Oklahoma Bar Association - Latest News

Annual Meeting Photo Gallery Updated

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:40:24 -0600

Wednesday morning kicked off with several CLE sessions in the Multi-track format, and Thursday will bring the plenary session and luncheon featuring guest speaker Gene Kranz. Several events will be photographed and featured on the OBA site, but you can also follow on our Flickr photostream.

Join us at the OKC Sheraton for today’s luncheon, section meetings, and Friday’s General Assembly, and to check out our hall of exhibitors and vendors. You’ll be glad you did.

It's Annual Meeting Time!

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:39:25 -0600

The 2009 Annual Meeting is underway! We're expecting over 500 members to join us over the next 3 days for good CLE, good art, and good visits with friends and fellow attorneys.

Throughout the convention, we'll be posting pictures and stories featuring different aspects of the events. Keep checking back for updates! If you're on Twitter, follow the event with #OKBar2009.

Walk-in Registrations Welcome at Annual Meeting

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:38:05 -0600

It's not too late to register for this year's Annual Meeting, which is being held this week (Nov. 4-6) in Oklahoma City's Sheraton Hotel. Registration opens Tuesday evening from 4-7 p.m.

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, registration is in the hotel lobby from 4 – 7 p.m. On Wednesday & Thursday, Nov. 4 & 5, registration is in the Mall Pavillion.

Come on down and join your fellow bar members for a great time!

New Mayes County Bar President Elected

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:19:30 -0600

Mayes County Attorney David F. DuVall has been recently elected as the County Bar President. Mr. DuVall is an associate at The Ritchie Law Firm in Pryor where his primary practice areas include Bankruptcy, Condemnation, Appellate, and General Civil law. Mr. DuVall joined the Ritchie Law Firm in December, 2008, and practices with firm founder, K. Ellis Ritchie, and associates Ryan M. Roberts and Bryan A. Rock. Mr. DuVall Graduated from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2008.

David plans to work with his fellow officers and members of the Mayes County Bar in conducting meetings, planning various CLE opportunities, and preparing for the Bar Association's annual Law Day activities. David also plans on working to increase the presence of the bar association within the Mayes County community over the next year.

One of David's passions is community involvement and volunteer work. While in law school, David was a volunteer mentor at the Tulsa Boys' Home in Sand Springs. He worked with at risk teen boys as a mentor throughout his three years in law school. As part of his service he was awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award in 2007 and 2008. While not at the office, David enjoys spending time with his wife, Kassie, and their friends and family. David also enjoys playing the game of golf every chance he can. He embraces the opportunity that his fellow members of the Bar Association have given him and looks forward to serving as the President of the Mayes County Bar Association.

Annual Meeting Highlight: Free Mental Health Seminar

webeditor@okbar.org — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:21:39 -0600

The OBA is committed to the well being of its members and for the third year is offering 1½ hours of free CLE at the 2009 OBA Annual Meeting on Thursday afternoon from 3 – 4:15 p.m. The session will focus on depression. To register, fill out the Annual Meeting registration form online or in print.

Annual Meeting Highlight: Registration Benefits

webeditor@okbar.org — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:19:43 -0600

If you're coming to Annual Meeting, you may be wondering just what comes with your registration fee. It's not just all meetings and seminars (although you don't want to miss those). There's a whole lot more!

President's Reception
Art Show
Comedy Club featuring Henry Cho
Casino Night hosted by the YLD

You'll also get access to OBA/CLE's free mental health seminar, and the General Assembly.

So if you've already registered, then check out the Annual Meeting site to see what's in store for you. If you haven't, it's not too late. Register now!

Be It Resolved...

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:38:59 -0700

Did you know that each year at Annual Meeting, the House of Delegates meets to vote on resolutions proposed by the OBA membership?

This year, there are six new resolutions that, if passed, will affect how you practice law. You can review the proposed resolutions by visiting the Annual Meeting 2009 Web site and reading the full text, including the recommendations made by the Board of Governors.

Deadline Nears for Annual Meeting Online Registration

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:36:31 -0700

Planning on coming to Annual Meeting, but just haven't registered yet? Take a couple of minutes to register online. It's easy, fast, and secure!

The deadline for online registrations is ~~Tuesday, Nov 3^rd~~ Monday, Nov. 2^nd at 5:00 p.m. It’s not too late to register for the OBA Annual Meeting; however, online and fax options are no longer available.

To register in person, come to the Sheraton Hotel. On Tuesday, Nov. 3, registration is in the hotel lobby from 4 – 7 p.m. On Wednesday & Thursday, Nov. 4 & 5, registration is in the Mall Pavillion.

Don't miss out, there's lots to see and do this year. Visit the special Annual Meeting 2009 Web site for more information.

Annual Meeting Highlight: CLE Multi-Track

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:03:19 -0700

The Wednesday CLE multi-track format will be used again at this year’s meeting. Members will have an opportunity to select from in excess of 30 different sessions. Five tracks of simultaneous CLE programming will be offered: Family Law, Criminal Law, Nuts and Bolts, Real Property Law and Recent Developments. Get the full details on the Annual Meeting 2009 site.

