The Board of Governors of the Oklahoma Bar Association met at Sarkey’s Law Center on the campus of Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma City on Friday, Sept. 16, 2005.

Report Of The President

President Evans reported he attended the board meeting at Tahlequah and the OBA Awards Committee meeting in Oklahoma City. He helped coordinate the OBA's response to Hurricane Katrina and had several conferences with OBF/OBA leaders regarding the relationship between the two organizations.

REPORT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

Vice President Bozarth reported he attended the OBA Awards Committee meeting in Oklahoma City. He also attended a meeting with Executive Director Williams, Public Information Director Manning and staff members at Habitat for Humanity in Oklahoma City regarding finalizing work dates for the Justice House. As construction crew coordinator, he responded to numerous e-mail messages regarding the Justice House and is still looking for Justice House construction volunteers to fill the remaining dates.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

President-Elect Grimm reported he met with Executive Director Williams to discuss the 2006 budget draft, met with Judge Millie Otey to finalize a subcommittee report on intermediate discipline to the OBA Bench & Bar Committee, and met with OBF and OBA officers to discuss the management agreement and Hurricane Katrina assistance project. He reviewed the initial draft of the strategic plan matrix prepared by ABA staff member Elizabeth Derrico. He also attended meetings of the OBF Board of Trustees, OBA Bench & Bar Committee and conducted the OBA Budget Committee meeting.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Executive Director Williams reported construction will start on the Justice House Saturday. On Tuesday the Oklahoma County Bar Auxiliary will provide lunch for the construction crew. He said the first Monday in October is the annual Clean Off Your Desk Day at the Oklahoma Bar Center. Members of the Technology Committee will be there to share results of an employee technology survey, which is a test for future electronic surveys. Board members were invited. He reported he participated in meetings with foundation staff to work on IOLTA compliance, with a building contractor, with Law Student Division Chair McGill on division issues, with President Evans and with staff for an Annual Meeting planning phone conference with luncheon speaker Judge Sessions. Executive Director Williams attended the Oklahoma Access to Justice Commission meeting, budget draft meeting with President-Elect Grimm, Budget Committee meeting, meeting with OAMIC President Phil Fraim regarding donation of a plasma screen, conference with Gary Clark regarding the Technology Committee, directors meeting, staff celebration, meeting with Bank of Oklahoma representative Mary Pointer, meeting with Habitat for Humanity, swearing-in of Judge Bell, Law School Consortium teleconference, DHS Child Support Division open house, OBF Trustee meeting, Budget Committee meeting, Bench and Bar Committee Meeting and had a conference with Senate staff regarding proposed legislation. He also spoke at a CLE.

REPORT OF THE PAST PRESIDENT

Past President Woods reported he attended the August board meeting in Tahlequah and a meeting of the Bench and Bar Committee Judicial Campaign Subcommittee. He also participated in a meeting with OBA and Oklahoma Bar Foundation leaders to discuss matters of common interest between the OBA and the OBF.

REPORTS OF THE BOARD MEMBERS

Governor Beam reported he attended the board meeting in Tahlequah and enjoyed the Friday afternoon float trip that followed the meeting. Governor Caudle reported he attended the board meeting and related social activities in Tahlequah. He also attended the August Comanche County Bar Association meeting and CLE presentation. Governor Conger reported he attended the Oklahoma Bar Foundation Grants Committee meeting. Governor Hogan reported he has worked on the relief effort for the people in Mississippi and Louisiana. He also attended a Haskell County Bar Association event. Governor Holmes reported he attended the board meeting in Tahlequah, a Bench & Bar retreat hosted by former Governor Allen Smallwood, Cleveland County Bar Association luncheon meeting, Oklahoma County Bar Association annual dinner & dance event, William J. Holloway Jr. Inn of Court program planning meeting and the OBA Budget Committee meeting. Governor Kennemer reported he attended the board meeting in Tahlequah and the monthly six-hour task force meeting to create a Uniform Residential Sales Contract-OREC/OKC. He also worked on obtaining donations for the Justice House and OBA/OBF Katrina Relief Fund. Governor Parsley reported he attended the county bar reception and August board meeting in Tahlequah in addition to a meeting of the Texas County Bar Association. He reminded board members of the upcoming Boiling Springs Institute and urged them to attend. Governor Thomas reported she attended the board meeting in Tahlequah that included two float trips on the Illinois River and the Cherokee County Bar reception. She also attended a lunch reception for Robert Butkin, new University of Tulsa College of Law dean. She met with the board “has beens” to begin planning the January party and hosted a retirement party for Allan Stocker, a longtime Bartlesville attorney who is retiring after more than 50 years of practice.

REPORT OF THE YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION

Governor Gaither reported he participated in the strategic planning session at the Oklahoma City Zoo, prepared and passed out bar exam survival kits and conducted the YLD August board meeting. YLD members attended the ABA annual meeting in Chicago, organized new attorney social hours set for Oct. 6 at McNellie’s Public House in Tulsa and for Oct. 13 at Bricktown Brewery in Oklahoma City. The YLD also organized a volunteer day to work on the Justice House on Sept. 24.

Report of the Law Student Division

Chairperson McGill reported she attended the July Board of Governors meeting as well as two OLSD officer meetings. She said division board members have also attended orientations at the three law schools. She reported they have been very successful in their first attempts to recruit members. The division has planned social events with the bar for this semester and programming events at each of the law schools. They had recruitment tables at each of the schools for at least one entire school day and planned events for law students at the OBA Annual Meeting. The division also contacted all the sections to request membership for law students. She reminded board members about eating at Zio’s on South Meridian in Oklahoma City that is a fund-raising project for the Justice House.

