Vol. 5 No. 53 | Dec. 31, 2025
Courts
No published opinions this week.
No published opinions this week.
No published opinions this week.
Dispositions Other than by Published Opinions
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma Court Calendar
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is in session year round, unless otherwise noted. The court regularly schedules conferences on Mondays and other days as needed.
Member Transitions
More
The Oklahoma Bar Association will be closed at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31, and will remain closed through Friday, Jan. 2, in observance of New Year's Day. The OBA will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 5.
The Oklahoma Bar Association Clients’ Security Fund will pay nearly $147,000 to 10 people who lost money or other property from the dishonest conduct of their attorney. The association is reimbursing money to the clients of seven deceased, suspended or former lawyers whose dishonest actions led to the losses.
OBA President D. Kenyon Williams Jr. of Sperry said, "The Clients’ Security Fund exists to protect the public’s trust in the legal profession. When former attorneys violate that trust through dishonest conduct, the fund helps to take care of affected clients. By sharing responsibility for these losses, our members reaffirm their commitment to integrity and accountability."
The Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct impose on each member of the bar the duty to aid in guarding against the admission of candidates unfit or unqualified because of deficiency in either moral character or education. To aid in that duty, the following is a list of applicants for the bar examination to be given Feb. 24-25, 2026.
The Board of Bar Examiners requests that members examine this list and bring to the board’s attention in a signed letter any information which might influence the board in considering the moral character and fitness to practice of any applicant for admission. Send correspondence to Cary Pirrong, Administrative Director, Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners, PO Box 53036, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.
"Safeguarding client funds is one of the most important duties a lawyer has. It’s also one of the easiest to get wrong. Trust account management is, on paper, straightforward: Keep client money separate from your own, keep accurate records and reconcile every month. In practice, even honest lawyers sometimes find themselves in disciplinary trouble because they didn’t pay enough attention to the details.
And yes, while we like to joke that many lawyers 'went to law school because we can’t do math,' regarding trust accounts, math is no joking matter. Mishandling client funds can put your license at risk."
"When the Oklahoma Supreme Court reinstated my license to practice law, it gave me more than the ability to return to courtrooms and client files. It gave me a second chance at life. The court’s decision affirmed that mistakes, even serious ones, do not have to define a career or a person. It reminded me that our profession rests not only on accountability but also on restoration.
That second chance did not end with the court’s order. Soon after, the Eastern District of Oklahoma readmitted me and welcomed me to the Criminal Justice Act panel. The trust placed in me by the judges of the Eastern District meant that my return to practice was not symbolic. It was real, and it carried with it both responsibility and hope."
MCLE DEADLINE | Dec. 31 is the deadline to earn any remaining MCLE credit for 2025 without having to pay a late fee. The deadline to report your 2025 credit is Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Not sure how much credit you still need? To access your MCLE information, log in to MyOKBar and click "MyMCLE." Still need credit? Check out great CLE offerings at ok.webcredenza.com. If you have questions about your credit, email mcle@okbar.org.
Featured CLE
By OBA Management Assistance Program Director Julie Bays
As we close out the year and look ahead to 2026, it’s a good time to pause and take stock of how much law office management and legal technology changed in 2025. If you missed our Year-End Review seminars, now is a great time to catch up. Here are a few highlights that stood out for law office management and technology this year:
AI IS NOW A DAILY PRACTICE TOOL (WITH REAL CONSEQUENCES)
Artificial intelligence moved from an “interesting experiment” to an everyday tool for many lawyers. Research, drafting, summarization and document review can now happen faster than ever. But 2025 also made one thing clear: Efficiency does not replace professional judgment. Courts around the country sanctioned lawyers for filing briefs containing AI-generated, fabricated citations. The takeaway is simple but critical: AI can assist your work, but lawyers remain responsible for verifying every fact and citation before anything is filed or sent.
BILLING, FEES AND THE VALUE CONVERSATION
With technology speeding up routine tasks, firms are rethinking how they bill. A notable development this year was new ethics guidance from the state of Virginia confirming that lawyers are not required to discount their fees simply because AI makes them more efficient. Instead, the focus is shifting toward value-based billing and clearly explaining to clients what they are paying for: judgment, experience and results, not just time spent.
BIG TECH CHALLENGES MEAN BIG PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
2025 also brought major consolidation in legal technology, including billion-dollar acquisitions that signal a future of more integrated platforms. While this can mean fewer logins and smoother workflows, it also reinforces the importance of understanding your software, your data and your long-term exit and migration plans. Law office management is no longer just about people and paper; it’s also about vendors, contracts and systems that evolve quickly.
RESILIENCE MATTERS MORE THAN EVER
Cloud outages this year were a wake-up call. When systems go down, work can grind to a halt. Smart firms are building redundancy into their practices by syncing calendars across platforms, maintaining secure backups and training staff on what to do when technology fails. Technology boosts efficiency, but resilience protects clients.
If you want a deeper dive into these topics and others, our Year-End Review seminars are available and worth your time. A little reflection now can make your practice stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for the year ahead. Here’s to a productive and thoughtful start to 2026.
The Oklahoma Bar Journal is a publication of the Oklahoma Bar Association. All rights reserved. Copyright© 2025 Oklahoma Bar Association. Statements or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff. Although advertising copy is reviewed, no endorsement of any product or service offered by any advertisement is intended or implied by publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their ads, and the OBA reserves the right to edit or reject any advertising copy for any reason. Legal articles carried in The Oklahoma Bar Journal are selected by the Board of Editors. Information about submissions can be found at www.okbar.org.