The Oklahoma Bar Association Board of Governors met at the Ardmore Convention Center in Ardmore on Friday, July 21, 2006.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

President Grimm reported Governor Hermanson is the subject of a feature article in the July/August ABA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division GP Solo magazine. President Grimm gave the dinner speech regarding the legal profession at PACE opening ceremonies to attendees, recruited Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee members for submission to the board and conducted the OBA Rules of Professional Responsibility public hearing at the Tulsa County Bar Center.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

President-Elect Beam reported he attended the Solo and Small Firm Conference, Board of Governors meeting at Tanglewood Resort, Access to Justice Advisory Committee meeting and Custer County Bar Association meeting. He was involved in OBA planning for next year and several conferences with Executive Director Williams and President Grimm. He also met with Executive Director Williams and his assistant, Sandy Neal, in Weatherford to work on committee appointments.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Executive Director Williams reported the Family Law Section asked him to speak at its recent meeting on the OBA’s new mental health member benefit. He attended the Solo and Small Firm Conference, State Legal Referral Service Task Force meeting, retirement lunch for OBA employee Jo Beall, Access to Justice Advisory Committee meeting, two PACE Institute receptions, OBA directors meeting, staff budget meeting and Past President C.D. Northcutt’s 90th birthday celebration in Ponca City. He met with Wenona Barnes regarding the crisis counseling contract, traveled to Weatherford for an office visit with President-Elect Beam and participated in conferences with elected leadership. He also made the opening remarks at the PACE Monday morning session and spoke at the Woodward County Bar Association meeting and Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

Governor Caudle reported he chaired the third State Legal Referral Service Task Force meeting. Representatives from a Kansas lawyer referral program were present to describe how their program operates. Governor Caudle said he is hoping to get law schools involved in the task force’s work that will study other ABA models. He attended the Solo and Small Firm Conference, June Board of Governors meeting and Comanche County Bar Association meeting and CLE. He is preparing for the board’s September meeting and socials in Lawton. He also briefed District Nine county bar association presidents on board and task force agendas. Governor Christensen reported she attended the Solo and Small Firm Conference and June Board of Governors meeting at Tanglewood Resort, Oklahoma County Bar Association luncheon and OBA Bar Center Facilities Committee meeting. Governor Farris reported he attended the Board of Governors meeting and Solo and Small Firm Conference at Tanglewood and Tulsa County Bar Association executive committee meeting. He chaired the TCBA Awards and Nominations Committee and chaired the Tulsa County Bar Foundation meeting. Governor Hermanson reported he presented a CLE seminar for the Garfield County Bar Association on “The Ethics of Dealing with the Media.” He attended the Board of Governors social event and May board meeting in Oklahoma City, Solo and Small Firm Conference and June board meeting at Tanglewood in addition to the OBA Member Services Committee and State Legal Referral Service Task Force meetings in Oklahoma City. He also attended a reception honoring OBA Past President C.D. Northcutt. Governor Hogan reported he attended the Solo and Small Firm Conference and June Board of Governors meeting at Tanglewood in addition to the Pittsburg County Bar Association luncheon. Governor Kennemer reported he attended the annual “Sheep Creek” golf tournament and social event sponsored by the Pontotoc County Bar Association, Solo and Small Firm Conference, Board of Governors June meeting at Tanglewood Resort, two State Legal Referral Service Task Force meetings in Oklahoma City, Seminole/Hughes County Bar Association luncheon and OBA Communications Committee meeting, on which he serves as board liaison. Governor Parsley reported he attended the Solo and Small Firm Conference and Board of Governors June meeting at Tanglewood Resort. He also attended two Texas County Bar Association meetings. Governor Reheard reported she attended the Solo and Small Firm Conference and the June board meeting.

REPORT OF THE LAW STUDENT DIVISION LIAISON

LSD Chair Robben reported she attended the Solo and Small Firm Conference, Board of Governors June meeting and YLD board meeting/midyear meeting, all at Tanglewood Resort. She also chaired the OLSD executive committee planning session.

REPORT OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

General Counsel Murdock shared a status report of the Professional Responsibility Commission and OBA disciplinary matters. He reported he has hired an investigator, Dorothy Walos, and is interviewing to fill an assistant general counsel position. He also presented CLE programs to Lawyers for Working Oklahomans and the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He attended an OBA directors meeting, worked on the 2007 budget with Administration Director Combs and met with Gina Hendryx and Jim Calloway on the Disciplinary Diversionary Program.

MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

MAP Director Calloway reported more than 30 states now offer some form of online legal research as a member benefit. Oklahoma is unique in the member service provided by the Supreme Court with its www.oscn.net. Member Services Committee members heard presentations from Fastcase and Casemaker, which both provide documents from the U.S. Supreme Court, circuit courts, federal code, federal regulations and federal rules. The committee noted Fastcase has an edge on case law, while Casemaker has an edge on statutes. Director Calloway reviewed how each service works. The committee, based on its review of the two products, recommended the board consider offering Fastcase as an OBA member benefit. The budget impact was discussed. The board decided to continue research and to vote on the recommendation when more budget information is available.

ACCESS TO JUSTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The board unanimously approved a resolution encouraging Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation to support increased funding for Legal Services Corp., which in turn funds local legal aid programs such as Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma Inc.

ACCESS TO JUSTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO SUPPORT OKLAHOMA CHILDREN’S LAW CENTER

President Grimm reviewed the idea for a Children’s Law Center, a new nonprofit organization with the goal to create a multidisciplinary center designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of Oklahoma lawyers who represent children. He said the Access to Justice Advisory Committee is asking the board to endorse the concept. The board voted to endorse the formation of the Oklahoma Children’s Law Center as a not-for-profit Oklahoma corporation dedicated to providing statewide, on-site training for lawyers representing children in deprived, delinquency, adoption, guardianship, treatment and other cases and providing a central resource for information, litigation support and consultation for attorneys presenting children throughout Oklahoma.

CREATION OF UNAUTHORIZED PRACTICE OF LAW COMMITTEE

President Grimm reviewed the need for an Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee to assist General Counsel Murdock with investigations for the Professional Responsibility Commission. He presented a list of proposed committee members with the recommendation of Oklahoma City attorney Charles F. Alden as its chairperson. The board approved the creation of the new committee and its recommended chairperson and committee members.

FUNDING FOR REPRESENTATIVES TO ATTEND 2006 NATIONAL LAWYER REFERRAL WORKSHOP

The board approved travel expenditures for Governors Caudle and Kennemer with their spouses to attend the Lawyer Referral & Information Service workshop in Albuquerque, N.M., Oct. 11-14, 2006.

IOLTA GRANT APPLICATION

President Grimm reviewed a grant application to fund the creation of the OBA/OBF Center for Public Policy and the Law. The center would be a joint project between the OBA and the foundation to facilitate greater understanding of the law and public policy issues relating to the legal system. Executive Director Williams explained that adult education and monitoring of consumer-related legislation would be among its goals. A planning meeting will take place soon. The board approved submitting the grant application.

BUILDING RENOVATIONS

Executive Director Williams reported concrete is being poured in sections. The outdoor plaza will be dedicated to the late John Shipp, past OBA president and executive director. Lawyers from southeastern Oklahoma are raising money for a commemorative plaque. Chief Justice Watt will participate in a dedication of the plaza in the fall. The new entrance design plans calls for quotes to be sandblasted into the concrete, and Governor Christensen is working on quote selection.

REPORT ON COST OF MAILING SURVEY WITH DUES STATEMENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE

Administration Director Combs reported the estimated cost for a one-page survey to be mailed to all bar members with the dues statement with a return postage-paid envelope plus postage is $5,000 or less. He said there is sufficient money within the current budget to fund the project. The board approved up to $5,000 in funding for the Communications Task Force to survey bar members.

ETHICS 2000 REPORT

President Grimm led discussion of the rules to be discussed. Ethics Counsel Hendryx noted the Ethics 2000 Committee recommends the ABA version of Rule 7.2 regarding advertising with changes and that no rule is proposed for 7.6. The board approved the committee’s recommendations for Rules 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 and 7.6 subject to the completion of the project.

CONSIDERATION OF RULE 1.15

The board decided to hold consideration of Rule 1.15 until next month’s meeting in Stillwater.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

The board voted to go into executive session, met in session and voted to come out of executive session.

RESOLUTION

The board voted unanimously to issue a resolution supporting the nomination of OBA Vice President Jerome Holmes to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals that will be sent to Oklahoma’s U.S. senators, who will vote upon his confirmation.

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