Judge M. Eileen Echols (1951-2016)
Judge M. Eileen Echols, Recognized Family Lawyer and Judge
M. Eileen Echols was a legal trailblazer. She was a legal force in Oklahoma for almost 40 years. Along with her husband, David W. Echols, she founded Echols & Associates. She went on to serve as a Special District Judge in Oklahoma County from 1989-1994. She was awarded Family Law Judge of the Year in 1991 and 1993. She was appointed by the Oklahoma State Governor to the Oklahoma Medical Licensor Board where she served for eight years. Her name appears on the licensor of every M.D. License during this period of time.
She started her career as a special education teacher and realized she could do more for children and families if she was a family law attorney. She focused on making a difference for children and used her talents for special needs and special education over and above her position on the domestic bench and the tremendous contributions to the Family Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association.
After her return to private practice, she was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and a Governor’s appointee to the Child Welfare System Reform Review Committee. She was recognized for her service to judicial education by the Oklahoma Supreme Court. She was constantly focused and working on achieving a unified court system where juvenile, domestic courts could work together to keep matters related to families in one place. It is a vision she promoted and shared at every opportunity. Eileen received recognition for service to Judicial Education by the Supreme Court of Oklahoma and Governor Keating,as well as numerous trial advocacy awards and accolades. Eileen passed away on June 30, 2016, and she will continue to live on in those whose lives she impacted.
Education:
- Bachelor of Science, Central State University, 1974
- Master of Education, Central State University, 1975
- Juris Doctorate, Oklahoma City University, 1979
Admissions:
- 1979, Oklahoma
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma
Professional Career:
- Special Judge; Oklahoma County , 1989 to 1994;
- Administrative Law Judge, part-time, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, 2006-2016;
- Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, Board Member, Governor Appointee, 1995-2003
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Family Law Section, Chair, 1996
- Adjunct Family Law Professor, Oklahoma City University, 1998
- Special Education Teacher, Edmond Public Schools, 1974
- Special Education Teacher Coordinator, Oklahoma City Public Schools, 1975-1980
Memberships:
- Oklahoma County Bar Association (Member)
- Cleveland County Bar Association (Member)
- Oklahoma Bar Association (Member)
- American Bar Association (Member)
- American Judges Association (Member)
- Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
Appointments, Offices and Lectures:
- National Business Institute, Speaker, “Family Law from A to Z, 2010″, Ethics Presentation
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Family Law Section, Speaker, “Skrapka V. Bonner, 2008 OK 30, 187 P.3d 202. Relative Involvement and Intervention in a DHS Placement in Juvenile Court; and Original Jurisdiction – WRIT OF MANDAMUS AND PROHIBITION in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.” 2008
- Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section, Speaker, “Alimony: Spousal Support vs. Property Division – The Distinctions and Interplay.” 2007
- Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section, Speaker, “A Primer on Family Law in Oklahoma – Property Division and Support Alimony.” 2007
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Speaker Annual Meeting, Family Law Section “Substantive Issues in Divorce: Custody and Visitation; Property Division ; and Support Alimony.” 2006
- Administrative Law Judge, part-time, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, 2006-2015
- Administrative Law Judge, part-time, Oklahoma City Community College, 2004-2005
- Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, Board Member, Governor appointee, 1995 to 2003
- Legislature Liaison, 2000 to present
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Speaker Annual Meeting, Family Law Section, 2006
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Bar Committee Member, Annual Meeting, 2005
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Speaker Annual Meeting, Family Law Section, 2005
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Family Law Section, Chair, 1996
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Family Law Section, Special Project Chair, 1997
- Oklahoma County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Chair, 1993
- State of Oklahoma Legislative Recodification Committee, Member, 1995
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Family Law Section, Judicial Committee, Past Chair, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1995
