Oklahoma Bar Foundation, the charity of choice for all Oklahoma attorneys

OBF Grants and Funding

In 2005, the trustees, officers and staff of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation look forward to an enhanced ability to fulfill the purposes of the foundation — “Advancing education, citizenship and justice for all.” With the landmark adoption of a Mandatory IOLTA Rule by the Oklahoma Supreme Court effective on July 1, 2004, Oklahoma lawyers and law firms were required to place client funds that are nominal in amount or to be held for a short period of time in an interest-bearing pooled trust account with the interest going to the OBF to be used for charitable purposes. With its bold decision, our Supreme Court laid the foundation for increased funding to support civil legal aid for the poor and elderly, provide equal access to justice, law-related education programs for Oklahoma school children, high school mock trial programs, advocacy programs for abused and neglected children, and many other vitally needed law-related charitable programs and activities throughout Oklahoma. Without the mandatory IOLTA Rule, these funds, which could never generate positive net interest for any client, would simply go unused.

Since 1986, the OBF has provided over $5 million in grants for charitable purposes. In 2004, OBF was able to award a total of $238,750 in grants including support for Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, which primarily provides services for the poor and elderly and support for CASA to provide support to special advocates for children in the legal system. A listing of all the grants made in 2004 is available on the Web at www.okbar.org/obf. However, each year the OBF receives many more meritorious requests for funding than can be met due to the lack of available funds. With the enhanced revenue from the Mandatory IOLTA Rule and continued support from the OBF Fellows Program, the OBF looks forward to improved ability to meet ongoing needs in Oklahoma.

2005 OBF Officers

OBF’s president for 2005 is Judy Hamilton Morse, a shareholder and director in the Oklahoma City office of Crowe & Dunlevy. She has practiced in the areas of business and commercial litigation and bankruptcy since graduating from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and being admitted to the bar in 1979. Judy has been a trustee of the OBF since 1998. She has also been active in the OBA and the Oklahoma County Bar Association and has served for the last two years as the chair of the Oklahoma Bar Association Awards Committee. She is a member of the Committee on Admissions and Grievances for the Western District of Oklahoma, a master in the William J. Holloway Jr. American Inns Court and serves as an at-large trustee of the American Inns of Court Foundation.

Twenty-six trustees from all across Oklahoma, five of whom are officers, govern the OBF. In addition to President Morse, other officers and members of the 2005 OBF Executive Committee include President-Elect Hal Ellis with the Stillwater firm of Ellis & Drummond. Hal practices in the area of estates and trusts and is active in foundation work throughout Oklahoma. He has previously served on the OBA Board of Governors and as president of the Payne County Bar Association. Vice President Mark C. Curnutte of Vinita is with the firm of Logan & Lowry. He is a member of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and has served as a trustee of the OBF since 2000. Renee DeMoss serves as the secretary/treasurer of the OBF and practices as a civil litigator in the Tulsa office of Gable & Gotwals. Finally, the immediate past president of the OBF, William G. LaSorsa, a shareholder in the Tulsa-based law firm of Jones, Givens, Gotcher & Bogan, rounds out the Executive Committee. Bill has served both the OBA and the Tulsa County Bar Association in numerous capacities and has been a trustee of the OBF since 1996.

2005 OBF Trustees

Attorneys come from all across the state to volunteer their time and talents as trustees on the Board of the OBF. Trustees attend board meetings bringing their different talents and areas of expertise to assist the OBF in making proper and informed decisions. The trustees also serve on a variety of committees that oversee the various aspects of the foundation’s work. In 2005, the attorneys serving with the members of the Executive Committee on the Board of Trustees are Charles F. Alden III, Oklahoma City; Jack Brown, Tulsa; J. William Conger, Oklahoma City; David D. Duncan, Weatherford; Michael D. Evans, Frederick; Shon T. Erwin, Lawton; Phil Frazier, Tulsa; William R. “Bill” Grimm, Tulsa; Jacqueline O’Neil Haglund, Tulsa; Kenneth A. Hicks, Wagoner; D. Renée Hildebrant, Oklahoma City; Steven R. Mackey, Tulsa; A. Edwin McComas, Elk City; Jerry L. McCombs, Idabel; John D. Munkacsy Jr., Lawton; P. L. “Pat” Phelps, Durant; David Pomeroy, Oklahoma City; Richard A. Riggs, Oklahoma City; Roger R. Scott, Tulsa; Jason B. Toon, Tulsa; and John Morris Williams, Oklahoma City, who also serves as the Executive Director of the OBA.

OBF Administrator& IOLTA Director

Finally, the OBF continues to benefit from the hard work, talent and dedication of its Administrator and IOLTA Director Nancy Norsworthy. Nancy assists the OBF Executive Committee and reports to the board. She is responsible for daily operations of the foundation office and the IOLTA program. With the adoption of Mandatory IOLTA, Nancy, with the assistance of other staff members, has been primarily responsible for working with members of the bar and banks in Oklahoma to help facilitate their compliance with the new Supreme Court rule. Nancy is responsible for all of the day-to-day operations of the OBF. She also administers the OBF Fellows program by welcoming new Fellows, making sure they receive the beautiful Fellow plaque and invitations to special OBF events. President Morse said, “Nancy makes it easy to be president of the foundation. She does a great job on a very limited budget to facilitate the work of the OBF.”

Our Mission

Advancing education, citizenship and justice for all is the ongoing mission of your Oklahoma Bar Foundation. We invite you to join in our efforts to fulfill this mission by becoming a Fellow of the OBF which depends in large part on the ongoing support of our Fellows, Sustaining Fellows and Benefactor Fellows. Please take a moment to join with others who want to make a difference by completing the following OBF Fellow application and sending it to the OBF office today. Together we can make a difference in
Oklahoma.