Serving Members and Community in New Ways

Jim Milton A Message from the President

Serving Members & Community in New Ways

I am writing this column on May 7. We are a little more than a week away from May 18, when the courts are to be re-opened. By the time you receive this issue ofthe Tulsa Lawyer, there may be further developments. Andcertainlybythattime,anynewsor analysis regarding the Supreme Court Administrative Orders (SCADs) and Tulsa County Administrative Orders(AOs)willbeoutofdate. ButIdowantyouto knowthattheTCBAhas beenhardatworkreviewing SCADs and AOs, providing comments on the urgent issuesfacedbyourJudgesandotherelectedofficials.

Atthe outsetofthe pandemic, whenitbecame clear that access to clients and courthouses would be restricted, theTCBAledthewayinaddressingtheuse ofremoteonlinenotariesundertheOklahomaRemote OnlineNotaryAct, withtheresultthattheOBAEstate Planning, Probate & Trust Section (“EPPT”) (chaired byDanWoska) publishedapositionpaper, distributed materials, and assisted in the production ofa webinar on the issue. The EPPT’s task force on pandemicrelated issues continues to operate on a statewide basis addressing various issues that impact attorneys in the trustandprobatearea.

The TCBA then took on a role ofadvocating for inclusion of legal professionals within the essential functions under the statewide restrictions imposed in March. Whilemanyattorneys(includingmyself)began workingfromhomeforaperiodoftime,attorneysand law offices needed to remain open to some extent in ordertoreadthemail,handleemergenciesandpressing matters,andotherwiseassistclients. Somelawoffices closed, others remained open. But fortunately, the flexibilitywasallowedforthesechoicestobemade.

Duringthissametimeperiod,theTCBAclosed its doors to the public and began working remotely. This required the TCBA to reexamine several of its