(OKLAHOMA CITY— June 22, 2009) Attorney Larry D. Ottaway of Oklahoma City was elected by Oklahoma Bar Association members to a six-year term on the Judicial Nominating Commission. Attorney Stephen D. Beam of Weatherford will also begin a six-year term on the commission, after he was declared winner of an uncontested race. Both men’s terms will begin in October.

The Judicial Nominating Commission reviews applications for certain judicial vacancies and submits at least three nominees to the governor, who appoints a judge from the nominees.  The commission has 13 members with six appointed by the governor, six elected by the OBA and one member appointed by the commission.  Both attorneys and non-attorneys serve as commission members.

Ottaway was declared the winner after receiving 41 percent of the total ballots cast, which according to OBA election rules was the percentage needed to avoid a run-off election. He defeated Tom M. Cummings, Richard E. Hornbeek and Reid E. Robison, all of Oklahoma City.  He will represent District Five, which is most of Oklahoma County. 

Ottaway graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1974. He is one of the founding members of Foliart, Huff, Ottaway & Bottom, an Oklahoma City law firm opened in 1984. His is a Fellow of the American College and International Academy of Trial Lawyers and International Society of Barristers. He is a master emeritus in the American Inn of Courts and was a founding member of the Holloway Inn of Court. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, for which he served as Oklahoma chapter president and as a national board member in 1986 – 2006.  He serves on the boards of the Oklahoma City Zoo and Infant Crisis Services.

Beam will represent District Six, which is Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Canadian, Cimarron, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kay, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, Major, Noble, Payne, Roger Mills, Texas, Woods and Woodward counties.

He is a sole practitioner in Weatherford with a general practice focused on litigation. Beam is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma College of Law.  He served the OBA for three years as a Board of Governors member and later as vice president in 2004, president-elect in 2006 and as president in 2007.  He was a member of the Oklahoma Bar Journal Board of Editors and Professional Responsibility Tribunal. He currently serves on the Professional Responsibility Commission.  He is a past president of the Custer County Bar Association and has served on the YMCA Board of Directors in Weatherford for many years.  He was named Solo Lawyer of the Year in 2003.