Vol. 4 No. 7 | Feb. 14, 2024
Courts
- 2024 OK 4: JACKSON COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE DISTRICT v. KIRKLAND
- 2024 OK 5: IN RE APPROVAL OF UNIFORM YOUTHFUL OFFENDER PLEA OF GUILTY ORDER/ADDENDUMS
- 2024 OK 6: IN RE APPROVAL OF UNIFORM JUDGMENT OF ADJUDICATION AS A YOUTHFUL OFFENDER
- 2024 OK 7: IN RE APPROVAL OF REVISED JUVENILE DEPRIVED UNIFORM ORDERS
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
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Bar Center Holiday Hours
The Oklahoma Bar Center will be closed Monday, Feb. 19, in observance of Presidents Day.
Dues are Due, MCLE Reporting Deadline Feb. 15
Dues Are Due
The deadline to pay your OBA 2024 membership dues without a late fee is tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 15. Paper statements were recently mailed to those who have not yet paid. Please make your dues payment today! Visit MyOKBar to remit dues online.
MCLE Deadline
The deadline to earn your required credit for 2023 was Dec. 31. The deadline to report your earned credit or a qualified exemption for 2023 is tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 15. Unless you are reporting an exemption, the minimum annual requirement is 10 general credits and two ethics credits, for a total of 12 credits. All credit must be OK MCLE approved. Please let us know how we can help you. Visit www.okmcle.org for more information.
"As estate planning attorneys, we are tasked with helping people consider what options they have for passing their legacy on to their loved ones. We all know that every client is different and has specific needs and goals. For example, some clients may come to you with interesting family dynamics, such as a child with special needs, a child with a drug addiction problem or a family that cannot get along. Maybe the client has a significant amount of money in an individual retirement account, and you must advise them on the income tax consequences their loved ones may face when they inherit that account."
"Presidents Day is celebrated in February, and I thought it would be ripe to reflect upon one of the most revered presidents of the United States, who was also a fellow lawyer. As our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln left behind a legacy that extends far beyond politics. There was much more to his leadership than the Civil War and his role as a statesman. In fact, lawyers can draw valuable lessons from Lincoln’s life and career.
One of the key lessons lawyers can learn from Lincoln is the importance of resilience and determination. Lincoln faced numerous setbacks and failures throughout his life, both personally and professionally. Despite facing defeats in elections and experiencing personal tragedies, he persevered. Lawyers often encounter challenges in their legal careers, such as losing cases or facing criticism. Lincoln's ability to bounce back from adversity serves as a testament to the power of resilience in the face of obstacles. Dare I say he also did so with extreme professionalism and civility."
"In the world of law, where deadlines loom like shadows and courtroom battles unfold like epic dramas, achieving a work-life balance can feel like a herculean task. Lawyers, known for their tenacity and dedication, often find themselves entangled in a web of ceaseless demands. Yet, in the heart of this legal labyrinth lies a profound truth – the importance of carving out time for oneself.
The legal profession, with its intricate cases and high stakes, can easily consume one's entire life. Late nights at the office, weekends blurred with legal research and a constant buzz of emails contribute to a relentless work cycle. However, as the legal landscape evolves, so does the understanding of the critical need for work-life balance."
TimeSolv is a legal billing software known for usability, with simple, intuitive features that increase your firm's time, efficiency and productivity. Online and offline time tracking makes tracking your time easier than ever, and TimeSolv's mobile app allows you to track your time on the go. Create automatic invoices, see how much progress has been made on a task and share information with clients and employees. OBA members receive a $100 credit per user for up to 10 users. Log in to your MyOkBar page to access your OBA member-specific link to TimeSolv.
Featured CLE
By OBA MAP Director Jim Calloway
Suppose you are on a long-distance road trip and decide it is time for a nice sit-down meal for a break. You exit the interstate and then search your phone for dining locations. You find several that are relatively close to you and read the reviews. One has a low two-star rating and several negative comments. One has a higher rating, but several recent reviews mention food poisoning, and the restaurant has not responded to any of them. Mentally, those get crossed off the list. You sort through the four-star reviews and find a good choice. The locals may agree, but the best option isn’t even considered by you because it does not have a website, has no reviews and has little web presence.
This is how business marketing works today. Some may believe this is fine for restaurants, but no one would shop for a lawyer by reading online reviews. That opinion is incorrect. People shop for everything online, and reviews are often a crucial part of decision-making.
Like it or not, reviews are some of the most referenced marketing materials online. The most important thing for a lawyer dealing with a negative online review is to not exacerbate the situation by creating an ethical violation in your response. It is often challenging to get fake reviews removed and almost impossible to get ones from actual clients and customers removed. Mark C. Palmer has served as chief counsel of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism since 2015. His detailed post, "Ethically Dealing with Negative Online Attorney Reviews," serves as a great guide for formulating a responsive action plan. Replying to the post immediately is what lawyers want to do. But this action ranks low on the response plan, and if the review is from a client, responses can violate the client’s confidentiality. Follow Mr. Palmer's guidance instead.
The Oklahoma Bar Journal is a publication of the Oklahoma Bar Association. All rights reserved. Copyright© 2024 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.