- Oklahoma Trial Lawyer’s Executive Committee First woman member)
- Oklahoma Trial Lawyer’s Board of Directors
- Adjunct Family Law Professor, Oklahoma City University, 1998
- Adult Guardianship Mediation Committee, Supreme Court, State of Oklahoma
- Oklahoma Family Law Journal, Editor, 1993
- KQCV – Bolt Radio, Talk Show Host, 1996
- Outstanding Young Women of America, 1979
- Who’s Who in American Law
- Who’s Who in the Southwest
- Who’s Who in Women Executives, 1989-1990
- Who’s Who of American Women, 1991-1992
- Oklahoma High School Mock Trial Program Quarter Finals, Judge,1999
- Oklahoma High School Mock Trial Program Finals, Judge,1990-1991
- U.S. Grant High School, Oklahoma High School Mock Trial Program, Coach, 1988
- Christian Heritage Academy High School Mock Trial Program, Coach, 1997
- Lecturer and Presenter – Oklahoma Bar Association Annual Meeting, Family Law and Criminal Law – conjoint session, November, 2005
- Speaker, Faculty Member Participant, OCU College of Law, College of Advocacy Seminar, August, 1998
- Moderator – Oklahoma Bar Association Seminar, “Support, Custody Jurisdiction and
- Enforcement – the Cutting Edge”, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September, 1998
- Speaker – Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma, Domestic Relations Seminar for Pro Bono
- Attorneys, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, October, 1998
- Guest Lecturer, OCU College of Law Summer ADR Seminar, “Shattering the Myth –
- Mediation in the Workplace”, Summer, 1999
- Governor’s Appointee, Child Welfare System Reform Review Committee, Sub Committee Chair – Judicial Process, 1999
- Regular Contributing Editor to Trial Lawyer Publications
- Speaker-OBA Fourth Annual Advanced Symposium on Family Law
- Co-Adjunct Professor of Law, Oklahoma City University, School of Law, with husband, David W. Echols
- Guest Lecturer – at various graduate and undergraduate classes – Oklahoma City University, University of Oklahoma and University of Central Oklahoma
Additional Traning and Certificates:
- National Judicial College – Current Issues in Family Law, January, 1990
- National Judicial College – Managing Trials Effectivity Seminar, 1990
- Certified Mediator, American Academy of Family Mediators, 1992 to present
- Council on Licensure, Enforcement & Regulation, Medical Boards:
- Board Member training, Anchorage, Alaska, 1996
- Federation of State Medical Boards of U.S., Inc., 85th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, April, 1997
- Federation of State Medical Boards of U.S., Inc., 1997 Regional Workshop, St. Louis, MO, November, 1997
- Citizen Advocacy Center, 1997 Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, November, 1997
- Federation of State Medical Boards of U.S., Inc., 86th Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, April, 1998
- CLEAR Annual Meeting, “Dawning of a New Regulatory Millennium”, Denver, CO, September, 1999
- Federation of State Medical Boards 87th Annual Meeting under Additional Education and Training ACCME Accredited, “Engineer the Future”, St. Louis, MO. April, 1999
- Citizen Advocacy Center, 2000 Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, November, 2000
- Federation of State Medical Boards of U.S., Inc., 88th Annual Meeting, “Today’s Vision, Tomorrow’s Reality”, Atlanta, GA, April, 2001
- NFLPA Contract Advisor Seminar, Berkeley, California, March 2001
- NFLPA Contract Advisor Seminar, Phoenix, Arizona – June 2002
- NFLPA Contract Advisor Seminar, Phoenix, Arizona – April, 2003
Awards and Recognition:
- Outstanding Family Law Judge, State of Oklahoma, 1991 and 1993
- Recognition for Service to Judicial Education by Supreme Court of Oklahoma & Governor Frank Keating, 1996.
- Recognition for Service to the Judicial System of Oklahoma by Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1994.
- Keynote Speaker, Adult Guardian Mediation Seminar, June 3 & 4, 1997.
- Keynote Speaker, Oklahoma City Public Employees’ “Bring Your Daughter To Work” Day.
- Oklahoma Judicial Conference, “The Family Law Docket, Are you Running It, or is it Running You”, July, 1996; “The Ethics of Docketing”, November, 1996.
- “Post Decree Proceedings in Domestic Relations Cases”, September 6, & 13, 1996
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Recognition for Contributions to the Family
Law Section, 1992 - Oklahoma County Bar Association, Special Appreciation from the Family Law Section, 1994
- Supreme Court of Oklahoma and Administrative Office of the Court, Appreciation for Service, 1994
- Fellow of American Federation of Medical Board Members
- Governor’s Commendation in Recognition of Service, November 20, 2002
- Recognition by the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, 87th Edition, Martindale-Hubbell, for High Professional Legal Standards and Ethics, AV Practice, 2003 – 2009