The Oklahoma Bar Journal June 2024

districts of Arkansas. He has had several published decisions by the Oklahoma Supreme Court that have made law for the state of Oklahoma in areas such as the zone of danger rule and case law defining the appropriateness of jurors taking notes in civil jury trials, allowing the jurors to have a legal pad and pen in every jury trial in the state. With thousands of cases under his belt, Mr. Smiling has had a notable career. These cases, with many garnering national attention from major news networks, include one of the larg est fire catastrophes in western Oklahoma to the largest E. coli case in Oklahoma history. It also includes cases where he didn’t take a penny, representing individ uals pro bono who lost loved ones or limbs or had major life traumas. He is regarded by fellow law yers, courtroom reporters, judges and others as professional, honest and honorable. His dedication to ethics and integrity in the legal profession has made a mark on those who have worked with him. Mr. Smiling is a public servant and has set an example for other lawyers. JOHN E. SHIPP AWARD FOR ETHICS Robert W. Ravitz,

For 37 years, Mr. Ravitz was chief public defender for the Oklahoma County Public Defender’s Office. He was con stantly creative with his prob lem-solving and his unique ability to convince others that the seemingly divergent thoughts of punishment for a criminal act and empathy for the offender’s per sonal struggles could coexist. He grew the office from four lawyers to more than 40, not including the small army of investigators and support staff assisting with the mission. He always fought hard for the rights of not only the office’s clients but for all the citi zens of Oklahoma County. To Mr. Ravitz, ethics was what naturally happened when you treated people the way you were supposed to. Almost single-handedly raising an entire generation of trial attorneys, his dedication to ethics and guidance to do the right thing has stuck with them and will not be forgotten. In the last 30 years, Mr. Ravitz did so much, so often, to further the ethical principles of the justice system and the people within it. The following awards will be pre sented during the OBA General Assembly on Friday, July 12. OUTSTANDING COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION AWARD Tulsa County Bar Association Michael E. Esmond, 2023-2024 President With a legacy of unwavering commitment spanning over a century, the Tulsa County Bar Association has been a steadfast pillar of support for members of the legal profession and the com munity, earning a reputation for trust and reliability. The association provides its diverse members with educational

scheduling cases into volunteers’ dockets, writing grants and orga nizing fundraisers and annual events for kids in the foster system. She took pride in facilitating family reunions and forming new families. In addition to her distinguished career leading OLFC, Ms. Thompson is the founder and a former chair of the OBA Juvenile Law Section and a founding board member of the Count Me In 4 Kids Coalition. She has served on the Juvenile Court Improvement Task Force and the Supreme Court Task Force on high-quality legal repre sentation for parents and children in deprived proceedings. NEIL E. BOGAN PROFESSIONALISM AWARD A. Mark Smiling, Tulsa A. Mark Smiling is as a trial lawyer, he has tried and defended more than 500 jury trials. He is a lawyer who treats all clients with the utmost impor tance and who is known for his courtesy, kindness, attention to detail, depth of understanding of the law and overall legal abilities. Mr. Smiling has been a prac ticing Oklahoma attorney since 1984. He practices civil litiga tion and is a member of the Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and North Carolina bar associations. Additionally, he’s admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Western and Northern districts of Oklahoma, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, tribal courts in Oklahoma and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western admired and respected by many for his character. With nearly 40 years

Oklahoma City (posthumous) Many regard Robert W. Ravitz, who passed away Jan. 23, 2024,

as the embodiment of the princi ple of ethics. From enforcing the ethical code all attorneys swear to abide by on the Professional Responsibility Commission and Tribunal to serving as a public defender, he exhibited the highest level of fairness and candor.

54 | JUNE 2024

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL