The Oklahoma Bar Association Board of Governors met at the Sheraton Hotel in Oklahoma City on Friday, August 24, 2007.

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

President Beam recognized Leadership Conference Task Force Chair Linda Thomas and thanked her and her task force members for their work in putting together the conference, which was drawing rave reviews from participants. He noted that this was only the third leadership conference in the OBA’s history and considered to be the best. The board voted to issue Ms. Thomas a certificate of appreciation for her leadership.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

President Beam reported he attended the executive director evaluation team meeting, Mentoring Task Force meeting, reception for retiring Justice Lavender and Custer County Bar Association meeting. In San Francisco he attended the ABA Annual Meeting, National Conference of Bar Presidents, Southern Conference of Bar Presidents and ABA House of Delegates. He also conducted the evaluation of Executive Director Williams and worked on Annual Meeting planning.

REPORT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

Vice President Dawson reported he attended the National Conference of Bar Presidents in San Francisco.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

President-Elect Conger reported he attended the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco and OBA Leadership Conference.

REPORT OF THE PAST PRESIDENT

Past President Grimm reported he attended the Southern Conference of Bar Presidents and National Conference of Bar President meetings in San Francisco. He also attended the OBA Leadership Conference.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Executive Director Williams reported he participated in interviews for the law-related education assistant and final interviews for the public information specialist, meetings with the builder and architect, Leadership Conference Task Force meeting, meeting with Educational Programs Director Douglas and District Attorney Bill Peterson regarding an Annual Meeting program, OBA staff directors meeting, staff monthly celebration, Technology Committee meeting and staff budget meeting. He attended the retirement ceremony and reception for Justice Lavender, OCU first-year class reception at the History Center, National Association of Bar Executives meeting and National Conference of Bar Presidents meeting in San Francisco in addition to the joint OBA Board of Governors and Leadership Conference dinner. He spoke at the OU College of Law orientation and at the OBA Leadership Conference. Executive Director Williams introduced LRE Coordinator McConnell, who introduced her new employee, Debra Jenkins. Public Information Director Manning introduced her new associate, Brandon Haynie. Executive Director Williams announced that his assistant, Sandy Neal, has resigned, and he has hired former OBA employee Debbie Brink, who worked as assistant to the executive director.

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

Governor Bates reported she attended the July board dinner and meeting, Cleveland County Bar Association meeting, Leadership Conference dinner and luncheon. She worked to recruit county bar associations to submit OBA awards nominations and participated in a telephone conference call with Governor Caudle regarding State Legal Referral Service Task Force issues.

Governor Caudle reported he attended the July board dinner and meeting, Mentoring Task Force meeting, Comanche County Bar Association meeting and county bar Law Day golf tournament that had been postponed. He chaired the State Legal Referral Service Task Force meeting in Oklahoma City and worked on preparing for a report for the board.

Governor Christensen reported she attended the July board dinner and board meeting, OBA Women in Law Committee meeting and conference planning, OBA Bench and Bar Committee meeting, Leadership Conference and joint conference dinner, OBA Mentoring Task Force meeting, OBA Audit Committee meeting and OCU School of Law dean's reception.

Governor Farris reported he attended the July board dinner and meeting, Tulsa County Bar Association Scholarship Committee meeting and TCBA Long-Range Planning Committee meeting. He made two presentations to volunteer attorneys and staff on behalf of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma and started teaching a new class on elder law at the University of Tulsa College of Law.

Governor Hermanson reported he attended the July board dinner and meeting in addition to the ABA Annual Meeting, where he presented a CLE program to the National Conference of Bar Presidents on “How Metro Bars Can Support Solo and Small Firms.” He had an article published on mentoring in GP/Solo, the ABA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division’s magazine. He also had telephone discussions and wrote a recommendation for the State Legal Referral Service Task Force on issues facing that group.

Governor Hogan reported he attended the July board dinner and meeting in addition to the Pittsburg County Bar Association monthly meeting.

Governor Kennemer reported he attended the July board dinner and meeting, Mentoring Task Force meeting, Seminole/Hughes Counties Bar Association luncheon, State Legal Referral Service Task Force meeting and Uniform Residential Sales Contract Task Force meeting.

Governor Reheard reported she attended the July board dinner and meeting, Bench and Bar Committee meeting and OBA Leadership Conference.

Governor Souter reported he attended the July board meeting and Leadership Conference programs. He served on the task force that planned the conference.

Governor Stockwell reported she attended the July board dinner and meeting, Cleveland County Bar Association planning meeting for a bowling tournament charity fundraiser, county bar executive committee meeting and county bar Bench and Bar Committee meeting.

