The Oklahoma Bar Journal May 2023

problems Oklahomans have faced through the years. The OBF looks forward to continuing its work into 2023 and beyond. In October 2022, the Oklahoma Supreme Court approved amendments to ORPC 1.15, Safekeeping Property, to pro vide a process for implementing the rate comparability provision in the rule regarding the interest rates financial institutions pay on IOLTA accounts. It is anticipated that these procedural changes will increase the IOLTA remittals received on an annual basis and consequently increase the foun dation’s ability to serve the people of Oklahoma through its mission to support legal services for the poor and vulnerable, law-related education and access to justice for all. The foundation’s essential purpose continues to advance the ongoing dynamic evolution of the legal profession in Oklahoma.

ability to meet the funding demand. A new strategic plan was put in place, new foundation staff were hired, and updates were made in fundraising, technology and com munications, with an eye toward making a bigger impact. In 2015 and 2016, the OBF learned it would be receiving funds from class actions that had their genesis in the 2008 housing crisis and stock market crash. A settlement agree ment in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice against Bank of America and its subsidiar ies provided for an award of funds to organizations like IOLTA pro grams that make grants to provide civil legal services. The amount received by each IOLTA program was based on the individual state’s poverty level, and for Oklahoma, the amount was $4.1 million. These funds were earmarked for foreclosure defense work and community redevelopment pro grams designed to aid individuals in communities damaged by the housing market collapse. Ultimately, the OBF made grants from the settlement funds in the program’s first year to more than 30 different programs in the amount of $1,366,600. These funds helped Oklahomans faced with many legal problems caused by the crisis, such as foreclosure, job loss, the inability to obtain employment and over coming education barriers. To max imize and continue the impact, the remaining $3 million was invested to use as an ongoing source of annual OBF grants for mortgage foreclosure defense and community redevelopment projects. The foundation continued to grow and make big strides until March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Normal activities ceased, and the foundation focused on helping

its Grantee partners and their clients survive. One bright spot during the pandemic did appear in the form of another class action cy pres award to the foundation. The OBF received $500,000 from a Texas County case. The funds were to support grants that addressed the shortage of qualified court reporters working in Oklahoma, particularly in rural counties. Older reporters were retir ing, and few new ones were gradu ating to take their places. Enrollment in court reporting schools was down, and those students who did attend, graduate and pass the certification exam were often lured by higher salaries in neighboring states like Texas and Kansas. Two new types of grants were established. The first was educa tional block grants for qualified schools in the state to use for instruction. The second, court reporter employment grants, was designed to provide stipends for certain certified court reporters who agreed to work in rural court houses. By the end of 2020, the OBF awarded $135,000 in grants to the three schools offering court report ing classes, and six educational grants have been awarded. Cy pres awards were continuing to expand the vision and impact of the OBF. 75th year of existence in 2021, delayed due to the COVID pandemic. The goal of the celebration was to high light how OBF donors and Grantees have made a difference in the lives of Oklahomans for more than 75 years through the provision of almost $19 million in grants and schol arships. The foundation is proud of the real-life stories explaining how OBF grants have been used to help solve the many different legal LOOKING FORWARD The OBF belatedly celebrated its

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Renee DeMoss is the executive director of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation. She served as president of the OBF

in 2008 and president of the OBA in 2014. Ms. DeMoss maintained a business litigation practice at GableGotwals in Tulsa for 35 years. Bob Burke has been

a workers’ compensation and constitutional lawyer for 42 years. He is vice chair of the Oklahoma

Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Elections and a Trustee of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation. Mr. Burke is a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and has written more historical nonfiction books (154) than anyone in history.

Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal 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.

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL