{"id":9,"date":"2018-08-21T16:19:20","date_gmt":"2018-08-21T16:19:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/?page_id=9"},"modified":"2025-11-07T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T20:10:49","slug":"barbusiness","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/barbusiness\/","title":{"rendered":"Bar Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n\t\tBAR BUSINESS<\/strong>\n\t<\/h1>\n

\n\t\tGeneral Assembly<\/strong>\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

Association business begins at 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, during the General Assembly. The program includes\u00a0OBA award presentations and In Memoriam as well as updates from judicial and OBA leaders.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tHouse of Delegates<\/strong>\n\t<\/h2>\n\tThe House of Delegates will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, following the General Assembly. Association business including leadership elections and consideration of resolutions takes place during the House of Delegates meeting. The House of Delegates shall be composed of one delegate or alternate from each County of the State, who shall be an active or senior member of the Bar of such County, as certified by the Executive Director at the opening of the annual meeting; providing that each County where the active or senior resident members of the Bar exceed fifty shall be entitled to one additional delegate or alternate for each additional fifty active or senior members or major fraction thereof. In the absence of the elected delegate(s), the alternate(s) shall be certified to vote in the stead of the delegate. In no event shall any County elect more than thirty (30) members to the House of Delegates.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tClick for County Delegate Information\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"PDF\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t

House of Delegates NOTICE OF MEETINGS<\/a><\/h4>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"PDF\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t

RULES of OBA House of Delegates<\/a><\/h4>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"PDF\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t

2025 Title Examination Standards<\/a><\/h4>\t\t\n

\n\t\t2026 LEADERSHIP AND CANDIDATES\n\t<\/h1>\n\t

Board of Governors Vacancies<\/a><\/h2>\n

The deadline for submitting nominating petitions was 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, 2025.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Board of Governors is comprised of 17 active members of the Oklahoma Bar Association. One representative is elected for each of the nine Supreme Court judicial districts,\u00a0as such districts existed prior to January 1, 2020<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>[Order No. SCBD 4483 (2020 OK 17)<\/a>],\u00a0 by lawyers in those respective districts plus three statewide at-large members and the\u00a0Young Lawyers Division<\/a>\u00a0chairperson. Officers are the president, vice president, president-elect and secretary\/treasurer.<\/p>\n

For information on current board members and officers,\u00a0visit the Board of Governors page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\t

2026 Board of Governors<\/h2>\n

Elections for contested positions will be held at the House of Delegates meeting Nov. 7, during the 2025 OBA Annual Meeting. Terms of the present OBA officers and governors will terminate Dec. 31, 2025.<\/p>\n\t

2026 President<\/h3>\n\t\"\"Amber Peckio, Tulsa
\n<\/strong>\n

Amber Peckio is a solo practitioner with the Amber Law Group in Tulsa. As an AV-rated preeminent attorney with more than 20 years of trial experience, Ms. Peckio primarily practices in litigation, insurance dispute litigation, complex family litigation and personal injury litigation. She also works extensively in the newly established cannabis law field in Oklahoma and routinely counsels Oklahoma businesses in all cannabis-related legal matters.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About Amber Peckio<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Ms. Peckio currently serves as president-elect on the OBA Board of Governors after having served as vice president in 2024. She is the past chair of the OBA Cannabis Law Committee and a member of the American Bar Association, where she previously served as vice chair of the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section Cannabis Policy and Law Committee and as state membership chair for Oklahoma. She also co-hosted “Between Two Weeds – Joint Sessions: 2025 Cannabis Legislation Preview” for OBA CLE. She served the OBA as an Oklahoma Bar Foundation Trustee from 2014 to 2019, Women in Law Committee chair in 2007, Lawyer Advertising Task Force member in 2007, Young Lawyers Division board director for Tulsa from 2006 to 2014, Professionalism Committee member, Law Related Education Committee chair, Solo and Small Firm Conference Planning Committee member, Audit Committee member in 2022, graduate of the inaugural OBA Leadership Academy in 2009 and a frequent CLE speaker. \u00a0
<\/p>\n

Ms. Peckio was also active in the Tulsa County Bar Association, having served as vice president in 2020, secretary in 2019 and small firm director in 2021. She received her J.D. from the TU College of Law in 2003 and is admitted to practice in all courts in the state of Oklahoma and before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Northern and Western districts of Oklahoma and the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. As a graduate of the TU College of Law, she has served as a past member of the Alumni Association board. She is also a sustaining member of the Junior League of Tulsa. Ms. Peckio lives in Tulsa with her beloved dogs, Woody and Hendricks.\u00a0
<\/p>\n

Elected as the 2025 president-elect and serving one year in that position, Ms. Peckio automatically becomes president Jan. 1, 2026.<\/p>\n\t

2025 President<\/h3>\n\t\"\"D. Kenyon Williams Jr., Sperry
\n<\/strong>\n

D. Kenyon Williams Jr. is a shareholder at the Tulsa office of Hall Estill, having joined the firm in 1996. Prior to joining, Mr. Williams served as in-house counsel for Helmerich & Payne after forming his own firm in 1977. He received his bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from TU and his J.D. from the TU College of Law. He is licensed in Oklahoma and Arkansas and represents businesses and communities in environmental, regulatory, administrative and litigation matters. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About D. Kenyon Williams Jr.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Mr. Williams has been active in the OBA and the Tulsa County Bar Association throughout his career. He has served in almost every TCBA position, including president in 2014 and Tulsa County Bar Foundation Trustee. While serving as president, the TCBA was awarded the OBA Outstanding County Bar Association Award. The association also received the OBA Hicks Epton Law Day Award for its outstanding Law Day while he was serving as the TCBA Law Day chair. \u00a0
<\/p>\n

In the OBA, Mr. Williams has served as governor for Judicial District 6 on the Board of Governors and as a master, vice chief master and presiding master for the Professional Responsibility Tribunal. He has also served as chair of the Professionalism Committee and the Environmental Law Section and on various other OBA committees. Currently, Mr. Williams serves on the Budget Committee and the Professional Responsibility Commission. He is a frequent CLE presenter and a former recipient of the OBA Earl Sneed Award in recognition of his contribution to continuing legal education. The TCBA also awarded him the Gary C. Clark Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his many years of service to the TCBA and the legal profession.\u00a0
<\/p>\n

Mr. Williams serves as an elder of The Park Church of Christ, where he and his wife, Teresa, and two of their three adult children and families also attend. Their third adult child and two of their eight grandchildren live in Scottsdale, Arizona.<\/p>\n\t

\n

2026 Newly Elected Board of Governors<\/h3>\n

Pursuant to Rule 3, Section 3 of the OBA bylaws, the following nominees have been deemed elected due to no other person filing for the position.<\/p>\n\t

Vice President<\/h3>\n\t

\"\"Nominee: S. Shea Bracken, Edmond<\/strong><\/p>\n

S. Shea Bracken is an attorney with Maples, Nix & Diesselhorst in Edmond. His practice focuses on catastrophic injury, including medical malpractice, birth injury and products liability. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Infantry and is a decorated war veteran with a combat deployment to Fallujah, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom II. He earned his bachelor’s degree from OSU and his J.D. with honors from the OCU School of Law.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About S. Shea Bracken<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Mr. Bracken is a member of the American Association for Justice, including the Birth Trauma Litigation Group and the Attorneys Information Exchange Group; the Oklahoma County Bar Association; and the Oklahoma Association for Justice. He served on the OBA Board of Governors from 2022 to 2024. He currently serves as an Oklahoma Bar Foundation Trustee and as co-chair of the OBA Military Assistance Committee. He also participates in the OCU Law Mentorship Program and is a member of the OBA Mock Trial, Legislative Monitoring and Bench and Bar committees.\u00a0
<\/p>\n

He is active in the community, including serving as a member of the Deer Creek Schools Foundation board, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Marine Corps League. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Lindsay, and his daughters, Makenna and Teagan. He also enjoys traveling, exercising, reading, playing video games, watching movies and anything involving sports, especially the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tottenham Hotspur and the Detroit Lions.<\/p>\n\t

Supreme Court Judicial District 2<\/h3>\n\t

\"\"Nominee: Chris D. Jones, Durant<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chris D. Jones was raised in Bryan County. He graduated from Calera Public Schools and attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education. He then obtained an MBA from the University of Central Oklahoma. He graduated cum laude from the OCU School of Law, where he was active in many organizations, including the Oklahoma City University Law Review and mock trial team.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About Chris D. Jones<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

