| The Oklahoma Bar Association Board of Governors met at the Groendyke Lodge, in Enid on Friday, May 23, 2008.
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
President Conger reported he attended the Oklahoma County Bar Association Law Day luncheon, Tulsa County Bar Association Law Day luncheon, Pittsburg County Bar Association Law Day dinner, OCU Law School Legal Affair and three admission ceremonies at the Supreme Court. He gave the address at the Seminole County Bar Association Law Day luncheon, COALA luncheon, LSO Board of Directors luncheon and attended the LSO Board of Directors reception. He gave the commencement address at OCU, addressed the OCU law graduates at the class of 2008 reception, attended the OCU law graduation and addressed representatives of the Middle East at the Bar Center.
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT
President-Elect Parsley reported he attended the April board meeting at the Bar Center, Texas County Bar Association meeting, Legal Aid reception and participated in the Texas County Bar Ask A Lawyer program.
REPORT OF THE PAST PRESIDENT
Past President Beam reported he attended the April board meeting, two Custer County Bar Association meetings, Legal Aid Reception and the ABA General Practice Solo and Small Firm spring meeting in New Orleans.
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Executive Director Williams reported that he attended the April board meeting, MCLE Commission meeting, Audit Committee meeting, directors meeting, monthly staff celebration, Legal Aid Services reception, Oklahoma County Law Day luncheon, Seminole County Law Day luncheon and Pittsburg County Law Day dinner. He had numerous meetings with Lingo Construction Co. officials regarding the completion of the east wing remodel, K&W Architects regarding completion of remodeled space and Brandnew Designs regarding completion of remodeled space. He completed the directors’ evaluations, spoke at the Pickens County CLE in Ardmore, moved from the modular space into the newly remodeled space and met with Middle East representatives visiting the Oklahoma Bar Center.
BOARD MEMBER REPORTS
Governor Bates reported she attended the Tri-County Bar Association dinner, board meeting in Idabel, OBA Rule of Law Conference, OBA Awards Committee meeting, Oklahoma County Bar Awards Committee meeting and OBA Bench and Bar Committee meeting. Governor Brown reported he attended the LASO reception for Legal Services Corp. Board of Directors, Bench and Bar Committee meeting, ABA Judicial Division planning meeting, ABA Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Equal Justice Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. and the OBA board meeting in Idabel. He also worked on correspondence relating to revisions of the Oklahoma Code of Judicial Conduct. Governor Christensen reported she attended the April board meeting in Oklahoma City, Women in Law Committee meeting, Bench and Bar Committee meeting, Audit Committee meeting (by teleconference), reception for the LSO Board of Directors and OCBA Law Day luncheon. Governor Dirickson reported she attended the board meeting in Oklahoma City, Custer County Bar monthly meeting, Custer County Ask A Lawyer event and worked on the presentation for Solo and Small Firm Conference.
Governor Farris reported he attended the Tulsa County Bar Association “Call A Lawyer” phone bank, OBA Audit Committee meeting, OBA Legal Intern Committee meeting and TCBA board meeting. Governor Hermanson reported he attended the April Board of Governors meeting, ABA General Practice Solo and Small Firm Division spring meeting in New Orleans, OBA Law-related Education Committee meeting via teleconference and wrote an article for the ABA GPSSFD’s Law Trends electronic newsletter. Governor Hixson reported he attended the April board meeting, Professionalism Committee meeting and Canadian County Bar Association meeting.
Governor Reheard was absent and reported by e-mail that she attended the April board meeting, McIntosh County Bar Association Ask A Lawyer program, Pittsburg County Law Day banquet and finalized materials for a CLE presentation at the Solo and Small Firm Conference with Governors Stuart and Warren. Governor Souter was absent and reported by e-mail that he attended the April board meeting at the Bar Center, Audit Committee meeting, Creek County Bar Association meeting for May and the Legal Aid reception in Oklahoma City. Governor Stockwell reported she attended the OBA Board of Governors meeting, Cleveland County Bar Association Executive Committee meeting, Annual Meeting meeting and Law Day Committee meeting. Governor Stuart reported he attended the April board meeting in Oklahoma City, Seminole County CLE/Law Day luncheon, Legal Aid reception at the Hartzog Conger firm in Oklahoma City and prepared CLE materials for Governor Reheard's Solo and Small Firm Conference presentation.
REPORT OF THE YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION
Governor Warren reported she attended the April Board meeting in OKC, April YLD meeting in OKC, Legal Aid reception at the Hartzog Conger firm in Oklahoma City and three admission ceremonies at the Supreme Court. She also reported that the YLD has handed out many Gift of Life brochures and that the Wills for Heroes is up and running on the Web site. She also reported that they are trying to generate interest in the YLD among the new attorneys at the new attorney reception.
SUPREME COURT LIAISON REPORT
Justice Taylor reported that they have hired a new MIS Director to set up the statewide PACE management system, and they are moving toward getting all 77 counties online within the next two years. Once everyone is online with PACE, Kellpro being an outdated DOS program, will be eliminated. The Court Clerks Association is on board with this change. They are also moving toward a new credit card system in the court clerk offices and are testing it in five of the counties.
LAW STUDENT DIVISION LIAISON REPORT
LSD representative Janoe reported that he will be the new LSD chair and will be continuing to attend the Board of Governors meetings for the next year as the LSD representative.
GENERAL COUNSEL REPORT
General Counsel Murdock shared a status report of the Professional Responsibility Commission and OBA disciplinary matters. He reported that he attended the new admittees reception in Oklahoma City at Mickey Mantle’s and OBA directors meeting. He presented a CLE as part of the New Lawyer Experience seminar at the OBA, worked on moving confidential files back to OBA storage in the new building, consolidated additional files and met with foreign lawyers at the OBA with President Conger and Executive Director Williams.
BAR CENTER RENOVATIONS
President Conger reported that the renovation of the east wing is finished on time and that we are currently in the process of getting the art work and signage up to complete the move into the east wing. The OBA will hold a dedication on Sept. 11 at 2 p.m.
Executive Director Williams stated that he met with the architect and designer and performed a walk-through on the west wing to put together a plan for the budget on the remodeling of the west wing. The wallpaper in the conference room had problems and the representative of the wallpaper manufacturer has made some different suggestions. A meeting of the building committee will be set to view the samples.
Governor Stuart inquired about the lease on the modular buildings, and Executive Director Williams advised that the monthly rental was $4,500 a month. They are scheduled to be removed the first week of June and a certified letter was sent in February indicating our last payment would be in May. There is still a hole in the parking lot where the water meter was moved and some surface damage to correct. Repairs on the parking lot expected to be completed by July 1, 2008.
APPROVAL OF NON-CORPORATE RESOLUTION TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT WITH MULTI-BANK SECURITIES INC.
Administration Director Combs advised the proposed resolution is simply a housekeeping item for Multi-Bank Securities Inc., the OBA’s CD broker. Multi-Bank will give the form to Ridge Clearing House, an institutional securities broker confirming that we are who we say we are in case of an audit by government and securities regulators.
COMMISSION ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH NOMINEES TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR
President-Elect Parsley submitted the names of Judge Deborah C. Shallcross, Eric S. Eissenstat and Judge Lisa Hammond for submission to Governor Henry to replace Tammy Bachman, whose term expires this year. The three-year term of the selected nominee shall expire on December 31, 2011. The board approved the nominees.
AMENDMENT TO RULE 12 OF THE OBA HOUSE RULES
Executive Director Williams advised that a proposed change to House Rule 12 provides more specific guidelines for serving and/or eating food in the Bar Center. The board approved the amendment.
AUDIT REPORT
Governor Farris reviewed the audit and noted that there were no deficiencies. He pointed out that the money in our operating account is not federally insured due to the size of the amount and is considered a “concentration of credit risk.” This money is swept into short-term government securities and is safe unless the government goes bankrupt. Although, the board was assured that this is standard operating procedure, Governor Stockwell has asked if this can be memorialized. President Conger and Governor Farris have advised that they will find out and the Audit Committee will address this. The Audit Committee will meet either next month or this summer to implement a procedure as to what to do as far as an oversight for the OBA.
There are three items for improvement noted in the letters from Finley & Cook – adding software to integrate the accounting system, recording cash in the General Counsel’s office and implementing a program requiring all credit card receipts and/or supporting documentation be submitted and that it be submitted in a timely manner. He reported that there are some challenges in the software that are being addressed on the integration issue and that the two other issues have been resolved. The board approved the audit report.
MCLE COMMISSION
Executive Director Williams reported he attended the MCLE Commission meeting on Thursday, and they have approved an increase from three hours to six hours for online credit for CLE. He further advised this will be communicated to the Supreme Court before it is finalized.
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
Executive Director Williams reported that a meeting has been set for June 11, 2008, at Jon Trudgeon’s office with teleconferencing available for those wishing to join via telephone.
PERSONNEL POLICY – SHARED LEAVE
Executive Director Williams reported that this amendment to the existing policy makes it easier for employees to share leave with a seriously ill co-worker. The board approved the amendment.
RESOLUTION FOR GARFIELD COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
The board voted to give the Garfield County Bar Association a resolution in gratitude and appreciation for its hospitality in hosting the Board of Governors in Enid.
OKLAHOMA CHILDREN AND JUVENILE LAW REFORM COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT
President Conger reappointed Anne B. Sublett for a second one-year term expiring June 30, 2009.
DEDICATION OF BAR CENTER EAST WING RENOVATION
President Conger invited and urged the board to attend the dedication scheduled for Sept. 11, 2008, at 2 p.m. All bar members are invited.
Executive Session
The Board of Governors met in executive session. No action was taken.
2008 LAW DAY REPORT
Law Day Committee Chairperson Giovanni Perry reported that the Law Day events went exceptionally well, but that she would like to change the format somewhat. She further advised that they need to recruit many more volunteers.
NEXT MEETING
The board will meet at Tanglewood on Friday, June 20, 2008, at noon.
Editor’s Note: Summaries of previous meetings can be found at www.okbar.org/obj/
boardactions/default.htm |
