The Oklahoma Bar Association Board of Governors met at the Oklahoma Bar Center in Oklahoma City on Friday, July 25, 2008.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

President Conger thanked board members for attending the reception for the Chinese lawyers and law students held at the Oklahoma Bar Center last night. He reported he attended the board meeting in Texoma, Solo and Small Firm Conference, Leadership Academy meeting, Bench and Bar Committee meeting, reception for the Chinese students and visitors from the Tianjin Bar Association. He taught a course in Freiburg, Germany.

REPORT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

Vice President Mordy reported he attended the June Board of Governors meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, Carter County Bar meeting, Oklahoma Bar Foundation meeting, reception for Chinese attorneys and students and the swearing in of Judge Deborah Barnes to the Court of Civil Appeals.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

President-Elect Parsley reported he attended the June board meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, State Bar of Texas annual meeting, two Texas County Bar Association meetings, Oklahoma Bar Foundation meeting and a reception for the Chinese students and visitors from the Tianjin Bar Association.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Executive Director Williams reported he attended the Leadership Academy Task Force meeting, legislative hearing on a “four-day work week” and flex time, Insurance Trust meeting, reception and dinner for Chinese lawyers and law students, open house of Gungoll Jackson et al, monthly staff celebration, directors meeting, swearing in of Judge Barnes to the Court of Civil Appeals and PACE reception. He also spoke to attendees at a PACE session held at the OBA, moderated a program at the Solo and Small Firm Conference, participated in a conference call regarding speaking on a panel for the National Conference of Bar Presidents and did an interview with Tulsa Legal News Editor Ralph Schaffer regarding the building renovation.

REPORT OF THE PAST PRESIDENT

Past President Beam reported he attended the Solo and Small Firm Conference and the Custer County Bar Association meeting.

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

Governor Bates Governor Bates reported she attended the June board meeting at the Tanglewood Resort, Solo and Small Firm Conference, Cleveland County Bar Association luncheon and reception for representatives of the Tianjin Bar Association and law students. She also completed two articles for OU law school's Sooner Lawyer alumni magazine -- one on Burns Hargis and one on Winfrey Houston. Governor Brown reported he attended the OBA Solo and Small Firm Conference, Board of Governors meeting and Bench and Bar Committee meeting. Governor Christensen reported she attended the June board meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, Bench and Bar Committee meeting, New Mexico Bar Association annual meeting, Oklahoma Bar Foundation meeting and a reception for the Chinese students and visitors from the Tianjin Bar Association. Governor Dirickson reported she attended the June board meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, Custer County Bar Association monthly meeting and was a CLE presenter at the Solo and Small Firm Conference. Governor Farris reported he attended the June board meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, OBA Leadership Academy Task Force meeting and OBA Legal Intern Committee meeting. He also answered phones and gave legal advice for the Tulsa County Bar Association Call-A-Lawyer event on TV station KJRH. Governor Hermanson reported he attended the June Board of Governors meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, Bench and Bar Committee meeting, OBA Criminal Law Section’s board meeting and wrote an article for the ABA GP/Solo’s Law Trends electronic newsletter. Governor Hixson reported he attended the June board meeting, OBA Solo and Small Firm Conference at Tanglewood Resort, Professionalism Committee meeting, Canadian County Bar Association social hosted by Fletcher Dal Handley Jr. and a Clients' Security Fund Committee meeting. Governor McCombs reported he attended the June board meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference and McCurtain County Bar luncheon. He prepared and e-mailed a report at the request of the local bar president concerning advantages of an insurance program offered by Beale Professional and contacted several out-of-county bar members to set up visits with them about bar association benefits they might not be aware of. Governor Reheard reported she attended the June board meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, Bench and Bar Committee meeting and reception for the Chinese delegation. She also presented a CLE with Governor Stuart and YLD Chair Warren at the Solo and Small Firm Conference, a noon ethics CLE to Custer County Bar Association and assisted in planning a program for joint OBA/OCDLA CLE seminar in October. Governor Souter reported he attended the June board meeting, OBA Solo and Small Firm Conference and a reception for attorneys and law students from China. Governor Stockwell reported she attended the June board meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, Cleveland County Bar Association Executive Committee meeting and Cleveland County Bar Association luncheon and CLE. Governor Stuart reported he attended the Pottawatomie County Bar Association's recent photo shoot and Solo and Small Firm Conference. He was a co-presenter on Deb Reheard's CLE seminar at the Solo and Small Firm Conference and reviewed articles for possible publication in the bar journal as a member of the Board of Editors.

