THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 46 | MARCH 2025 the lawyer, in matters of less serious misconduct or if mitigating factors reduce the sanction to be imposed. During 2024, the Commission administered private reprimands to 13 lawyers involving 20 formal grievances. Letters of Admonition. During 2024, the Professional Responsibility Commission voted to issue letters of admonition to 37 lawyers involving 46 formal grievances cautioning that the conduct of the lawyer was dangerously close to a violation of a disciplinary rule. Dismissals. The Professional Responsibility Commission dismissed 28 grievances that had been received but not concluded due to the resignation pending disciplinary proceedings of the respondent lawyer, a continuing lengthy suspension of the respondent lawyer, death of the respondent lawyer, or disbarment of the respondent lawyer. The remainder were dismissed after the investigation confirmed that the allegation could not be substantiated by clear and convincing evidence. Diversion Program. The Professional Responsibility Commission may also refer respondent lawyers to the Discipline Diversion Program where remedial measures are taken to ensure that any deficiency in the representation of a client does not reoccur in the future. During 2024, the Commission referred 19 lawyers to the Discipline Diversion Program for conduct involving 29 grievances. The Discipline Diversion Program is tailored to the individual circumstances of the participating lawyer and the misconduct alleged. Oversight of the program is by the OBA Ethics Counsel with the OBA Management Assistance Program staff involved in programming. Program options include Trust Account School, Professional Responsibility/Ethics School, Law Office Management Training, Communication and Client Relationship Skills, and Professionalism in the Practice of Law. In 2024, instructional courses were taught by OBA General Counsel Gina Hendryx, OBA Ethics Counsel Richard D. Stevens, OBA Management Assistance Program Director Jim Calloway, and OBA Practice Management Advisor Julie Bays. As a result of the Trust Account Overdraft Reporting Notifications, the Office of the General Counsel is able to monitor when lawyers encounter difficulty with management of their IOL TA accounts. Upon recommendation of the Office of the General Counsel, the Commission may place those individuals in a tailored program designed to instruct on basic trust accounting procedures. This course is also available to the OBA general membership as a continuing legal education course. Through a new member benefit, all OBA members will receive free access to a comprehensive trust accounting and billing software solution for solo practitioners and small law firms. SURVEY OF GRIEVANCES To better inform the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the bar, and the public of the nature of the grievances received, the number of lawyers receiving grievances, and the practice areas of misconduct involved, the following information is presented. Formal and informal grievances were received against 818 lawyers. Therefore, fewer than five percent of the lawyers licensed to practice law in Oklahoma received a grievance in 2024. A breakdown of the types of misconduct alleged in the 208 formal grievances opened by the Office of the General Counsel in 2024 is as follows:
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