With more than 450 members, the Oklahoma City Chapter is one of the largest FBA chapters in the country and serves as a forum for federal legal issues in central and western Oklahoma. Our Chapter’s inclusive and large board of directors unites members from the bench and the bar, civil and criminal practitioners, and government and private practice counsel to ensure that the Oklahoma City Chapter represents the community’s diverse federal practice needs.

The Oklahoma City Chapter presents reasonably-priced continuing legal education seminars throughout the year with topics ranging from the annual Tenth Circuit Year in Review, an annual sentencing symposium, and the presentation of both federal cases and policies and stateside cases and policies with federal implications. To ensure meaningful exchanges between the bench and the bar, our Chapter also hosts regular brown bag lunches with federal judges and an annual springtime fireside chat, highlighting a federal judge. The Oklahoma City Chapter is particularly proud of its annual William J. Holloway, Jr. Lecture, bringing in prominent national speakers, during which Holloway Scholarship recipients are honored.  We’re delighted that this year’s event will feature United States Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar.

Our Chapter has placed a strong emphasis on civic-engagement efforts. We feature a mentoring program that pairs law students with practitioners and judges and provides many other opportunities for law student engagement—efforts which have driven consistent growth in the Oklahoma City Chapter’s law student division. The Oklahoma City Chapter sponsors a summer high school court camp, a fourth-grade mock trial, and a visit to a local elementary school to celebrate the birthday of the Bill of Rights. We were proud to have sponsored a winning team at the Thurgood A. Marshall Memorial Moot Court competition this past year! We also look forward to new partnerships with local civics and government teachers to assist them in ensuring that successive generations understand the framework and underpinnings of our constitutional democracy.

We encourage all attorneys interested in federal courts to join our Chapter, to enjoy the benefits from our programs, and to engage with us as we serve our community, the bench, and each other.

Matthew Panach
Chapter President, 2021-2022