REPORT OF THE YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION

Governor Camp reported he participated in the executive director’s evaluation in addition to a meeting with a ABA/YLD district representative regarding establishment of a FEMA hotline for Oklahoma flood victims and a meeting with ABA/YLD Affiliate Assistance Director Ryan Reed regarding creating a “Lunch with a Judge” program for new admittees. At the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, he also attended the ABA Young Lawyers Division Assembly, dinner hosted by President Beam, Oklahoma YLD delegation dinner and dinner for Oklahoma members of the ABA House of Delegates and the ABA House of Delegates meeting. He prepared information for publication in the bar journal regarding the upcoming YLD elections. Governor Camp thanked the board for its support of the conference that has generated a tremendous number of lawyers interested in running for YLD board vacancies.

REPORT OF THE LAW STUDENT DIVISION

LSD Chair Pappy reported she attended orientations to recruit first-year law students at the University of Tulsa College of Law, University of Oklahoma College of Law and Oklahoma City School of Law. She also attended various events at the OU law school to network with students and increase the division’s presence in Norman. She thanked the board for the opportunity to attend the conference, which she found to be very motivating.

REPORT OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

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

BAR CENTER RENOVATIONS

As Bar Center Facilities Committee Chair, President-Elect Conger reported that asbestos abatement has taken place and removal will begin soon. The Technology Committee has met, and a report will be coming soon. The OBA is waiting on final numbers before the contract is executed. The work is on schedule and set to be completed in May. President Beam reported a letter was sent to Chief Justice Winchester advising him the OBA will make its first construction payment this year, ahead of schedule because work started sooner than expected. The OBA has the money in reserve.

RECONSIDERATION OF COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE REPORT

The board voted to reconsider the Communications Task Force Report that was tabled at the May 18, 2007, meeting. Task Force Chairperson Melissa DeLacerda reviewed the background of the task force’s effort and summarized the recommendations. The board accepted the report and decided to discuss the recommendations in depth at the next several board meetings. The board commended Ms. DeLacerda for her work and that of the task force.

LEGAL INTERN ANNUAL REPORT

As board liaison to the Legal Intern Committee, Governor Farris said that contained in the committee’s annual report is a sentence about the committee completing work on a new intern exam. He noted that project is requiring a tremendous amount of work. The board accepted the report.

STATE LEGAL REFERRAL SERVICE TASK FORCE REPORT

As task force chairperson, Governor Caudle said the report is not quite ready because they are waiting on additional information. He explained the task force was created last year by President Grimm. They’ve had 14 meetings with 90 percent attendance. Task force representatives attended a national legal referral service conference, visited services in neighboring states and asked the ABA to conduct a parareview. He said the task force is working with the Tulsa County Bar Association, which has operated a successful county legal service for the past 30 years, to develop a proposal for a statewide service. He will request that the report be placed on the agenda again when the proposal is ready.

MENTORING TASK FORCE REPORT

Chairperson Jon Parsley reported the task force studied other state programs and has modeled its proposed plan after the programs that are successful. The program would be called OBA MentorMatch and would be started as a pilot program beginning in September with the formal kickoff at the New Attorney Experience seminars with applications available. The pilot would be limited to 50 matches, with an evaluation in one year to determine whether to continue the program. The board approved the pilot mentoring program.

LAWYER ADVERTISING TASK FORCE REPORT

As task force chairperson, Vice President Dawson reported that many states have outlawed embarrassing ads. He said a federal judge in New York has ruled that the First Amendment should apply to lawyer advertising. Oklahoma’s rules regarding lawyer advertising will change on Jan. 1, 2008. In light of the New York decision, he said the task force was going to hold its report pending activity at the appellate level.

RECOMMENDATION TO STRIKE MEMBERS

The board approved filing an application for an order striking names of bar members for nonpayment of 2006 dues. The board approved filing an application for an order striking names of bar members for noncompliance with MCLE 2005 requirements.

OBF APPOINTMENTS

The board voted to appoint to the Oklahoma Bar Foundation Trustees Jack S. Dawson, Oklahoma City; Michael C. Mordy, Ardmore; Luke Gaither, Henryetta; and Dennis Smith, Arapaho.

ABA ANNUAL MEETING REPORT

President Beam announced at the meeting the OBA was honored for its Law School for Legislators program. The program, sponsored by LexisNexis, includes a grant for $25,000 LexisNexis online legal research services.

NEXT MEETING

The board will meet in Oklahoma City on Friday, Sept. 21, 2007, in Eufaula.