The Oklahoma Bar Journal January 2023

NICHOLAS E. THURMAN Governor – District No. Eight Ada Background: I grew up most of my life in west Texas but graduated fromWeatherford High School in Oklahoma. After that, I attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where I played for the varsity

BENJAMIN R. HILFIGER Governor – District No. Seven Muskogee Background: I was born in Muskogee, where I grad uated from high school. I met my wife, Amber, at a singles dinner on Valentine’s Day in Austin, Texas. Three months later, we were engaged. We have

three kids and a dog, and we spend most of our free time at our family cabin on the Baron Fork River. I work in private practice with my father, Roger Hilfiger, and Jay Cook. I practice criminal and fam ily law, and I am also a certified mediator. Education: J.D. from the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law; master’s degree in energy legal studies from OCU and a BIS in multi-disciplinary studies, commerce theory with a minor in commu nications from OU. What is your most important goal during your service on the OBA Board of Governors? To represent my district as best as I can Why is it important for OBA members to serve and volunteer? To provide a resource for their community What challenges are OBA members encountering, and how can the OBA help find solutions? The abundance of technology available is overwhelming at times. The OBA can help research what is avail able and then provide an easier way for attorneys to read up on the latest without the worry of being sold something. What’s your favorite OBA member benefit? Fastcase! Free legal research!!! What technology gadget could you not function without? Clio app What’s the best book you’ve read this year? My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

basketball team. I began dating my wife, Hannah, while in law school at OCU, and she was attending the University of Hawai ʻ i at M ā noa. Luckily, I was able to find an internship with the District Attorney’s Office in Honolulu, where I found my passion for prosecution. My wife and I, along with our two children, Faye and Booker, currently live in Ada, where I am the assistant district attorney. We enjoy traveling and being outside. Education: I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford and then attended the OCU School of Law. What is your most important goal during your service on the OBA Board of Governors? I hope to further the community’s understanding and knowledge of an attorney’s role, especially in a prosecutorial position, in seeking not only justice but a fair and equitable outcome that provides the best result for the victim, the community and the defendant. Why is it important for OBA members to serve and volunteer? As attorneys, we not only counsel our clients in legal matters but in life matters as well. In this role, we are meant to be quintessential exam ples of what truth should be, and it is our responsi bility to be pillars of our community. What challenges are OBA members encountering, and how can the OBA help find solutions? As more and more young attorneys join our ranks, there continues to be a growing disconnect between our more expe rienced attorneys and the incoming ones, especially in rural areas. I believe there is a strong desire in young attorneys for mentorship. As a first-generation attorney, I was unaware of the resources available for mentorship, and I don’t believe there is a strong rep resentation by other prosecutors in the OBA for this type of mentorship. I would hope to see a stronger presence of OBA mentors in rural areas and a more positive representation of prosecution in this aspect. What’s your favorite OBA member benefit? I appreci ate the wide variety of CLE programs provided. What technology gadget could you not function without? I don’t think I’m alone in saying my phone. What’s the best book you’ve read this year? Crazy Love by Francis Chan

JANUARY 2023 | 45

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL