The Oklahoma Bar Association Board of Governors met in Eufaula on Friday, Sept. 21, 2007.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

President Beam reported he attended the Boiling Springs Institute in Woodward, OBA Leadership Conference, Awards Committee meeting and Annual Meeting Task Force meeting. He spoke to Annual Meeting speaker Ben Stein to discuss the topic of Mr. Stein’s keynote presentation. He met with Executive Director Williams, worked on bar convention details and continued planning for the October board meeting in Custer County.

REPORT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

Vice President Dawson reported he attended the Bar Center Facilities Committee meeting, Leadership Conference and Canadian County Bar Association meeting. He chaired the Lawyer Advertising Task Force meeting.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

President-Elect Conger reported he attended the OBF Grant Committee meeting, Leadership Conference and chaired the Bar Center Facilities Committee meeting.

REPORT OF THE PAST PRESIDENT

Past President Grimm reported he attended the OBA Bar Center Facilities Committee meeting and reviewed the Lingo Construction Services agreement.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Executive Director Williams reported he attended a budget meeting with staff, budget meeting with President-Elect Conger, monthly staff celebration, Bar Center Facilities Committee meeting, Annual Meeting Task Force meeting, Lawyers Helping Lawyers meeting and Budget Committee meeting. He also met with President Beam and made a CLE presentation at Boiling Springs Institute.

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

G overnor Bates reported she attended the Leadership Conference and joint Thursday evening social event, Leadership Conference luncheon, August board meeting, OBA State Legal Referral Service Task Force meeting, OBA Awards subcommittee meeting, OBA Awards Committee meeting and Cleveland County Bar Association meeting. Governor Caudle reported he attended the August Board of Governors meeting, Leadership Conference, Professionalism Committee meeting, Mentoring Task Force meeting and Comanche County Bar Association CLE luncheon. He participated in a phone conference meeting with Mentoring Task Force Chairman Jon Parsley and chaired the September State Legal Referral Service Task Force Committee meeting. Governor Christensen reported she attended the August Board of Governors meeting and social events, OBA Leadership Conference, OBA Bench and Bar Committee meeting and subcommittee meeting reviewing the ABA Proposed Model Code of Judicial Conduct, Bar Center Facilities Committee meeting and a Women in Law Committee annual conference planning meeting. She participated in an OBA Mentoring Task Force telephone conference with Chairman Jon Parsley. Governor Dirickson reported since her last report she attended the first day of the Leadership Conference, OBA Budget Committee meeting and two Custer County Bar Association meetings. Governor Farris reported he attended the Tulsa County Bar Association Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet, where he presented OBA awards to bar members celebrating significant membership anniversaries this year. He attended the August board meeting, OBA Leadership Conference and Tulsa County Bar Foundation meeting. Governor Hermanson reported the Member Services Committee will be submitting a recommendation for a credit card affinity program for firms accepting credit cards from clients. He attended the OBA Leadership Conference and the related social events, August Board of Governors meeting, OBA Member Services Committee meeting, OBA State Legal Referral Service Task Force meeting and OBA Professionalism Committee meeting. Governor Hogan reported he attended the August board meeting, second day of the Leadership Conference and Pittsburg County Bar Association meeting. He also worked on scheduling CLE for the county bar’s November meeting. Governor Kennemer reported he attended the August board meeting, Leadership Conference, Seminole/Hughes counties bar luncheon, Mentoring Task Force meeting and State Legal Referral Service Task Force meeting. Governor Reheard reported she attended the Leadership Conference and evening dinner with participants, plus the Bench and Bar Committee meeting regarding the Model Code of Judicial Conduct. Governor Souter reported he attended the Leadership Conference, August board meeting, OBA Awards Committee meeting and Creek County Bar Association meeting. Governor Stockwell reported she attended the August board meeting, Leadership Conference, Cleveland County Bar Association luncheon, CCBA Executive Committee meeting and OBA Awards Committee meeting.

YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION REPORT

Governor Camp reported he attended the OBA Leadership Conference in Oklahoma City, during which he made a presentation about the YLD. He attended the dinner at Crabtown with board members and conference attendees in addition to hosting the hospitality suite for conference attendees. He chaired the August YLD Board of Directors meeting and met with an ABA/YLD district representative regarding operation of the FEMA hotline.

SUPREME COURT LIAISON REPORT

Justice Taylor reported the Judicial Nominating Commission will soon consider six applicants for the Supreme Court District 1 vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Robert Lavender. From the six applicants, three will be recommended by the commission and interviewed by Gov. Henry for his selection. He said the court has returned to its regular conference schedule. Justice Taylor said a new procedure will be used for the fall swearing-in ceremony of new lawyers. The location has been changed to the House of Representatives chambers in the State Capitol Building. Because of space limitations of that facility, the group is being divided up by law school and the oath of attorney will be issued in three separate sessions. He also reported the Supreme Court will host a summit of judges from across the state to discuss merging of the statewide case management system, including electronic filing.

LAW STUDENT DIVISION REPORT

LSD Chair Pappy reported she attended the Leadership Conference, created a member recruitment flier for the division, signed up new members and coordinated more than 20 law students to work on the eldercare law handbook with the YLD. She also has been in contact with the division Executive Board members at all three schools to coordinate their schedules for upcoming meetings.

BENCH AND BAR COMMITTEE REQUEST

Governor Christensen reported the Bar and Bar Committee is nearing completion of its work on the proposed Code of Judicial Conduct and asks permission to request feedback from members when the proposed code is finished. She said the committee is also working with the Oklahoma Judicial Conference and Administrative Office of the Courts. The board gave its permission for member comment to be solicited.

ABA RETIREMENT REPORT

Mike Moniz, ABA Retirement Funds assistant vice president of marketing, reviewed the history of the partnership with the OBA since 1995. He described the program an explained how it is unique. The board voted to renew the three-year agreement, which will be through September 2010.

BAR CENTER RENOVATIONS

As Bar Center Facilities Committee Chairperson, President-Elect Conger reported the board at this meeting is reviewing a standard construction contract without dollar amounts, which will be submitted with the amounts included for board review next month. Work at the bar center is still in the abatement phase, which is a separate contract. Construction has not yet started.

COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS

President Beam reported he has divided the task force’s recommendations into three parts, with consideration of the first part at this meeting. Part two will be considered at the November meeting and part three at the December meeting. Task Force Chair Melissa DeLacerda reviewed the thoughts of task force members who recommend that bar members be given the option to not receive Oklahoma Bar Journal court issues by mail. The board approved the recommendation with the amendment that bar members will be given the choice of receiving court issues by mail or receiving an e-mail with a link to the court issue on the Web. The board directed staff to add that option to the annual dues statement and to promote the new option in the coming months.

Ms. DeLacerda reported the task force recommends that publication of the annual reference guide or handbook issue of the Oklahoma Bar Journal cease. She reviewed survey results that indicate bar member utilization is minimal. The board voted to cease publishing the reference guide.

Ms. DeLacerda reported the task force recommends changing the name of the Public Information Department to the Communications Department, which was suggested in an ABA report to more accurately reflect the department’s responsibilities. The board approved the name change.

STAFF OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL REQUEST

The board approved reimbursement expenses for Management Assistance Program Director Jim Calloway to travel to Philadelphia for the ABA GPSolo Division National Solo and Small Firm Conference Oct. 5 and 6, 2007.

CONSENT ITEMS

The board approved the Awards Committee’s recommendations for recipients of OBA awards at the upcoming Annual Meeting and to appoint to the Oklahoma Indian Legal Services (OILS) Board of Directors O. Joseph Williams, Norman, to complete the unexpired term of Ryland Rivas and to the next three-year term that expires on Dec. 31, 2010.

HB 1804 RE: IMMIGRATION

Executive Director Williams reported he is concerned that the HB 1804 legislation that becomes effective on Nov. 1, 2007, with sections effective July 1, 2008, may have some unintended consequences that could affect OBA operation. A section of the bill addresses the use of ID cards, and it is his position OBA membership cards are not ID cards. He explained that the coming state legislation may impact vendor relationships. He noted that Oklahoma is the only state to have these requirements.

WOMEN IN LAW COMMITTEE

Governor Christensen reminded board members that the Women in Law Conference will take place Sept. 27 in Oklahoma City. She also reported the WIL Committee is a sponsor of the Annual Walk of Hope, an event that will take place Sept. 22 at the Oklahoma Bar Center to raise awareness about cancer of the female reproductive organs.

NEXT MEETING

The board will hold its next meeting in Weatherford on Friday, Oct. 17, 2007.