COMMITTEE LIAISON REPORTS

Governor Caudle reported the Professional Committee, chaired by Judge Jane Wiseman, is working on a deposition rule.

RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE TO APPROVE TECHNOLAWYER ARCHIVE MEMBER BENEFIT

Management Assistance Program Director Calloway reviewed the approval process for different levels of sponsorship and described the background concerning a proposed member benefit recommended by the Member Services Committee. TechnoLawyer, an online resource for legal technology and management information, is offering OBA members access to its archive at no cost for one year. It was uncertain what the arrangement might be after the first year. The board approved the member service.

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE REPORT

Executive Director Williams reviewed information from Committee Chair John Trudgeon that accompanied a proposed investment policy. The emphasis of the policy was that funds should be held in a readily accessible form, with minimum risk of devaluation, to provide for programs and services to members as approved by the Board of Governors. The board approved the policy.

CONSIDERATION OF THE DIVERSITY BAR-REVIEW SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

On behalf of Diversity Committee Chairperson Joe McCormick, General Counsel Murdock reviewed the proposal of the Diversity Committee to create bar-review scholarships for law students of color and ethnicity who otherwise might not have financial resources to afford the course. The board voted to approve in principle a new resolution authorizing and endorsing the diversity bar-review scholarship initiative; however, the board requested the committee submit the full content of a new resolution to be submitted at a future meeting that would include the Kansas description of law students to be awarded the scholarships and the ultimate program goal.

BAR CENTER FACILITIES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO EMPLOY A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Administration Director Combs reported the committee has met several times and is now making a recommendation to hire Lingo Construction Services Inc. to be the contractor for the renovation and remodeling of the Oklahoma Bar Center. Committee Chair Jim Golden reported the committee is trying to be diligent in the careful spending of the association’s money. This company would complete the first two phases, then the committee will evaluate whether to continue with this contractor. The board approved the contract. It was pointed out that architectural and other fees are not included in the payments to the contractor.

MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE SUN TRUST BANK STUDENT LOAN CONSOLIDATION MEMBER BENEFIT

Administration Director Combs reviewed the background of the proposed member service. The board authorized OBA staff to address questions raised and to consider approval of the member benefit at the next meeting.

EMPLOYMENT POLICY REGARDING BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS

General Counsel Murdock clarified questions board members asked. The board voted to add the proposed policy on background investigation of prospective employees to the OBA employment policy.

RESOLUTION TO OCU SCHOOL OF LAW FOR HOSTING BOARD MEETING AND
LUNCHEON

The board voted to issue a resolution expressing appreciation to the law school for its hospitality.

AWARDS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OBA AWARDS

The board approved the recipients submitted by the Awards Committee to receive 2005 OBA awards at the Annual Meeting in November.

E2K STATUS REPORT

Gary Rife reported for Dean Larry Hellman that the subcommittee has been meeting regularly, and he recognized committee members, including several who drive long distances to attend meetings. He said the ABA sent two representatives when the project began to brief subcommittee members, and the ABA has continued to be supportive. He explained the subcommittee started with the ABA model rules and made choices whether to keep Oklahoma provisions. He said committee members are now creating a document of the current Oklahoma rule redlined with the proposed Oklahoma changes. It is hoped this task will be complete by mid-October. The document is 114 pages of single-spaced text. Executive Director Williams said a public hearing will be held at the Annual Meeting immediately following the board meeting. A closer review will begin in January 2006. Prior to the public hearing, the document will be made available on the Web site and a notice of its availability published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal.

DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS FOR HURRICANE KATRINA

Executive Director Williams reported the Oklahoma Bar Foundation has created a fund to assist Gulf Coast victims. Several board members have already sent donations. The OBA has also been in contact with Legal Aid Services, which has staff near Muskogee assisting evacuees staying at Camp Gruber.

THANK YOU FROM STATE BAR OF TEXAS

Vice President Bozarth reported the OBA received a letter from the State Bar of Texas expressing its appreciation to the association for its support of the Texas bar’s resolution on the judiciary.

GASSAWAY JUSTICE HOUSE UPDATE

Executive Director Williams reported that there are several more pledges of funding committed to the Justice House project, which essentially meets the $65,000 goal to build the house for Habitat for Humanity. He said buses will be available after the Annual Meeting luncheon to take people to the house dedication. Details about a presentation at the luncheon and at the dedication were described.

ANNUAL MEETING

Executive Director Williams reported he has talked to keynote luncheon speaker William Sessions.

BAR CENTER VIDEO INFORMATION SCREEN

Executive Director Williams reported a 42-inch plasma screen has been donated by Oklahoma Attorneys Mutual Insurance Co. that will hang near the front desk of the bar center. The screen will list meeting information. The board voted to issue a resolution expressing appreciation to Phil Fraim.

REPORT AND RESOLUTION TO OBA HOUSE OF DELEGATES REGARDING CREATION OF AN OBA PARALEGAL DIVISION

The board tabled consideration until the next meeting.

OBA BUDGET

President-Elect Grimm reported he will present the proposed 2006 OBA budget at the next meeting.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

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

NEXT MEETING

The board will meet at 9 a.m. on Oct. 14, 2005, at the Oklahoma Bar Center in Oklahoma City.