Longtime Oklahoma City attorney Garvin A. Isaacs will be sworn in Friday as the new Oklahoma Bar Association Board of Governors president. 

After graduating from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 1975, Isaacs served as an assistant district attorney and assistant public defender in Oklahoma County. Since 1978, he has been involved in general civil and criminal trial practice. 

Isaacs, 70, has a private practice in Oklahoma City. He said his goal for the association in 2016 is to fight for the independence of the judiciary.

"I want to stand up for people, lawyers and our judicial branch of government. Some members of the Oklahoma Legislature want to pass a law that allows appellate judges to be elected. We must educate the public about the dangers associated with these current legislative proposals," Isaacs said. "It is time for members of the Oklahoma Bar Association to stand up for a judicial system free from any influences caused by campaign contributions.”

Linda S. Thomas, of Bartlesville, will take the oath to serve as president-elect, and Paul D. Brunton, of Tulsa, will be sworn in as vice president.

The 17,600-member Oklahoma Bar Association, headquartered in Oklahoma City, was created by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to advance the administration of justice and to foster and maintain learning, integrity, competence, public service and high standards of conduct among Oklahoma's legal community.