THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 68 | JUNE 2024 Supreme Court Judicial District 4 Benjamin J. Barker, Enid Benjamin J. Barker is a member of the Enid law firm of Mitchell DeClerck PLLC, where he has practiced since 2013. His cases and clients span the typical “county-seat lawyer” spectrum; however, he is engaged primarily in areas related to criminal defense and family law. He graduated from Enid High School in 2006, OSU in 2010 and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 2013. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, and he is a member of the Garfield County Bar Association, Cherokee Nation Bar Association, Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Family Law Section and others. Previously, Mr. Barker served on the Young Lawyers Division Board of Directors and has acted as Law Day Chair for Garfield County for several years. He is the secretary of the Phi Gamma Delta – Sigma Omicron Housing Association and the past vice president and a current member of the Enid Symphony Association Board of Directors. He and his wife, Kendale, have three children: Caroline (6), Elizabeth (3) and Charles (1), plus a dog, Herbert (10). While not in court, Mr. Barker has been known to do a little woodworking, leatherworking and (from time to time) banjo picking. Supreme Court Judicial District 5 Lucas M. West, Norman Lucas M. West is an associate attorney with Nichols Dixon PLLC in Norman. His practice encompasses a variety of legal areas, including family law, guardian ad litem work, civil litigation, estate planning and municipal law. Mr. West grew up in Mustang and attended Texas Christian University, graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political scient and psychology in 2015. He was a member of the John V. Roach Honors College and the TCU Wesley Foundation. He returned to Oklahoma to attend the OU College of Law, where he worked in the civil division of the Legal Clinic and participated in the national mock trial team. He graduated in 2018. He worked as an extern at the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office before joining Nichols Dixon PLLC as a legal intern. In 2018, he passed the bar and became an associate attorney. He is licensed to practice law in all municipal and state courts, the Western District of Oklahoma and several tribal courts. He is also invested in his legal community and served on the Cleveland County Bar Association Executive Board, including as president for the 2022 to 2023 term. Mr. West has a passion for guiding clients through the complex legal process and helping them reach positive resolutions. He is invested in treating clients with respect and providing the individualized and diligent representation clients deserve. OBA YLD Chair Taylor C. Venus, Enid Taylor C. Venus is a native of Ponca City who graduated from OSU with bachelor’s degrees in economics and finance. While attending OSU, Mr. Venus had the honor to be Pistol Pete. Thereafter, he obtained his J.D. and MBA at OU. While in law school, he served as the articles editor for the Oil and Gas, Natural Resources and Energy Journal and as an officer or representative in multiple student groups. Mr. Venus has a passion for serving his local community and supporting other regional and statewide organizations. In Enid, Mr. Venus is the president of the Enid Public Schools Foundation, a member of Rotary and AMBUCS and actively volunteers with several other entities in Garfield County. Outside his local community, he is the current chair-elect of the OBA YLD, a member of his fraternity alumni board and president of the Cherokee Strip OSU Alumni Chapter. In his time out of the office, Mr. Venus enjoys spending time with his friends and family, golfing, hunting and being an armchair expert on his favorite sports teams and political views. CONTESTED ELECTIONS The elections for president-elect and member at large will be held at the House of Delegates meeting on July 12 at the 2024 OBA Annual Meeting.
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