The Oklahoma Bar Journal October 2025

B oard of G overnors A ctions

Meeting Summaries

discussed outstanding issues with Executive Director Johnson.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

The Oklahoma Bar Association Board of Governors met July 16.

President-Elect Peckio reported she attended the OBA Board of Governors Executive Committee meeting, participated in a vir tual conference with OBA repre sentatives regarding Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma and finalized appointments to the OBA Budget Committee for Board of Governors approval. She reviewed and researched Ask A Lawyer questions from the remaining unanswered emails and conferred with the Muskogee County Bar Association president to gauge interest in upcoming committee appointments. Executive Director Johnson reported she worked on tailoring the strategic plan implementa tion member needs assessment, attended the Bar Center Facilities Committee meeting and worked on staff evaluations. She attended a meeting about Legal Services Corp. funding history and pros pects and a preconference plan ning meeting with the OKANA Resort. She worked on final prep for the Solo & Small Firm Conference and authored her article for the August issue of the Oklahoma Bar Journal. REPORT OF THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Past President Pringle reported by email he reviewed OBA litiga tion and facilities contracts and REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Governor Barbush reported he attended the Bryan County Bar Association summer party and assisted in presenting a 60-year milestone pin to Pat Phelps and a 50-year milestone pin to Ken Rainbolt. He communicated with the Cannabis Law Committee chair concerning the conversion of that committee to a section, and he met with individuals coordi nating the upcoming Wills for Heroes event, which is scheduled for August in Durant. Governor Barker reported he reviewed nom inations for OBA Awards and cor responded with Justice Jett about his appointment to the Supreme Court. He conferred with Chief Justice Rowe about speaking to the Garfield County Bar Association, and he spoke with the Woodward County Bar Association about the upcoming Boiling Springs confer ence. Governor Cooper reported he attended the Oklahoma County Bar Association meeting, as well as the Board of Directors meeting and the retirement party of the OCBA’s outgoing executive direc tor, Debbie Gorden. He attended the Bar Center Facilities Committee meeting and reviewed and revised proposed documents with the architect, REES Associates. Governor Hixon reported he solicited volunteers from the Tulsa County Bar Association Board of Directors to respond to

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT President Williams reported he met with the executive director of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma regarding Legal Services Corp. funding and participated in a virtual conference with OBA representatives regarding LASO. He virtually attended a portion of the Clients’ Security Funds Committee’s July meeting, final ized and submitted his president’s message for the August bar journal and prepared his “State of the OBA” materials for his presentation at the Oklahoma Judicial Conference. He worked on appointments for vari ous volunteer positions, answered several Ask A Lawyer questions from the pool of unanswered questions and responded to the U.S. Executive Office for Immigration Review with recommendations regarding an OBA member. He reviewed and provided guid ance on a response to one state agency’s criticism of a bar journal article, conferred with Executive Director Johnson regarding human resources issues and worked on responses from county seats to legal desert solutions. He partic ipated in an interview with an Oklahoma Voice news reporter and OBA Director of Communications Rasmussen regarding Oklahoma’s legal desert issues.

76 | OCTOBER 2025

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL