THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 74 | OCTOBER 2025 while growing their own professional opportunities. OKLAHOMA FREE LEGAL ANSWERS An easy option for providing pro bono service with minimal disruption to a lawyer’s daily schedule is Oklahoma Free Legal Answers. This program, operated in partnership with the American Bar Association, is a secure online platform where qualified low- income Oklahomans can post civil legal questions. Volunteer attorneys log in at their convenience, select questions in their area of knowledge and provide written answers. The program is designed to make volunteering simple. There is no minimum commitment. Attorneys can answer as few or as many questions as their schedules allow, and they can pick the questions they want to answer. Volunteers remain anonymous unless they choose otherwise, and importantly, the ABA provides malpractice coverage for all advice given through the platform. This means lawyers do not need to carry their own liability insurance to participate. Clients must meet eligibility requirements, including having an income below 250% of the federal poverty level, being older than 18 and having less than $5,000 in assets. Most questions involve family law and landlord-tenant issues, although other common civil matters arise, too. Even answering a handful of questions each month can significantly ease the burden for Oklahomans who might otherwise go without help. ACCESS TO JUSTICE SUMMIT Finally, I want to highlight the Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation’s Access to Justice Summit on Oct. 24.4 This free day of CLE brings together judges, lawyers and advocates to explore practical strategies for improving access to justice across the state. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn, network and be inspired to engage in pro bono and low bono service. CONCLUSION Whether through limited scope representation, answering a few questions online or attending the Oklahoma Access to Justice Summit, October is the perfect time to recommit to service. Lawyers hold a unique place in society as guardians of justice. By taking small but meaningful steps, we can help ensure that access to justice is not determined by geography or income. I encourage you to find a way this month to use your skills for the public good. Ms. Bays is the OBA Management Assistance Program director. Need a quick answer to a tech problem or help solving a management dilemma? Contact her at 405-416-7031, 800-522-8060 or julieb@okbar.org. It’s a free member benefit. ENDNOTES 1. Legal Services Corp., The Justice Gap: The Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans (2022), https://justicegap.lsc.gov. 2. Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.2(c), Scope of Representation and Allocation of Authority Between Client and Lawyer (2008), https://bit.ly/3UYTwTZ. 3. Oklahoma District Court Rule 33, Limited Scope Representation, https://bit.ly/4mTmwZS. 4. www.okaccesstojustice.org/summit.
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