Nikki Jones Edwards
Nicholle Jones Edwards, a Director at Phillips Murrah and leader of the Firm’s family law practice, recently received the 2025 John E. Shipp Professionalism Award by the Ruth Bader Ginsburg American Inn of Court. The award is given to a member who truly exemplifies ethics in the legal profession by demonstrating a high standard of professionalism in the face of pressure to do otherwise or serving as an ethical role model for other lawyers.
The Inn of Court membership votes and submits letters of support. Some of the comments about Nikki include:
- “Nikki is consistently a leader in the non-profit sectors of OKC and has been for many years. She embodies a constant reminder to our broader community of how lawyers can be valuable and committed servant leaders in a community. She is truly the best of us.”
- “Nikki’s commitment to the community is evident in all she does.”
- “Nikki does a lot for a lot of groups.”
2025 RBG John E. Shipp Professionalism Award
Nikki has a career-long history with the Ruth Bader Ginsburg American Inn of Court, including being honored in 2024 with the Don Deason Award for Community Service. Additionally, Nikki was named by the Ruth Bader Ginsburg American Inn of Court as Outstanding Master in 2013-2014, Outstanding Barrister in 2004-2005, and Outstanding Associate in 2002-2003. Nikki has been recognized for her passion and achievements over the years in the legal community, including in 2020, when she received the Mona Salyer Lambird Spotlight Award from the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Women in Law Committee. In 2017, Nikki was recognized as one of The Journal Record’s 50 Women Making a Difference, and she also received The Journal Record’s Leadership in Law Award in 2017 and 2008.
Nikki is also active in the community at large, notably for her more than 25 years of service with Positive Tomorrows, a school for unhoused and at-risk children in the Oklahoma City area, where she has served as the Past President, volunteer, and four-term board member. She is also a founding member of the Advisory Board of the University of Oklahoma Women & Gender Studies, serving from 2011 through 2016. She is also a board member and past President of the Oklahoma Single Parent Scholarship Program and a member of the Westminster School Board of Trustees.
The John E. Shipp Award for Ethics is named for an attorney from Idabel who served as 1985 OBA president and became the association’s executive director in 1998. He’s been described as a role model for professionalism and was known for his integrity, professionalism, and high ethical standards. Tragically, his tenure was cut short when he died that year in a plane crash. Shipp served on the OBA Professional Responsibility Commission and the Professional Responsibility Tribunal as chief master. These winners embody those traits, and many more.
The Ginsburg American Inn of Court, named in honor of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is a reputable legal organization divided into six pupillage teams. Each team comprises judges, seasoned lawyers, young attorneys, law professors, and third-year law students. These teams work together to create and deliver programs that tackle significant matters in the legal field. Their efforts enhance professionalism, civility, and ethics within the legal community.
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