The Board of Governors of the Oklahoma Bar Association met at the Oklahoma Bar Center on Friday, Jan. 13, 2006.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

President Grimm reported he had a meeting with Rep. Fred Perry and 2002 OBA President Gary Clark to discuss the Council on Judicial Complaints. He participated in discussions with Lloyd Cole and 1995 OBA President J. Duke Logan regarding the proposed legislation for the Council on Judicial Complaints. He took part in a CLE presentation at the Tulsa County Bar Association with General Counsel Dan Murdock. He was the keynote speaker at the OCU School of Law graduation ceremonies and was guest speaker at the Garfield County Bar Association. He attended meetings of the Oklahoma Access to Justice Commission, Bar Center Facilities Committee, OBA National Mock Trial Task Force, OBA Bench and Bar Committee and OBA Bench and Bar Judicial Conduct Code Subcommittee. He met with new Court Administrator Michael D. Evans. He also had a meeting with OBA Legal Ethics Committee Chair Roger Scott to discuss modifications to its subcommittee report, which will be submitted to the board within the next three months.

REPORT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

Vice President Holmes reported he attended the December Board of Governors meeting and OBA Professionalism Committee meeting.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT-‑ELECT

President-Elect Beam reported the Strategic Finances Task Force will meet within the next few weeks. He attended the OBA Audit Committee meeting, December board meeting, board Christmas party and participated as a panel member in a disciplinary trial as a member of the PRT. He also met with Executive Director Williams and President Grimm about various OBA issues.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Executive Director Williams reported he participated in the OBA monthly staff celebration and OBA directors retreat. He attended meetings with legislative leadership on HB 1499 and with members on SB 975. He also attended the Oklahoma Access to Justice Commission meeting, Board of Governors dinner and swearing in of new officers and Board of Governors members.

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

Governor Bates reported she attended the Cleveland County Bar Association meeting, Oklahoma County Bar Association Board of Directors meeting, Oklahoma County Bar Christmas reception and presented a CLE to Cleveland County bar members. She also attended the Board of Governors meeting, luncheon and new member orientation. In January she chaired a meeting of the 2006 National Mock Trial Task Force Awards Subcommittee and attended the task force’s January meeting. Governor Caudle reported he attended the December Comanche County Bar Association meeting and CLE that featured OU Professor Spector, who presented his annual family law update. He also attended the December board meeting in Oklahoma City and the board Christmas party. Governor Christensen reported she spoke briefly with Oklahoma County Bar Association Executive Director Debbie Gorden to ascertain their board meeting schedule so that she can docket them. She visited briefly with Oklahoma County Bar President Judge Vicki Robertson about her upcoming service to District 3. In preparation for the board meeting, she reviewed the 2005 OBA board minutes, 2006 orientation materials and the ABA leaders and resources handout. She attended the first meeting of the newly formed Audit Committee and attended the meeting on the Bench and Bar Committee Subcommittee on Revisions to the Model Code of Judicial Conduct. She continues to meet with various members of the National Mock Trial Task Force to prepare for the May 2006 national competition to be held in Oklahoma City. She is contacting via e-mail the chairpersons of the OBA committees for which she serves as board liaison. Governor Farris reported he chaired the Tulsa County Bar Association Awards and Nominations Committee meeting, attended the TCBA Executive Committee meeting, spoke at the TCBA’s Annual Estate Planning Seminar on recent developments in probate, trust and estate law and attended the TCBA holiday party. He also attended the OBA Board of Governors meeting and new member orientation. Governor Hermanson reported he e-mailed committee chairs for which he serves as a board liaison congratulating them on their appointments, informing them of his service as their liaison and asking them what he could do to help. Before the meeting, he reviewed last year’s board minutes and its attachments in addition to other materials provided to new board members to facilitate understanding of issues to be faced. He also contacted the county bar presidents in Judicial District 1 to introduce himself and to offer assistance. Governor Hogan reported he attended the December board meeting, board luncheon and Pittsburg County Bar Association meeting. He also participated in a Christmas project in connection with the county bar. Governor Kennemer reported he attended the board Christmas party, December board meeting, Seminole/ Hughes County Bar Association luncheon and six hour monthly task force meeting to create a Uniform Residential Sales Contract in Oklahoma City. Governor Mordy reported he attended the December Board of Governors meeting and board Christmas party. Governor Parsley reported he attended the first meeting of the Audit Committee, board Christmas party, December Board of Governors meeting and two meetings of the Texas County Bar Association. Governor Souter reported he attended the Creek County Bar Association meeting in December, which included the election of officers and the annual Christmas social. He is working on contacting all county bar presidents in Judicial District 7 to introduce himself and to set up future meetings. He reviewed the board minutes for 2005, the 2006 orientation materials and the proposed changes to the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct. He is contacting the chairpersons of the Uniform Law and Legal Assistant Services Committees to introduce himself as their board liaison.