After law school, he threw out a shingle in Durant, where he is currently a solo practitioner. He is admitted to practice in the federal courts of the Eastern, Western and Northern districts of Oklahoma. Mr. Jones, his wife, Leann, and their two young children run a cattle ranch in Bryan County. They love to cruise in their spare time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t

Supreme Court Judicial District 8<\/h3>\n\t

\"\"Nominee: Blayne P. Norman, Wewoka<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blayne P. Norman serves as assistant district attorney for Hughes and Seminole counties, where he works to uphold justice and protect the community in which he grew up. His practice includes criminal and juvenile matters, but his focus extends beyond the courtroom – building trust and strengthening partnerships with law enforcement, local agencies and families.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About Blayne P. Norman<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Mr. Norman is deeply rooted in community service. He is the president of the Seminole County Bar Association, and he serves on the Oklahoma Child Death Review Board for the Southeastern Region, working to improve systems and outcomes for children and families across the state. He also volunteers with his church’s worship team, contributing his time and music to support his community in another way.\u00a0
<\/p>\n

As a graduate of OU, with degrees in finance and accounting, and the OCU School of Law, he brings both analytical skill and a servant-leader mindset to his work. His experiences range from aviation law to mediation and public service, but his commitment to people has remained constant throughout his career.\u00a0
<\/p>\n

Whether in the courtroom, at church or within local organizations, Mr. Norman strives to give back to the communities that shaped him. He looks forward to continuing that service as part of the OBA Board of Governors.<\/p>\n\t

Supreme Court Judicial District 9<\/h3>\n\t

\"\"Nominee: Kristy E. Loyall, El Reno<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kristy E. Loyall has been practicing law since 2011, with family law as her primary area of practice. She is a partner at Bass Law Firm in El Reno, and her practice is broken down into three areas: litigation, guardian ad litem appointments and mediation. She also serves as the city prosecutor for the city of El Reno.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About Kristy E. Loyall<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

She lives in Yukon with her husband, Tyeson, and two young sons. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in English from the University of Central Oklahoma. She received her J.D. with honors from the OU College of Law in 2011. After being admitted to practice law, Ms. Loyall began her career working for a general practice law firm in Oklahoma City. In 2012, she joined the national law firm of Cordell & Cordell. During that tenure, she was selected to serve as a lead litigator for the firm and attended the prestigious National Institute of Trial Advocacy Family Law Trial Advocacy Program.\u00a0
<\/p>\n

She served as president of the Canadian County Bar Association from 2023 to 2024, after previously holding the role of vice president from 2021 to 2022. She was named Mediator of the Year in 2022 by the OBA Family Law Section.<\/p>\n\t

Member at Large<\/h3>\n\t

\"\"Nominee: Molly A. Aspan, Tulsa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Molly A. Aspan is a partner with Practus LLP in Tulsa, where she began working in 2021 after 18 years at Hall Estill. She regularly counsels and trains employers on best practices for reducing risk and litigation and maintaining a productive workforce. She has been nationally recognized for her work in the area of labor and employment, and she is a frequent speaker at labor and employment-related seminars and conferences.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About Molly A. Aspan<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Ms. Aspan is a past recipient of the Mona Salyer Lambird Spotlight Award, the OBA Outstanding Service to the Public Award and the OBA Young Lawyer of the Year Award. She has also served for many years as chair of the OBA Disaster Response and Relief Committee. She is also past president of the Board of Directors for Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, past president of the Council Oak\/Johnson-Sontag American Inn of Court and the Tulsa delegate to the ABA House of Delegates, where she is active on several sections and committees. She is also a member of the Professional Responsibility Commission.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ms. Aspan is a 2003 graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Fort Hays State University in 2000. Having grown up on a farm, she knows the value of hard work and teamwork. When she is not working hard for her clients, you’ll find her cheering on her daughter at the soccer fields, enjoying time spent with family and friends, working to improve her community and returning to her family’s farm during harvest to pitch in.<\/p>\n\t

OBA YLD Chair<\/h3>\n\t

\"\"Nominee: Alexandra J. “Allie” Gage<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alexandra J. “Allie” Gage is an estate planning attorney with Oath Law in Tulsa. She graduated from OSU in 2013 and spent several years serving communities abroad. In 2017, Ms. Gage returned to Tulsa to begin her legal career by attending the TU College of Law, graduating in just 2 1\/2 years with honors while also serving as president of the Board of Advocates, supervising editor for the Tulsa Law Review and chief justice of the Student Bar Association.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About Allie Gage<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

