JANUARY 2025 | 71 THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL BOARD OF BAR EXAMINERS ELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP El Reno attorney Roger Rinehart was recently elected to serve as chair of the Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners, which governs admission to the practice of law in the state. Attorney Thomas Wright of Muskogee was elected as the board’s vice chair. Mr. Rinehart, who has served on the board since 2012, was recently reappointed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to serve on the nine-member statewide board as an examiner representing Supreme Court Judicial District 9. His appointment was at the request of Justice Richard Darby. Mr. Rinehart, who was originally appointed to the board by now-retired Justice Joseph M. Watt, previously chaired the board in 2018. He served as an associate examiner from 1997 to 2012, and he has been a member of the OBA since 1987. SAVE THE DATE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE KICKOFF The Oklahoma Legislature reconvenes in February, and hundreds of bills will be prefiled – many potentially affect your practice or the administration of justice. Join the OBA Legislative Monitoring Committee on Friday, Jan. 31, at the Oklahoma Bar Center as they identify top bills of interest to the OBA and your practice area. Be sure to docket the date. More details are to come! NEW OBA BOARD OF GOVERNORS OFFICERS AND MEMBERS TO BE SWORN IN JAN. 17 D. Kenyon Williams Jr. of Sperry will be formally sworn in as 2025 OBA president on Jan. 17 in the Supreme Court Courtroom at the state Capitol. Other new officers to be administered their oaths of office will be PresidentElect Amber Peckio of Tulsa and Vice President Richard D. White Jr. of Tulsa. Miles Pringle of Oklahoma City will be sworn in as immediate past president. New board members to be sworn in are Cody J. Cooper of Oklahoma City, Benjamin J. Barker of Enid, Lucas M. West of Norman, Kate N. Dodoo of Oklahoma City and OBA Young Lawyers Division Chair Taylor C. Venus of Enid. New officers and board members officially took office on Jan. 1. LET US FEATURE YOUR WORK We want to feature your work on “The Back Page” and the Oklahoma Bar Journal cover! Submit articles related to the practice of law, or send us something humorous, transforming or intriguing. Poetry, photography and artwork are options, too. Photographs and artwork relating to featured topics may also have the opportunity to be featured on our cover! Email submissions of about 500 words or high-resolution images to OBA Communications Director Lori Rasmussen, lorir@okbar.org. OKLAHOMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCED FOR 2025 Judge Robert Bell has been elected to serve as chief judge of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, and Judge Stacie L. Hixon has been elected to serve as vice chief judge of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals for 2025. The following have been selected to serve as presiding judges for their respective divisions: Brian J. Goree, Oklahoma City, Division 1; Jane P. Wiseman, Tulsa, Division 2; Timothy J. Downing, Oklahoma City, Division 3; Deborah B. Barnes, Tulsa, Division 4. These positions began Jan. 1 and are for a one-year term. Judge Bell Judge Hixon
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