Vol. 3 No. 3 | Jan. 18, 2023
Courts
No published opinions this week.
- 2023 OK CIV APP 2: WHITE v. 918 CONSTRUCTION
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.
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OBA Officers and New Governors to be Sworn In Jan. 20
Newly elected officers and board members will take their oaths of office on Friday, Jan. 20, at 10 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Capitol Ceremonial Courtroom. Officers to be sworn in are:
- President Brian T. Hermanson, Ponca City
- President-Elect Miles T. Pringle, Oklahoma City
- Vice President D. Kenyon Williams Jr., Tulsa
- Immediate Past President James R. Hicks, Tulsa
Also taking oaths as members of the OBA Board of Governors are:
- John E. Barbush, Durant, District Two (three-year term)
- Nicholas E. Thurman, Ada, District Eight (three-year term)
- Jana L. Knott, El Reno, District Nine (three-year term)
- Timothy L. Rogers, Tulsa, member at large (three-year term)
- Caroline M. Shaffer Siex, Tulsa, Young Lawyers Division chairperson (one-year term)
OBA leadership roles are voluntary positions in which lawyers serve while continuing to practice law.
"A 'freeze-out,' also known as a 'squeeze-out,' is a classic problem in the world of close corporations in which a minority shareholder is ousted by the majority. Depending on the state in which you reside, there are remedies currently available to minority shareholders in this situation. However, this issue is currently unsettled under Oklahoma law. This article explores how the issue may be decided under Oklahoma law in the future and provides options lawyers may consider to protect their clients in the interim."
Join us at the Oklahoma Bar Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Jan. 27, for the Legislative Kickoff. During this event, we will cover upcoming legislation that may impact your area of practice. This event is hosted by the OBA Legislative Monitoring Committee. Donuts and coffee will be provided. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
According to OBA Practice Management Advisor Julie Bays, who is the program administrator for Oklahoma’s Free Legal Answers, 163 Oklahoma lawyers have volunteered to provide free legal advice through the program as of Dec. 14, 2022.
For those who may not be able to afford an attorney, this program has proven to be a beneficial resource. Since the program’s launch in 2016, the number of free legal questions has exceeded 253,000 across the United States. Oklahomans are taking advantage of the program too – with thousands of questions having been submitted.
“From its inception in 2016, Oklahoma citizens have asked 6,831 questions,” Ms. Bays said. “The majority of questions coming from Oklahoma are regarding family law at 32%, landlord/tenant questions at 14%, and then we have ‘other’ at 15%. Oklahoma’s attorneys have answered 4,180 of these questions. ...”
Free Movie Night is back! On Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 6-9 p.m., join fellow attorneys at the Oklahoma Judicial Center for a showing of "Goodbye, My Fancy," followed by a panel discussion moderated by Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice M. John Kane. Speaking on the panel are Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, 2023 OBA President and 8th District Attorney Brian Hermanson and former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson. Seating is limited to 175, and doors open at 5:30 p.m. Three general MCLE credits will be offered. Registration is required, but there is no cost to register.
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. 21-22.
The Board of Bar Examiners requests that members examine this list and bring to the board’s attention in a signed letter any information that 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, P.O. Box 53036, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.
Membership Reminders
Dues are due!
The deadline to pay your OBA 2023 membership dues without a late fee is Wednesday, Feb 15. Paper statements will be mailed this month to those who have not yet paid. Please help the OBA save paper, printing and postage costs by making your dues payment today! Visit MyOKBar to remit dues online.
MCLE deadline approaching.
The deadline to earn your required credit for 2022 was Dec. 31. The deadline to report your earned credit or a qualified exemption for 2022 is 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.
Featured CLE
By Jim Calloway, OBA Management Assistance Program Director
Every lawyer or law firm should have a website. Most people no longer use the Yellow Pages and search for everything from purchasing legal services to buying a car on the internet. The web is how most businesses obtain new customers. The law firm web site can provide many functions and resources, or it can be modest, with the intention that when someone searches for you online, search results will point them to your website. Hopefully your website will allow them to schedule an appointment with your firm.
For those who do not have a website, choosing a domain name might be a challenge, particularly if you have a very common last name. It was much easier to pick a good domain name a decade or two ago. Sam Glover was co-founder of Lawyerist and does website strategic consulting. His recent post "Choosing a Domain Name for Your Website" covers the basics clearly and succinctly. There is more to consider than many might think
The Oklahoma Bar Journal is a publication of the Oklahoma Bar Association. All rights reserved. Copyright© 2023 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.