2025 OBF President Jim Dowell celebrates a Cowboys win with his wife.

Jim Dowell
Law School: OU College of Law (but Go Pokes!)
Graduation Year: 2002
Current Employer: Solo practitioner
Location: Woodward

Why did you decide to be a lawyer? Teachers had told me since I was young that I should be a lawyer because I argued too much. I ended up in law enforcement after undergrad. After a few years of being a broke cop, I decided my teachers were right.

What is one thing you’re glad you tried but would never do again? Morcilla in Madrid

Are there any social norms that completely baffle you? People regularly sharing highly personal details of their lives with complete strangers on social media

What is your biggest pet peeve with modern technology? It has caused people to be more connected to screens than to each other.

What is on your bucket list? Skiing the Vallée Blanche in the French Alps

President Dowell and his wife in Alaska

Explain the leadership roles you hold in professional and/or community settings and why these responsibilities are important to you. At present, I serve on the board of the nonprofit Broken and Mended, which provides resources to people around the world suffering from chronic illness and pain. I watched my mother suffer from chronic illness and pain from the time I was a young child, and there were no such resources
available. I am also actively involved in my local church.

What would you tell current law students and young associates about the importance of professional and civic responsibility? As for professionalism, I will pass along good advice I received from my training sergeant when I started in law enforcement. On my first day on the job, he said, “You only have one reputation – guard it carefully.” As for civic responsibility, I think most people want to make a difference. Making a difference requires taking action and not just talking about it. One of the best ways to do that is by being a part of something larger than yourself in your community.

What are your goals as the 2025 OBF board president? We have identified needs in underserved areas of the state. I hope to work toward getting resources to those areas to solve real problems that have been brought to our attention. In addition, I will continue to speak to lawyers who are not familiar with the OBF. We have made progress in that regard, but we need to continue to get the word out about the good work the OBF accomplishes.