OCTOBER 2025 | 49 THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL Engagement Committee has exemplified excellence and the spirit of the award. HICKS EPTON LAW DAY AWARD Garfield County Bar Association The Garfield County Bar Association has exemplified the spirit of public service and legal education that the Hicks Epton Law Day Award was created to honor. Their 2024 and 2025 Law Day activities showcase an impressive commitment to bringing the law to life for the public. The GCBA has introduced students to the justice system through courthouse mock trials, beginning in 2024 with a fifthgrade class and expanding in 2025 to include 80 students from multiple schools, presided over by Judge Sean Hill. The mock trial featured a K-9 presentation by the sheriff’s department, a civics lesson and a courtroom roleplay where students served as jurors. These interactive events, paired with civics lessons and demonstrations, sparked curiosity and understanding of the rule of law among young citizens. The association has also directly helped the community through a Law Day wills clinic for seniors with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Ask A Lawyer and annual courthouse staff appreciation brunches. Their clothing drives and financial contributions to local nonprofits have further reflected the county bar’s broad dedication to community well-being. By combining legal outreach, community service and education, the Garfield County Bar Association has strengthened public trust in the legal profession and embodied the legacy of Hicks Epton. The following awards will be presented during the law school luncheons on Friday, Nov. 7. OUTSTANDING SENIOR LAW SCHOOL STUDENT AWARD Jonathan “Jon” Edwards, OCU School of Law Jonathan “Jon” Edwards is a third-year law student at the OCU School of Law and an Oklahoma native. Prior to beginning law school, he graduated from OU with a major in marketing. In law school, he has been on the dean’s list and faculty honor roll every semester, and he has been awarded nine CALI Excellence for the Future awards for earning the highest grade in his legal courses. Mr. Edwards is currently a staff editor for the Oklahoma City University Law Review, a member of the Energy Law Association and an academic fellow serving as a teaching assistant to a law professor for contracts. He is also a member of the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition moot court team and was awarded for being one of the top speakers at the 20242025 Philadelphia Regional Competition. Mr. Edwards plans to practice civil litigation as an associate attorney at DeWitt, Paruolo & Meek after graduation. Gracyn Ross, OU College of Law Gracyn Ross is a third-year law student at the OU College of Law, where she has built a distinguished record of leadership and advocacy. She currently serves as co-president of the Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Chapter of the Black Law Students Association, carrying forward the chapter’s legacy of empowering students and championing diversity in the legal profession. She previously held roles as secretary and 1L representative for the chapter. Ms. Ross has developed a well-rounded legal background through both public service and private practice. She was selected as an ABA Steiger Fellow and worked at the Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Unit. She has also been a Stevens Fellow, working as a law student volunteer in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago, and an intern at Phillips Murrah PC in Oklahoma City. In her second year of law school, she competed in the Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition, where she and her partner placed third in the regional competition and advanced to the semifinals at the national competition. Her excellence and determination have been recognized with multiple scholarships, including the Caylor Family Scholarship, the T. Ray Phillips III Memorial Scholarship, the Judge Ralph G. Thompson Scholarship, the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Association of Black Lawyers Ozella Willis Memorial Scholarship
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTk3MQ==