Failure is Not an Option

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:03:27 -0700

Where were you on April 13, 1970, when the Apollo 13 liquid oxygen tank ruptured? The loud bang heard when the fuel cell tank exploded, was at first believed to be a prank pulled by prankster Crewman Haise. However, it was discovered that the explosion which took out the whole side of the service module, crippling both the command and service modules, resulted in the loss of most of the power and life sustaining oxygen. An immediate abort of the mission was necessary, but how do they get the crew back safely from this life and death drama?

Gene Kranz, Annual Luncheon Guest Speaker, Author of Failure is Not an Option and past NASA Flight Control Director, is credited with returning the lunar module and the crew safely back to earth, for which he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom award. We invite you to join us for the Annual Luncheon, followed by a book signing, beginning at Noon on Thursday, November 5, 2009, to hear the rest of the story.

What caused the rupture? The thermostat inside the liquid oxygen tanks, used to run the fuel cells providing electricity as well as oxygen, were supposed to be redesigned to operate at 65 volts as well as the 28 volt standard. The manufacturer did not get word of the change, which alone would not have been a problem. However in 1968 the tank was dropped by technicians during manufacturing. Tests were performed and a determination was made that there was no detectable damage. In March, 1970, after a practice session, the ground crew tried to empty the tank, but couldn’t. The small tube used to fill and empty the tank of its supercold contents had been damaged when it was dropped. In order to empty the tank, the technicians turned on the heaters to warm the liquid oxygen, turning it to a gas that could then be vented to the outside. The thermostat inside the tank was supposed to prevent the temperature from exceeding 80 degrees Fahrenheit. As the temperature inside the tank rose, the thermostat was activated, resulting in a surge of electricity at 65 volts, causing the 28 volt thermostat to weld shut, and the temperature inside the tank to rise to 1000 degrees. The intense heat damaged some of the insulation on the wiring inside the tank. No one knew, but Apollo 13 carried the makings of a small bomb inside its service module.

When the fans were turned on inside the No. 2 tank, the damaged wire caused a spark, starting a fire inside the tank. The pure oxygen fed the fire and caused the pressure inside to grow to the point of rupturing the tank and subsequently crippling the spacecraft.

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Come to the 2009 Annual Meeting luncheon for the rest of this exciting story.

Annual Meeting Highlight: CLE Plenary Session

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:00:21 -0700

If you love history, you love Abraham Lincoln. This year is the 200^th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. In honor of that occasion, the OBA/CLE Annual Meeting plenary session, scheduled for Thursday morning, will focus on the life of Lincoln and what we can learn, as lawyers, from his life.

OBA Communications Director Honored

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:27:13 -0700

OBA Communications Director Carol Manning was presented the National Association of Bar Executives E.A. “Wally” Richter Leadership Award at the NABE Communications Section workshop Oct. 23 in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Richter Award is the section’s highest honor and is presented annually for outstanding achievement in the field of communications, extraordinary service to colleagues in NABE and distinguished leadership of the Communications Section.

Weathering a Stormy Economy

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:25:31 -0700

Business slow? Tired of the same old work? Now’s the time to develop strategies to weather the stormy economy and to refresh, refocus your legal career. National speaker Roy Ginsburg will address these issues in an OBA/CLE program scheduled for October 29 in Oklahoma City.

OBA Sponsors Law Day Contest

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:56:32 -0700

Oklahoma students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to enter the Oklahoma Bar Association's Law Day contest with the opportunity of winning cash prizes up to $500. Entries must be received at the Oklahoma Bar Center in Oklahoma City by Dec. 18. The theme for this year's contest is "Our History: Milestones in the Law." Students may explore key individuals, ideas or historical events that have helped shape American laws.

Full contest details and an entry form

OBA LRE Coordinator Receives Service Award

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:02:27 -0700

OBA Law-related Education Coordinator, Jane McConnell was awarded the 2009 OCSS Service Award at the Oklahoma Council for Social Studies Annual Conference held October 1, 2009. The award acknowledges McConnell’s commitment to the advancement of civics education.

OBA Law-related Education programs were exhibited at the conference, showcasing the wealth of FREE civic education resources available to educators.

Visit the OCSS site to see other OCSS 2009 award recipients.

OK Law Firm Hit for $300,000 in Fraud Scheme

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:10:31 -0700

Oklahoma Bankers Association President Roger Beverage has alerted OBA members to a recent fraud scheme directed at law firms. According to Mr. Beverage, the scam involves fraudulent cashier's and corporate checks and "the fraudsters are upping the ante and contacting law firms with even larger checks than those used to defraud individuals." An Oklahoma law firm recently fell victim to the fraud with a loss of $300,000.

A PDF is available online at okbar.org which outlines the scheme and how to defend against it.