Spring into Action
By Dan Murdock, OBA General Counsel

The thoughts are the same each year. I keep thinking that the warmth of the sun and the gentle rains of the season will soon restore the garden world around each of us, once again bringing the flowers and wonderful smells of the season. Oh, I enjoyed the fall, Christmas and the beginning of a new year, but I have grown weary of the cold and long for a change once again. March seemed so far away in January, but now it is here — and the world seems to begin anew once again.

You may wonder at this point what the month of March has to do with the issue of ethics, professional responsibility and even lawyers in general. It is not necessarily the month of March itself that has something to do with these topics, but it is more of what happens in March that causes me to make the connection. As I review our Web site at www.okbar.org and its front page, it becomes as Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise discussed in the movie, A Few Good Men, “crystal clear.” We see where the headlines announce details about the Solo and Small Firm Conference and the winners of the High School Mock Trial Championship. It is that time of year.

It is the time when OBA volunteers answer the calls at OETA. I may have missed only one year in the past 20, and the evening is always a fun time. More importantly, it is for a good cause and is in the public interest. The Preamble to the Rules Creating and Controlling the OBA tells all that our association is created, in part, in the public interest to foster and maintain on the part of those engaged in the practice of law high ideals of public service. Our Web site specifically lists 25 areas where lawyers can provide service to the public.

March brings back many great memories. As I watched OETA the other night and listened to the program about the music of the ‘60s, those memories just seemed to continue on and on. I saw musical groups as they were in that era and then as they performed today. Eric Burdon of The Animals was young, slender and dark haired. His hair was not long but longer than you see today. Remember it was the ‘60s. As I watched him perform and observed his appearance now, I was amazed. Others looked very similar, but Eric was heavier with much less hair that was gray or even white. He looked grandfatherly, but his voice was unmistakable. Next week I will work at OETA for the 19th time. Why? It’s fun. It is for a good cause. It is public service.

Oklahoma City University recently held its Pro Bono and Public Interest Fair to encourage law students to participate during their summers working, mostly unpaid, for public interest groups locally and nationwide. An auction to raise money to assist the program is being held to provide stipends to cover students’ expenses. It is never too early to start that tradition.

Late last month I spoke at a noon luncheon meeting at the request of Oklahoma City attorney and long time friend, Bill Burkett. I spoke too long. I was talking about the great things that the OBA and the OBF did for the community, and it just took me more time than I realized. But I was proud of my associations for doing the things they are. Maybe I got a little carried away, but my mission was clear. I wanted others to know. We do not have television advertisements or radio spots. The newspapers always seem to have more interest in other stories, but our public service is there — and we can demonstrate that to all who will listen.

Originally published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal March 8, 2008 - Vol. 79; No. 7.