New Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter slates Tulsa conference on Civil Rights Enforcement


Attorney General Mike Hunter and the Office of Civil Rights Enforcement (OCRE) will host a free education and training conference on Wednesday, April 5, at the Oklahoma State University-Tulsa Conference Center.
The day-long conference will focus on employment law and offers attorneys, human resource professionals, EEO managers, large and small businesses, union officials and the general public the resources needed to understand the rights related to and the compliance responsibilities of state and federal employment laws.
“This conference is not just for attorneys who work within the confines of employment law,” Attorney General Hunter said. “We hope that our speakers and resources will be helpful for everyone who operates in hiring and employment-related careers.”
Governor Mary Fallin named Hunter the state’s top legal officer on February 20, to replace Scott Pruitt after he joined the Trump Administration in Washington, D.C. In naming Hunter, the state’s chief executive officer said he “understands the importance of public service and he will be a tremendous advocate to protect the basic legal rights for Oklahomans.”
From June 2015 to October 2016, Hunter was first assistant attorney general for Pruitt. He then served as secretary of state until assuming the A.G.’s post. 
Hunter has experience in government and in the private sector. He was chief operating officer of the American Bankers Association from 2019-16, and a vice president for the American Council of Life Insurers from 2002-09. 
Hunter’s previous public service includes time as secretary for the Commissioners of the Land Office, was Secretary of State for former Gov. Frank Keating. In the late 1990s he was chief of staff for former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts. He was for six years a member of the state House of Representatives, and for two years was general counsel at the state Corporation Commission. 
Speakers for the OCRE conference in Tulsa will include representatives from the OCRE and Litigation Units, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, private practice attorneys and others.
The link provided here (https://www.ok.gov/oag/documents/Agenda%20(Final).pdf) provides the complete agenda for the conference. The registration form is available at this link (https://www.ok.gov/oag/documents/Registration%20Form%20(Final).pdf). To register, submit the form by regular mail, e-mail or fax by March 31, 2017. Email: ocre.events@oag.ok.gov; Fax: (405) 522-4535.
The conference offers a total of six CLE (Continuing Legal Education) credit hours, including one hour of ethics.
The OCRE investigates, and seeks to conciliate complaints of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. When necessary, the OCRE may file civil actions to enforce Oklahoma’s anti-discrimination laws. To help promote compliance with the law, the OCRE hosts educational and training opportunities for employers, civil rights interest groups, and citizens throughout the state.
If you believe you have been discriminated against in employment, housing, or public accommodation, please call the OCRE at (405) 522-4815.

Note: Editor Pat McGuigan contributed to this report.