After law school, Ms. Gage began a career in civil litigation at a prestigious downtown Tulsa firm before transitioning to estate planning in 2025. Ms. Gage married her law school sweetheart in 2019, and they just welcomed a baby boy earlier this year. In her free time, Ms. Gage enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with her family.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ms. Gage joined the YLD Board of Directors in 2021 in an effort to better connect with and serve her community after the COVID-19 pandemic left its mark on Oklahoma. As a member of the YLD Board of Directors, Ms. Gage has enjoyed serving her community and her fellow attorneys through the various opportunities afforded by the division over the past four years. She looks forward to leading the YLD throughout this next year and serving for many more years to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t

\n

Contested Elections<\/h3>\n

The election for president-elect will be held at the House of Delegates meeting on Nov. 7 during the 2025 OBA Annual Meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t

President-Elect<\/h3>\n\t

\"\"Nominee: John E. Barbush, Durant<\/strong><\/p>\n

John E. Barbush is a solo civil trial attorney who practices in the areas of torts, business litigation, securities and family law. He is also an approved provider for Oklahoma Attorneys Mutual Insurance Co., representing attorneys in legal malpractice cases. He is a trained mediator and has served as an arbitrator. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About John E. Barbush<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Mr. Barbush graduated from Ambassador University, where he was a student-athlete and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration before attending the OCU School of Law. He was part of the 2017-2018 OBA Leadership Academy class and has served as a delegate and an Executive Committee member of the Oklahoma County Bar Association Family Law Section. \u00a0
<\/p>\n

He and his family moved to Durant so his wife, Judge Amy J. Pierce, could serve the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma as chief district court judge. They have two children, Ella and Mac. Mr. Barbush currently serves as the OBA Board of Governors district representative for District 2 and was appointed to the OBA Strategic Planning Committee. He is also the Law Day chair for the Bryan County Bar Association. Mr. Barbush received an OBA President’s Award in 2024 in recognition of his efforts in advancing the administration of justice and promoting a professional judiciary. He also proudly serves as the assistant wrestling coach at Durant High School.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t

\"\"Nominee: Jana L. Knott, El Reno<\/strong><\/p>\n

ELECTED<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Jana L. Knott joined Bass Law in 2018 and became the firm’s managing partner in 2024. Her practice focuses primarily on appellate litigation, advocacy, briefing and consultation. She handles civil appeals in all areas of the law in both state and federal court, including oil and gas, trusts and estates, divorce, parental termination, appeals from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, real property, municipal law and bankruptcy. She also represents clients who wish to participate in an appeal as an amicus curiae<\/em>. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More About Jana L. Knott<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Ms. Knott represents clients in district courts across the state in civil litigation cases as both trial counsel and embedded appellate counsel. She often provides district court-level brief writing and complex motion writing to other lawyers and firms in all areas of the law, including trust and estate disputes, business disputes, oil and gas litigation, municipal law and real property disputes.\u00a0
<\/p>\n

Prior to joining the firm, she worked for seven years as a staff attorney to Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Noma D. Gurich. In addition, she has worked as an adjunct professor at the OCU School of Law, teaching civil practice and procedure.\u00a0
<\/p>\n

Ms. Knott co-hosts and produces Oklahoma Appeals: The Podcast, where she and her co-host discuss new cases published by the Oklahoma Supreme Court and the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals and interview guests on all topics related to civil litigation at both the district court and appellate court levels.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"OKC\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BAR BUSINESS General Assembly Association business begins at 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, during the General Assembly. The program includes\u00a0OBA award presentations and In Memoriam as well as updates from judicial and OBA leaders. House of Delegates The House of Delegates will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, following the General Assembly.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4264,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_tribe_blocks_recurrence_rules":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_exclusions":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_description":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_expiration-date-status":"","_expiration-date":0,"_expiration-date-type":"","_expiration-date-categories":[],"_expiration-date-options":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9"}],"version-history":[{"count":271,"href":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4857,"href":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9\/revisions\/4857"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.okbar.org\/annualmeeting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}