Vol. 5 No. 3 | Jan. 15, 2025
Courts
- 2025 OK 1: STATE ex rel. OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION v. JONES
- 2025 OK 2: IN THE MATTER OF THE GUARDIANSHIP OF G.E.M.S.
- 2025 OK 3: KITE v. CULBERTSON
No published opinions this week.
- 2025 OK CIV APP 1: BANK OF AMERICA v. STILL
- 2025 OK CIV APP 2: IN THE MATTER OF: H.M.A.
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
Bar Center Holiday Hours
The Oklahoma Bar Center will be closed Monday, Jan. 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Managing client trust accounts is a critical responsibility for Oklahoma attorneys that requires strict adherence to regulatory requirements. Many small firms still rely on manual processes for trust accounting, which can lead to compliance risks and inefficiencies.
OBA members now have access to a new member benefit, Smokeball Bill. This trust accounting and billing software is now available at no cost to Oklahoma lawyers.
Smokeball Bill helps law firms of all sizes:
- Simplify trust accounting
- Ensure compliance
- Streamline invoicing to speed up the billing process
Newly elected officers and board members will take their oaths of office on Friday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m. at the Supreme Court Courtroom at the state Capitol. Officers to be sworn in are:
- President D. Kenyon Williams Jr., Sperry
- President-Elect Amber Peckio, Tulsa
- Vice President Richard D. White Jr., Tulsa.
Also taking oaths as members of the OBA Board of Governors are:
- Immediate Past President Miles Pringle, Oklahoma City
- Cody J. Cooper, Oklahoma City, District 3 (three-year term)
- Benjamin J. Barker, Enid, District 4 (three-year term)
- Lucas M. West, Norman, District 5 (three-year term)
- Kate N. Dodoo, Oklahoma City, Member at Large (three-year term)
- Taylor C. Venus, Enid, Young Lawyers Division Chairperson (one-year term)
OBA leadership roles are voluntary positions in which lawyers serve while continuing to practice law. Learn more about the volunteers who guide your association in this month's Oklahoma Bar Journal.
The application period for Oklahoma Bar Foundation court grants is now open. Through these grants, the Oklahoma Bar Foundation helps improve the administration of justice in district and appellate court rooms across Oklahoma. Grants may be used to fund courtroom technological equipment such as interactive display boards, audio systems or video equipment. Courts can apply now through March 3.
"A family law case is unique in that the client is typically going through something they never imagined they would face. On their wedding day, they stood before family and friends and recited their vows, believing they were entering a union that would last a lifetime. Instead, for whatever reason, it didn’t, and they have come to you for resolution. Whether this is the person leaving or the person being left, it is painful for them. They are going through a paradigm shift. Their future is going to be far different than what they envisioned. It’s quite uncertain, and no one likes uncertainty. However, as in a quote often attributed to American physicist and inventor Robert Goddard reminds us, 'Just remember – when you think all is lost, the future remains.'"
"A lawyer’s contract with a client does not have to be in writing in most cases, but when a lawyer agrees to represent a new client or represent a current client on a new matter, the lawyer should prepare and execute a written contract. These agreements are known by several names, including engagement agreements, fee agreements, engagement letters, retainer agreements or simply fee contracts. Whatever the name of these agreements, reducing the agreement to writing can define the attorney-client relationship, define the duties and obligations of both the lawyer and the client, reduce the risk of misunderstanding and reduce the risk of grievances and disciplinary action."
Friday, Jan. 24, is the deadline for Law Day Art and Writing Contest entries to be submitted. If you know an Oklahoma student who loves to write, draw or create, encourage them to enter their work! If you have a teacher in your life, feel free to forward the information to them to share with their students. This year, the theme is "The Constitution's Promise: Out of Many, One."
The annual contest is designed to stimulate discussion and understanding of the law among young Oklahomans. Categories include art and writing for grades pre-K through 12th, with cash prizes up to $500 and plaques for winners, plus participation certificates to honor every student's hard work.
If you have questions about the Law Day contest, contact the contest coordinator, Lauren Davis, at laurenr@okbar.org or 405-416-7018.
Featured CLE
![300x300 EmploymentLaw Copy[2]](https://okcourtsandmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/300x300-EmploymentLaw-copy2.jpg "300x300 EmploymentLaw Copy[2]")
By OBA MAP Director Jim Calloway
One might not expect that the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas would hold many lessons for lawyers. But legal technology-focused blogger Stephen Embry took away many thoughts affecting lawyers from this conference.
"What Lawyers Can Learn From CES 2025: Trends That Matter" is a useful essay with lessons for all of us in the profession. Did you know that Generation Z workers will make up 27% of the workforce in 2025, and 86% of U.S. Gen Zers say technology is essential to them? While much of the legal profession has been understandably cautious about artificial intelligence adoption, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) 2025 Tech Trends presentation reported that a staggering 93% of U.S. consumers are familiar with generative artificial intelligence, and 61% say they already use it at work. This will likely impact consumer (a.k.a. client) expectations on service delivery. Mr. Embry, who will serve as co-chair of ABA TECHSHOW 2025 with OBA Practice Management Advisor Julie Bays, addresses many other trends he believes will affect the legal profession.
Interested in attending this year’s ABA TECHSHOW to learn more? OBA members can receive a discount on registration by using the code EP2507 when registering for the conference at www.techshow.com. The early-bird deadline for reduced conference registration is Feb. 3.
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.