Cy Pres Awards to the Oklahoma Bar Foundation

WHAT ARE CY PRES AWARDS?

Cy pres awards are made from final surplus funds in class action cases, and sometimes others types of court proceedings, when for any number of reasons those funds cannot be distributed to the class members or beneficiaries who were the intended recipients, such as when it has become difficult or impossible to identify those to whom damages should be assigned or distributed. Courts may authorize a cy pres distribution to appropriate charitable organizations under the trust doctrine of cy pres, and the courts’ broad equitable powers to permit such funds to be used by educational, charitable and other public service organizations for public interest purposes. Cy pres funds may be used to support current programs or, where appropriate, to create endowments and future income for long-range programs that can be used in conjunction with other funds.

Why Consider the Oklahoma Bar Foundation for Cy Pres Awards?

The OBF’s mission of “advancing education, citizenship and justice for all” makes it a perfect match for class action cy pres awards because the underlying premise for class actions is to make access to justice a reality for “the little guy” who otherwise would not be able to obtain the protection of the court system.

Through the OBF’s comprehensive grants award process, applicants for grants and a panel of diverse individuals with a wide range of expertise come together to objectively and strategically discuss and allocate resources to support law-related programs and initiatives. This makes OBF an attractive charitable investment choice for cy pres awards.

The OBF has the flexibility of using cy pres awards to expand its comprehensive programs or to apply funds to specific projects and initiatives. Moreover, OBF’s mission, as cited above, of advancing education, citizenship and justice for all is as American as apple pie. Further, corporate and institutional defendants involved in class actions need not be concerned about cy pres funds going to a party that is possibly antagonistic to their interests.

The OBF is a proven organization that has been helping people for more than 60 years. To date, more than $7.5 million has been awarded to aid citizens throughout Oklahoma. OBF holds an important place in the philanthropic community and public interest law and works hard to address legal aid needs and to eliminate systemic barriers to access to justice.

OBF CAN DO GOOD WORKS WITH CY PRES AWARDS

Over the past two years, the Oklahoma Bar Foundation has been fortunate in receiving some generous cy pres awards. These cy pres funds are key components in the growth and outreach of OBF’s charitable mission, and will enable the OBF to increase the overall amount of grant awards it makes, as well as increase its capacity for new initiatives. Cy pres awards to the Oklahoma Bar Foundation can and will make a tremendous difference benefiting law-related programs throughout Oklahoma. Please contact Nancy Norsworthy at (405) 416-7070 or nancyn @okbar.org to arrange for a member of the foundation Board of Trustees to discuss details of cy pres awards with you.

WHAT WE DO

The Oklahoma Bar Foundation was created by lawyers for lawyers to accomplish a very worthy goal — the attainment of legal justice, service and education for all Oklahomans. One way the foundation can help accomplish this goal is to ensure that qualified legal service organizations have adequate money to operate. Giving away money thoughtfully, however, is not always an easy task, and the foundation trustees work hard to consider all aspects of the charitable programs to which foundation dollars are pledged. Through careful analysis, the foundation is able to assist a variety of organizations that are providing legal resources to Oklahomans and to improve access to legal justice and education throughout our state. OBF invests in organizations and initiatives that have proven to be effective in providing quality legal assistance to less fortunate citizens and serves a diverse group of interests through one convenient charitable choice.

Specifically, OBF carries out its mission of

… Advancing education, citizenship and justice for all through our support of:

• The delivery of legal aid services for lower income citizens in all 77 counties
• Programs that educate Oklahoma school children about the American system of justice and rule of law
• Children’s legal aid services and child advocacy programs
• Victims’ programs and projects
• Legal resource projects and educational programs for our more senior citizens
• Promotion of broader community support for access to justice through ancillary support of court projects and public education and awareness programs

WHO WE ARE

The Oklahoma Bar Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) organization that works to improve access to justice for people in our state who are impacted by poverty, abuse and discrimination. Incorporated in 1949, OBF is the third-oldest state bar foundation in the United States, an achievement of which all Oklahoma attorneys can be proud. All lawyers duly licensed to practice law in Oklahoma are members, and can become more involved as Fellows through annual contributions of only $100 over a 10-year period. Fellows contributions, IOLTA trust account revenues, earnings on investments, planned gifts, income from other sources — and now cy pres awards — have enabled the OBF to invest more than $7 million in law-related charitable projects in just the last 21 years.

The OBF mission recognizes that access to justice and legal education is central to our democratic society, and that the legal community has a duty to lead in making justice and education accessible to the less fortunate. The OBF provides concerned professionals with an opportunity to come together in a concerted effort of support that can make an important difference in the lives of many. If you have the opportunity, please consider the OBF for future cy pres awards.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

Attorneys and other interested parties can help provide legal services to Oklahomans through membership in the OBF Fellows program and other general contributions. Become an OBF Fellow today and your single voice becomes over $7.5 million strong!

“…Sometimes our judicial system is taken for granted and we may forget the many sacrifices and battles over centuries that led to its creation and evolution. It is important that our hard-won rights are preserved and prosper and that we are able to pass them on to future generations. In these days when our court system is under attack, it is important to do our utmost to educate the public and provide the best possible structure within the system so that it can be respected and appreciated. We know that the OBF is helping perform these vital functions and will help in a way that will ensure the availability of the judicial process to all…”

Allan DeVore,
DeVore Law Firm, Oklahoma City