REPORT OF THE YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION

Governor Williams reported she attended the December YLD board meeting in Tulsa. At the meeting, they provided plaques to the YLD officer, director and committee chairperson of the year, as well as a plaque to Luke Gaither for all of his hard work as 2005 YLD chairperson. The division also discussed the upcoming year, YLD Leadership Retreat and Luke’s Roast. She also plans to attend the Law Day Committee meeting prior to the YLD meeting. The YLD Leadership Retreat will be held on Jan. 14. All division directors, committee chairs and liaisons will be present. She asked board members if there is anything that they would like presented to the group.

REPORT OF THE SUPREME COURT LIAISON

Justice Edmondson reported the Supreme Court has reviewed the allocation of funds for the amended 2006 OBA budget, proposed amendments to the rules of the Workers’ Compensation Court and Access to Justice Commission strategic plan. The court has also reviewed the Board of Governors’ proposed amendments to the Oklahoma Code of Judicial Conduct spurred by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2002 decision dealing with judicial campaigns and the permissible scope of comment on legal and political issues (Republican Party of Minnesota v. White, 536 U.S. 765).

LAW STUDENT DIVISION LIAISON

LSD Chair McGill reported she held a division Executive Committee meeting to plan events for this semester and also to discuss the logistics of electing next year’s leadership. She asked board members if they know law students interested in serving on the Executive Committee next year, to please encourage them to apply or to contact her for more details.

REPORT OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

General Counsel Murdock shared a status report of the Professional Responsibility Commission and OBA disciplinary matters.

ETHICS 2000 REPORT

President Grimm reported a committee meeting will be held soon. He said meetings will be held in various parts of the state to obtain member comments. A book of proposed changes has been provided and will need to be reviewed. It was decided the Board of Governors will set up the process of looking at two sets of rules at each meeting.

GENERAL PRACTICE, SOLO & SMALL FIRM SECTION RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND BYLAWS TO INCLUDE LAW STUDENT DIVISION MEMBERS

Governor Hermanson reviewed the amendment background. Discussion followed. The board approved the amendment with the understanding a further clarification will be made regarding the non-eligibility of law students to vote.

RECOMMENDATION TO PAY EXPENSES FOR LAW DAY COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS TO ATTEND ABA MEETING IN CHICAGO TO RECEIVE NATIONAL AWARD

Executive Director Williams reported the OBA’s Law Day Committee will be among those honored with an Outstanding Law Day Activity Award from the ABA Standing Committee on Public Education. Law Day Chairs Scott Pappas and Leland Shilling were introduced. Executive Director Williams asked the board to reimburse their expenses to allow them to accept the award to be presented at a luncheon during the ABA meeting in Chicago. The board approved paying their expenses to allow them to receive the national award.

WORK/LIFE BALANCE TASK FORCE

The board approved the request from the Work/Life Balance Task Force to convert its status from a task force to a committee.

COUNCIL ON JUDICIAL COMPLAINTS LEASE AGREEMENT

The board approved the one-year lease for the Council on Judicial Complaints that offices in the Oklahoma Bar Center.

RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE

President Grimm reported he is requesting that a task force be created to review whether the Oklahoma Bar Journal should be improved to an even higher level and to review all communication to bar members. The board approved the creation of the task force.

NEW LAWYER EXPERIENCE

Executive Director Williams reported that a joint program involving the Management Assistance Program and CLE Dept. has been created to offer a voluntary program for new lawyers on April 25. He said more new lawyers are going into solo practice, and this type of program will be especially helpful to them. Lunch will be provided as part of the program. The board approved the program.

CONSENT ITEMS

The board voted to approve the following:

Communications Task Force — Appoint Melissa DeLacerda, Stillwater, to chair the task force.

Travel Expenses — Governor Christensen and Educational Programs Director Douglas to attend ABA Women’s Leadership Conference in Chicago March 30-31, 2006.

RESIGNATION OF OBA IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

President Grimm reported 2005 OBA President Michael Evans has submitted his resignation to serve on the Board of Governors as immediate past president because of his new position as director for the Administrative Office of the Courts. Because no other person is eligible to fill the position, it will remain vacant the remainder of the year.

OBA DAY AT THE CAPITOL

Executive Director Williams reported bar members are urged to come to Oklahoma City on Tuesday, April 25, 2006, to participate in OBA Day at the Capitol. The day will begin with a briefing session at the bar center. He will contact last year’s caterer, who received rave reviews for the barbeque served at the State Capitol. He reviewed major issues to come up during the next session.

NEXT MEETING

The board will meet at 9 a.m. at the Oklahoma Bar Center in Oklahoma City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2006.