OBA: Promoting Justice

By Miles Pringle

For its August meeting this year, the OBA Board of Governors met in Ardmore to develop a new strategic plan. The board was welcomed by the Carter County Bar Association and worked with key members of the OBA staff to make meaningful decisions about the OBA and its future. This process has been years in the making. Under the leadership of 2022 OBA President Jim Hicks, the association conducted a significant member survey to gauge membership priorities and concerns. Under the leadership of President Brian Hermanson in 2023, the OBA conducted additional surveys centered around technology and the Annual Meeting. As your president in 2024, we have continued to move forward – creating action plans based on your feedback.

The final version of the plan will be presented for approval at this month’s board meeting, but I am happy to share some of the big-picture themes. As our members know, the OBA is a mandatory bar association with its rules creating and controlling and bylaws promulgated by the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The preamble to our rules sets out many ambitious goals, such as advancing the administration of justice; fostering members with high ideals of integrity, learning, competence and public service; preventing the unauthorized practice of law; and encouraging practices that will advance the honor and dignity of the legal profession. The board and staff distilled those goals into its vision statement.

THE VISION: PROMOTING JUSTICE

Step one of the strategic planning process involved articulating our vision: “Promoting Justice.” Our association will implement this vision through focusing on our mission, defined as advancing the administration of justice through education and regulation. The core values of the OBA are 1) ethical representation, 2) member involvement and 3) dedicated leadership. Ethical representation is embodied by serving the public interest with integrity. Member involvement is demonstrated by fostering participation through the recognition of different experiences and perspectives within our profession. Dedicated leadership means providing accountability and vision for the organization.

There are three main areas of focus: 1) the members, 2) the organization and 3) the administration of justice. The OBA will support members by investing in the professionalism, resiliency and competency of Oklahoma attorneys. We will strengthen the organization with a mindset of excellence, efficiency and long-term sustainability, and we will use evidence-based decisions to drive our future. The OBA will improve the administration of justice by advancing the rule of law and the public trust in the legal system.

We developed nine goals with many objectives to accomplish each. One goal is to develop a comprehensive approach to address the various career stages and requirements of our members. New members may have different needs than mid- or late-career attorneys. Other goals include addressing technological changes, ensuring financial stability and seeking practical solutions to the challenge of legal deserts. The strategic map that accompanies this article demonstrates the work that was accomplished during the session. When finalized, this map will guide leadership and staff in decision-making as well as prioritizing our various activities and initiatives.

The OBA’s prior strategic plan was approved in 2005 and supplemented by the work of the Strategic Planning Task Force in 2010. Given the passage of time, the induction of new leaders and changes in the landscape of our profession, it was this board’s belief that it was time for a refresh. While our creating purpose and principles remain the same, our practices must adjust with the times.

The new strategic plan is intended to be a living document. It should help future boards hold the organization accountable and better pursue our goals. The OBA has a lot to do every day, but we need an overarching vision to make sure we are all pulling in the same direction.

Thank you to the Board of Governors and staff who took their valuable time to help create this document. I am excited about the future of the OBA. I hope you are too!

Focused on the future: The OBA Board of Governors and bar staff directors gather in Ardmore for a strategic planning retreat to define the association’s vision, mission and core values.

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Miles Pringle is executive vice president and general counsel at The Bankers Bank in Oklahoma City.
405-848-8877
mpringle@tbb.bank

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Originally published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal – OBJ 95 Vol 8 (October 2024).

Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff.