The Chickasaw Foundation and the Echols & Associates law firm were recently honored with the prestigious new OBF Community Fellow award. Echols & Associates law firm founder David W. Echols and M. Eileen Echols accepted the award at the July 18 Board of Trustee Meeting. The Chickasaw Foundation was honored by the OBF on August 11 at the Chickasaw Nation Headquarters Building located on the lush green campus of the Chickasaw Nation in Ada followed by a tour of some of the beautiful works of art depicting courageous stories of the Chickasaw. The OBF Community Fellows Program is a new benevolent program uniting individual lawyers with organizations and other groups to support a common cause – the promotion of justice, provision of law-related services, and advancement of public awareness and better understanding of the law.
Echols & Associates has provided legal representation to clients since 1979 in the areas of matrimonial law, business litigation, criminal law and personal injury. Firm founders David and Eileen Echols are pictured accepting the award. The firm’s team approach to the practice of law provides quality representation as well as personal attention to their clients. Ms. Echols states that Echols & Associates is pleased to be a part of the OBF Community Fellows team and encourages other law firms and community minded businesses to join with them so that more needy Oklahomans will be able to receive vital law-related services. Echols & Associates is an honored member of the new OBF Community Fellows Program at the highest recognition level of Patron and the OBF is happy to welcome Echols & Associates.
The OBF and the Chickasaw Foundation enjoy similar areas of focus such as education. This collaboration with the OBF will support prevention of domestic violence, family crisis support, and provision of legal access to those in need. OBF Community Fellows help to serve the neediest of Oklahomans and give non-individual donors the ability to participate collectively as a group with the Oklahoma Bar Foundation. OBF also provides law-related education programs to the public and school children throughout the State.
The Chickasaw Foundation was founded in 1971 and is expanding the reach through development opportunities such as those of the OBF. The CF mission is to promote the general welfare and culture of the Chickasaw people by supporting education, health, historical and community activities and programs. CF offers a variety of scholarships which have grown from just a few to 88 this past year. The Chickasaw Foundation reach is now spread across the United States supporting numerous youth initiatives, advocacy issues relating to housing and other areas, elder assistance, distribution of children’s books and assistance to families of the Chickasaw Nation dealing with crisis situations, much of which aligns with the work of the OBF. The Chickasaw Foundation is a distinguished member of the new OBF Community Fellows Program at the highest recognition level of Patron. Oklahoma Bar Foundation President Dietmar Caudle states, “The Oklahoma Bar Foundation is honored to partner with the Chickasaw Foundation and we look forward to a long relationship. We hope to see added areas of collaboration between the two foundations in coming years.”
Left Photo: OBF Executive Director Nancy Norsworthy and President Dietmar K. Caudle honor the Chickasaw Foundation with the OBF Community Fellow Award, accepting on behalf of the Chickasaw Foundation is Chickasaw Foundation Secretary Kirk Perry and Executive Director Johnna R. Walker.
Right Photo: OBF President-Elect Jack L. Brown, President Dietmar K. Caudle, honorees M. Eileen Echols and David W. Echols accepting on behalf of Echols & Associates, OBA President Renée DeMoss, OBF Executive Director Nancy Norsworthy, OBA Vice President Susan B. Shields and OBF Vice President Millie Otey honor Echols & Associates.