REPORT OF THE YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION

Governor Warren reported she attended the June board meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, YLD Board meeting, a reception for the Chinese delegation and was a co-presenter of a CLE with Governors Stuart and Reheard at the Solo and Small Firm Conference.

LAW STUDENT DIVISION LIAISON REPORT

LSD Vice Chair Jenny Jackson from the OU College of Law reported the division is working on recruitment. Although not present for the meeting, LSD representative Janoe reported via e-mail that he attended the June board meeting at Tanglewood Resort and a Law Student Division Executive Meeting in Bricktown with Jenny Jackson and Nathan Milner.

BOARD LIAISON REPORTS

Governor Christensen reported on highlights of the New Mexico Bar Association annual meeting she attended. President-Elect Parsley shared details of the State Bar of Texas annual meeting he attended. He said this year's upcoming OBA bar convention keynote speaker Jeffrey Toobin spoke and did an excellent job.

GENERAL COUNSEL REPORT

General Counsel Murdock shared a status report of the Professional Responsibility Commission and OBA disciplinary matters. General Counsel Murdock reported he attended the June board meeting, Solo and Small Firm Conference, OBA Director’s meeting and a reception on Thursday evening in honor of the Chinese delegation from Tianjin, China. He also spoke to the group of Chinese lawyers and law students at OCU Law School, presented a CLE at Solo and Small Firm Conference with Gina Hendryx and Jim Calloway, met with Laurie Jones and staff members from the OCU Law School at the OBA where they were filming a video about their volunteer internship program and the interaction with the Office of the General Counsel and met with the PRT at their annual luncheon meeting and provided information about the new hearing room.

PARALEGAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE PARALEGAL DIVISION

Committee Chair Joseph Bocock reviewed the committee’s proposal to amend the OBA Bylaws to create a Paralegal Division within the OBA. The division’s mission would be “to provide an established forum for paralegals to improve skills utilized by the legal team in the provision of legal services and to promote interaction among legal assistants and between legal assistants and lawyers to develop better ways to serve the needs of clients and the public.” Six states have paralegal divisions. Committee Vice Chair David Poarch helped to answer questions raised by board members. The board voted to issue a “do not pass” recommendation to the committee’s proposal that would require a vote of the OBA House of Delegates. President Conger reviewed the history of board action on this proposal two years ago.

PROFESSIONALISM COMMITTEE REQUESTS

Committee Chair Sharisse O'Carroll reported the committee would like to send a letter on OBA letterhead to county bar presidents encouraging counties to adopt a deposition rule similar to the rule adopted in Tulsa and Oklahoma counties. The board voted to file an application with the Supreme Court to make the deposition rule part of the district court rules.

Chair O’Carroll reported the committee recommends the printing of selected Standards of Professionalism on 16” x 20” posters, and she shared the committee’s ideas for distribution. The board especially liked the idea of giving copies to new lawyers. The board tabled action until more research is done on cost.

APPOINTMENTS

The board approved:

Oklahoma Bar Foundation - appoint Judge Valerie Couch, Oklahoma City, and Dietmar Caudle, Lawton; reappoint Cathy Christensen, Oklahoma City, and Linda Thomas, Bartlesville, all to three-year terms (expires 12/31/11).

District Attorneys Council - appoint Dennis A. Smith, Arapaho, to complete the unexpired term of Cathy Stocker (expires 06/30/09).

The Board of Governors voted to meet in executive session to discuss the executive director's annual evaluation.

NEXT MEETING

The board will meet at the Oklahoma Bar Center on Friday, Aug. 22, 2008.