The Oklahoma Bar Association is accepting nominations for its annual awards presentations.

Nominations must be received by 5 p.m. Monday, June 30. Awards will be presented to recipients during the OBA Annual Meeting in November. Awards are open to lawyers, nonlawyers and organizations that have positively impacted the community.

Edmond attorney LeAnne McGill chairs the statewide committee that will review the nominations and select the award winners. “The OBA Awards are a great opportunity to celebrate lawyers and nonlawyers who have made lasting impacts on their communities and the practice of law,” said McGill. “The nominating process is easy, and all submissions are carefully considered. It’s important to recognize and celebrate the high caliber of legal service in our state.”

Awards such as the Outstanding Service to the Public, Alma Wilson and Outstanding Pro Bono Service recognize lawyers who advocate on behalf of their community, children and the less fortunate. Lawyers who have upheld the highest ideals of and greatly impacted the legal profession may be nominated for the Professionalism, Ethics or Distinguished Service awards.

Awards are also presented to judges who have demonstrated excellence of character through the Award of Judicial Excellence and to nonlawyers and lay organizations that promote matters regarding the legal system through the Liberty Bell Award.

New this year, the OBA Trailblazer Award has been renamed in honor of recently retired Justice Yvonne Kauger. The Yvonne Kauger Trailblazer Award champions an OBA member who, through their unique visionary efforts, has profoundly impacted the legal profession and/or community, blazing a trail for others to follow.

To nominate an individual or an organization, send a letter explaining why the candidate should receive the award to the OBA Awards Committee, Oklahoma Bar Association, P.O. Box 53036, Oklahoma City, OK 73152, or email it to awards@okbar. org. You may also fill out the online nomination form at www.okbar.org/ awards. Please limit nominations to five single-sided pages. Nominations must be received by the deadline. Those submitting nominations do not need to be lawyers.

More information and a list of award categories are available by visiting the OBA website at www.okbar. org/awards.

The 18,000-member Oklahoma Bar Association, headquartered in Oklahoma City, was created by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to advance the administration of justice and foster and maintain learning, integrity, competence, public service and high standards of conduct among Oklahoma’s legal community.