In Re Arkansas Continuing Legal Education Board

2026 Ark. 31

• Court: Supreme Court of Arkansas
• Decided: February 12, 2026
• Status: Published

Opinion

Cite as 2026 Ark. 31 SUPREME COURT OF ARKANSAS

IN RE ARKANSAS CONTINUING Opinion Delivered: February 12, 2026 LEGAL EDUCATION BOARD

PER CURIAM

The Arkansas Continuing Legal Education Board is currently out of compliance with

this Court’s rules governing board membership and appointments. Of the Board’s nine

positions, seven members are serving in a holdover capacity and are not eligible for

reappointment. Because only two positions may be reappointed, the Board cannot be

restored to compliance through the ordinary reappointment process alone.

Consistent with this Court’s longstanding intent that its boards and committees

maintain staggered terms, so that only one or a limited number of appointments expire in

any given year, it is therefore necessary to reappoint the two eligible members to full three-

year terms and to assign initial terms of varying lengths to the newly appointed members.

Accordingly, all terms of appointments to the Board shall hereafter expire on

December 31 of the appropriate anniversary year. As provided by this Court’s custom and

practice, the Deans of the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville and the

William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as well as

the Executive Director of the Arkansas Office of Professional Programs, shall continue to serve as ex officio, non-voting members. The appointment procedures and membership

structure set forth in Rule 1 of the Arkansas Rules for Minimum Continuing Legal

Education shall otherwise be followed in full.

Effective immediately, the following individuals are reappointed to the Arkansas

Continuing Legal Education Board for an additional three-year term expiring December

31, 2028:

– Katherine C. Campbell of Fayetteville, Statewide at-large; and

– Susan K. Kendall of Rogers, Statewide at-large.

The following individual is appointed to the Board for an initial three-year term

expiring December 31, 2028:

– Tyler D. Mlakar of Fayetteville, Third Congressional District.

The following individuals are appointed to the Board for an initial two-year term

expiring December 31, 2027:

– Addisyn M. Bryant of Bryant, Second Congressional District;

– Brian G. Thomas of Fayetteville, Statewide at-large; and

– Danielle A. Essary of Lowell, Statewide at-large.

The following individuals are appointed to the Board for an initial one-year term

expiring December 31, 2026:

– Hon. Alex S. Bigger of Pocahontas, First Congressional District;

– Hon. James A. Riner of Mena, Fourth Congressional District; and

– Jenna L. Beck of Morrilton, Statewide at-large.

2 The Court expresses its appreciation to the newly appointed and reappointed

members for their willingness to serve on this important Board. The Court further extends

its gratitude to the following outgoing members, whose terms have expired, for their years

of valuable service: Hon. Laurie A. Bridewell of Lake Village, Amber W. Bagley of Little

Rock, Kelsey K. Bardwell of Harrison, Brandon C. Cogburn of Texarkana, Hon. Tjuana

C. Byrd Manning of Little Rock, Daveante Jones of Little Rock, and Melissa McJunkins

Duke of Little Rock.