The Oklahoma Bar Journal June 2024

and the Wills for Heroes Program. Ms. Shaffer Siex has improved the legal profession and the commu nity at large. OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC AWARD

Their work is admired by mem bers and OBA leadership and has been recognized nationally. The May 2021 issue was honored with a 2022 Silver Gavel Award for Media and the Arts by the American Bar Association. Their innumerable hours of service on top of their busy law practices and personal lives to produce a high-quality publication for bar association members is remark able and meritorious. OUTSTANDING YOUNG LAWYER AWARD Caroline Shaffer Siex, Tulsa Caroline Shaffer Siex continued service to Oklahoma’s young lawyers includes numerous YLD events for new members, providing information and advice about the bar exam to TU College of Law students and reestab lishing and hosting the New Bar Admittee Happy Hour in Tulsa, among other things. For six years, she has been a member of the YLD. During that time, she has served in multiple leadership roles, such as hospital ity chair, secretary, treasurer and chair. She also was the ABA YLD district representative for District 24 (Oklahoma and Arkansas) from 2020 to 2021, working on an Oklahoma disaster during this time. Ms. Shaffer Siex has been heavily involved with the OBA, including in the Access to Justice Committee, Solo and Small Firm Conference Planning Committee, Budget Committee, the Tulsa County Bar Association Women in Law Subcommittee social chair has enthusias tically served the OBA and the YLD. Her

many predecessors, have contrib uted to Ask A Lawyer’s long and successful history. Also notewor thy are the efforts of outstanding lawyer volunteer Dan Crawford of Tulsa, who has coordinated the project in Tulsa for 35 years and will hand over the reins to a suc cessor after the 2024 event. GOLDEN GAVEL AWARD

ALSO INSIDE: Oklahoma’s Agricultural Law • Legislative Session Begins Feb. 5 OBA Leadership Academy Class Eight Begins • 2024 Officers and Board Members Take Oaths

ALSO INSIDE: Volunteers Who Guide Your Association OBA Awards Call for Entries • 2024 at a Glance

Volume 95 — No. 1 — January 2024

Volume 95 — No. 2 — February 2024

Meet 2024 OBA President Miles Pringle Page 50 PLUS Litigation & Trial Practice

Estate Planning

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ALSO INSIDE: Annual Meeting • Professional Responsibility Commission Annual Report Legislative Monitoring Committee • OBA Leadership Academy: Meet Class Eight

ALSO INSIDE: Annual Meeting • Law Day Contest Winner Highlights Notice of Hearing on Proposed Dues Increase

ALSO INSIDE: Legislative Update • Proposed Changes to ORPC • OBA Leadership Academy Law Day 2024 • Milestone Member Anniversaries • Annual Meeting • Mock Trial

Volume 95 — No. 5 — May 2024

Volume 95 — No. 4 — April 2024

Volume 95 — No. 3 — March 2024

OBA YLD Wills for Heroes Program The OBA YLD Wills for Heroes Program is a dedicated service that gives back to Oklahoma’s emergency personnel – including law enforcement officers, cor rections officers, probation officers, firefighters, paramedics and veterans – by helping them establish a basic will and pow ers of attorney free of charge. The YLD created the program in 2007 when then-OBA President Stephen Beam tasked the division with providing these services to those who have served us. They have been providing this pro bono service ever since, recognizing that planning and preparation are critical needs for those who serve others in this capacity. While initially hosted in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, the program has expanded its reach over the years to include rural cities and communities, such as Vinita, Afton and other areas around the state. The program’s volunteers’ commitment to service has set an example for others and changed the lives of many.

Natural Resources Law

Indian Law

Animal Law

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O klahoma Bar Journal Board of Editors, Melissa G. DeLacerda, Chair For decades, the Oklahoma Bar Journal Board of Editors, currently chaired by Melissa DeLacerda of Stillwater, has worked tirelessly to develop substantive law content for the award-winning Oklahoma Bar Journal . Their work is com monly regarded as one of the most valuable benefits to the 18,000 OBA members. The volunteer editors work to determine law-related themes up to two years in advance for each of the 10 yearly issues and recruit articles for the different themes, spending countless hours identifying potential authors with subject matter expertise and soliciting the submission of articles. They then review submis sions, work with authors to make revisions and deliver the submis sions to the board for editorial review. The board reviews dozens of articles for quality, accuracy, appropriateness and relevance.

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL