OU Law Alumni Create and Lead OBA’s International Law Section

Katherine Trent, Rebeca West and Dan Sloat were instrumental in establishing the OBA's new International Law Section.

Recent alumni of OU College of Law international law courses Rebeca West (OU ’16), Katherine Trent (OCU ’16), and current OU J.D./MBA candidate Dan Sloat successfully initiated the creation of the Oklahoma Bar Association’s new International Law Section.

Before the section was established, the team researched and collected input from the largest international law sections around the nation, including Texas, which has over 3,000 active members in the International Law Section of its state bar. Earlier in 2017, the Texas International Law Bar Section invited West and Sloat to its annual institute, which focused on international business and human rights issues, and shared best practices and lessons learned. Trent, West and Sloat then drafted necessary founding documents and secured sufficient signatures to submit a petition to the OBA for approval.  

The OBA’s International Law Section seeks to increase understanding of how international law relates to the practice of law in Oklahoma, from corporate, tax and intellectual property issues to national security and human rights matters. The section also aims to help Oklahoma practitioners seize international business opportunities and effectively participate in contemporary critical international affairs discussions. The section will accomplish this by providing continuing legal education, hosting distinguished guest speakers, promoting networking among members and working with the private sector, government and education institutions to advance the ongoing understanding of international law.  

“As the world becomes more interconnected and interdependent, international law issues are having a greater impact on Oklahoma businesses and citizens,” said Sam Merchant (OU ’16) with McAfee & Taft. “To remain competitive, Oklahoma attorneys must be equipped to handle these issues instead of relying on attorneys from other states with existing international law programs. It is also critical for the state bar to have a voice on international issues that impact Oklahoma.”

The section will host its first speaker at the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Annual Meeting in Tulsa on Nov. 2. 

The section’s leadership team is as follows: Katherine Trent (chairperson), Rebeca West (chairperson-elect), Brooke Hamilton OU Law ’17 (Secretary), and Ashley Edwards OU Law ’17 (Treasurer).

Oklahoma attorneys can join the section at this link.