred was fun and Matt adored him. Then almost overnight, things changed.

Fred was self-employed and never seemed to work anymore. He spent a great deal of time and money visiting casinos across Oklahoma. He used his business as an excuse to pay for expensive sporting events and party venues for friends. Debts were building and Fred still wasn’t working. Fred often said he was writing off social events as business expenses and later confessed he wasn’t keeping business records. Matt wasn’t doing well in school. Cindy was missing work and eventually lost her job. Then the Internal Revenue Service came calling – Fred’s business of five years had never filed a tax return. The business had never been incorporated and Fred had mixed personal and business expenses. The IRS attached most of their assets. Soon after, the couple separated and Cindy filed for divorce. Cindy developed medical problems that made it almost impossible for her to work. Where does this put Cindy with the IRS? Cindy did not understand the IRS notices and letters or her rights and obligations under the law.

A friend told Cindy about a Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) at Oklahoma Indian Legal Services (OILS). Cindy was skeptical of calling OILS for help. However, she learned the clinic is operated as an extension of OILS’ outreach that provides legal services to poor and disadvantaged persons in the state and does not discriminate on any basis for qualifying recipients. The clinic will provide legal representation free of charge to unrepresented petitioners with cases before the United States Tax Court. Cindy made an appointment and the clinic is working with the IRS to bring Cindy’s problems to resolution. Cindy is beginning to feel in control again and has taken a new job.

TheOklahoma Bar Foundation has awarded grant funding to the LITC for the past two years. This year funding will be used to hire two full-time paralegals that will provide litigation support enabling LITC to serve additional taxpayers. The OILS LITC is unique in that it is able to provide legal services free of charge to clients with tax and financial issues. The clinic works to a) create and maintain an annual work capacity of some 500 formal cases and 2,000 informal cases, b) conduct 70 to 100 tax-season outreach clinics across the state, and c) offer Open Clinic Friday Programs throughout the year that train law students and attorneys in the areas of tax and bankruptcy.

The OILS clinic has been very successful since its startup in January 2003. The OILS LITC is recognized as one of the top eight clinics in the nation compared to 150 such clinics. Simply put, the clinic helps people, particularly the underserved, with their tax problems.

OBF Grants and Awards Committee currently accepting 2007 Grant Applications

The Oklahoma Bar Foundation was founded in 1946 to accomplish the charitable purposes of lawyers from all across Oklahoma. OBF is a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is the third-oldest state bar foundation in the nation. It serves as the charitable arm of the bar association, and all licensed lawyers in Oklahoma are OBF members. OBF works silently behind the scenes for Oklahoma’s children, the poor and our most vulnerable citizens. OBF is financially able to fulfill its mission through the generous support of attorneys by charitable donations and participation in OBF programs such as the Fellows and IOLTA.

The deadline for grant application submission is Tuesday, July 24, 2007. Applications will be accepted for programs and projects which:

1. Provide delivery of legal services to the poor and elderly;
2. Promote quality legal education;
3. Improve the administration of justice and promote such other programs for the benefit of the public as are specifically approved by the Oklahoma Bar Foundation for exclusively public purposes.

Grants totaling $464,790 were approved during 2006 by the Oklahoma Bar Foundation Board of Trustees to:

• Provide delivery of civil legal aid services to the poor and elderly throughout Oklahoma and to improve the administration of justice. Grants totaling $280,000 were awarded to Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma Inc. and the Oklahoma Indian Legal Services Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, and $73,900 was awarded for legal aid and advocacy services for children, the elderly and victims of violence to Tulsa Lawyers For Children Inc., the Oklahoma Indian Legal Services Inc. Domestic Violence Division, Oklahoma CASA Association for Children, Oklahoma CAAVA Association for Vulnerable Adults and SANE of Southwest Oklahoma.
• Fund educational programs in the total amount of $81,500. Awards were made to the OBA Law-related Education teacher’s summer workshop, benefiting school children in grades K through 12; the OBA Young Lawyers Division High School Mock Trial Program; the statewide YMCA Oklahoma Youth & Government Program; the Mayes County and surrounding areas Youth Court; the special touring exhibit of the Oklahoma City Memorial Museum on Lincoln and the Constitution; and the Senior Law Resource Center Inc. In addition, the foundation awarded $29,390 in scholarships.
• Grant applications should be postmarked or delivered no later than Tuesday, July 24, 2007 to receive consideration. Applications will be accepted early and early application is encouraged. Packets may be downloaded from the Web page at www.okbar.org/obf or applications may be requested by writing or calling: Oklahoma Bar Foundation, P.O. Box 53036, Oklahoma City, OK 73152-30036, (405) 416-7070.

How You Can Help

Attorneys and others interested parties can help to provide services across Oklahoma through membership in the OBF Fellows program and other general contributions. Join with Oklahoma attorneys and help us to make a real improvement in the lives of others.