Liberty Bell
Liberty Bell Award
Yearly recognition of a non-lawyer who has strengthened public understanding of the legal system in Okaloosa County, presented at Law Day.
OBA Message
Welcome from the Okaloosa Bar Association
On behalf of the Board, welcome.
The Okaloosa Bar Association is the voluntary bar of Okaloosa County, Florida — an affiliate of the Florida Bar's voluntary bar program. We count more than two hundred attorneys, judges, and legal professionals among our membership, drawn from private practice, the Office of the State Attorney, the Regional Conflict Counsel, the JAG offices at Hurlburt, Duke Field, and Eglin, and the local judiciary.
The Association meets monthly. Programs are CLE-eligible and address developments in immigration, family law, courtroom technology, and other practice areas across the First Judicial Circuit. Each year we also host the Law Day Dinner at Regatta Bay in the spring, the Shoot with the Sheriff training event with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, and the winter Bench & Bar Professionalism Conference, presented jointly with our neighbors in Walton and Escambia–Santa Rosa.
Service to the broader community runs in parallel. Through the Association's Ask a Lawyer Program, offered in partnership with the Okaloosa County Law Library, neighbors who need legal guidance can schedule a free thirty-minute consultation with a member attorney by Zoom. Each spring at the Law Day Dinner the Association presents two awards: the Liberty Bell Award, which honors a non-lawyer whose work has strengthened the rule of law in Okaloosa County, and the T. Patterson Maney Service Award, which recognizes an attorney whose career embodies the same.
Membership is open to every licensed attorney who lives or practices in Okaloosa County. Whether you are newly admitted, new to the area, or simply looking to be more involved, we would be glad to hear from you — please contact the Association or join us at an upcoming meeting.
What we do
Programs, events, and recognition
Year-round work organized by the volunteer Board — recurring events, two annual awards, and member services across Okaloosa County.
Annual Recognition
Service to the Profession
T. Patterson Maney Service Award
Annual recognition of a local attorney whose work embodies Judge Maney's belief that every lawyer should use their experience to serve colleagues and community.
Signature Events
Spring · Destin
Law Day Dinner
Annual celebration at Regatta Bay Golf & Yacht Club. Recent guest speakers have included Brian Steel and Judge Stephanie Ray of the First DCA.
March · Crestview
Shoot with the Sheriff
Annual training event with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office at the OCSO Public Service Training Center in Crestview.
Winter · Fort Walton Beach
Bench & Bar Professionalism Conference
Winter CLE presented jointly with the Walton County and Escambia–Santa Rosa County bar associations.
April · Jake and Henry's
President's Social
Honoring all Past Presidents of the OBA and its predecessor, the Okaloosa Walton Bar Association.
Year-Round Programs
Monthly
Meetings & CLEs
Speakers on developments across the 1st Judicial Circuit — recent topics include immigration law (Lasnetski Gihon Law), family-law updates, courtroom technology, and Clerk of Court panels.
Pro Bono
Ask a Lawyer Program
Free 30-minute Zoom consultations coordinated with the Okaloosa County Law Library across small claims, family law, contracts, landlord/tenant, and collections.
First Judicial Circuit
Court Appointed Attorney Registry
Annual coordination with the First Judicial Circuit on conflict-case eligibility for member attorneys.
Member Perk
Expedited Court Access
Member badge program that skips security screening at the Okaloosa County Courthouses.