Outstanding Young Lawyer Pierre Robertson

For those TCBA members who are, shall we say, “more experienced in the Tulsa community,” we would know the TCBA’s Outstanding Senior Lawyer for 2021 by merely hearing his mellifluous voice. S. Douglas “Doug” Dodd spent fourteen years in radio and television journalism, including as News Director, Reporter, Anchor, Documentary and PublicAffairs Producer for KOTV in Tulsa, as a reporter and Associate Producer for Documentaries for KTUL-TV in Tulsa and similar work in Rapid City, South Dakota. Over many years, Doug lent his rich voice countless times to the TCBA, other organizations, and candidates for various offices for numerous projects on a volunteer basis.

It is no surprise that with this background that Doug’s practice entails representation of national and local media companies in media and intellectual proper matters with an emphasis on First Amendment and defamation issues. He lectures to both attorneys and journalists on open meetings and open records issues and to legal administrators on social networking trends and concerns. Doug is actively involved in the Media Law Resource Center’s Defense Counsel Section and served as cochair of the MLRC’s national Pre-Publication/PreBroadcast Review Committee. He is a contributing author of the Media Law Resource Center’s Annual SurveyofOklahomaMediaPrivacyandRelatedLaw. Doug was lead counsel for Harper’s Magazine in the case of Showler v. Harper’s Magazine Foundation and Peter Turnley, winning in federal district court, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and ultimately the United States Supreme Court. Doug served as Chairman of the Oklahoma Bar Association BarMedia Relations and Communications Committees and is a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Communications Law and Media, Privacy and Defamation Law Committee.

Doug graduated from the University of Tulsa in with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech: Radio and Television and subsequently obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Tulsa College of Law. After he clerked with the Honorable James O. Ellison, United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma, before joining the law firm Doerner, Saunders, Daniel & Anderson, L.L.P. where he presently is an esteemed partner of many years. He serves the firm as its ethic counsel.

He is a veteran of the United States Air Force, Strategic Air Command where he served as a Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander and Missile Launch Control Officer. Doug is a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, chapter #524, American Legion, Post 1.

Doug is actively engaged in several national and community organizations. He is past Chairman of the Board of the American Diabetes Association, Inc., and served on the Tulsa School Board from 19902001 including as two terms as President of the Board. He serves on the Boards of the Foundation for Tulsa Schools, the University of Tulsa, College of Law Alumni Association, Citizen CPR, the Critical Link, and the Tulsa Central High School Foundation.

Doug is an ordained elder at Southminster Presbyterian Church where he sings bass in the chancel choir. He reportedly can do fair impersonations of JFK, Walter Brenan, Walter Conkrite, Ed Sullivan, and pirates.

HewasacandidateforOklahoma’sFirstDistrict Congressional seat. Doug is the recipient of numerous awards including OBA and TCBA awards including awards for professionalism and public service, and is listed as a Super Lawyer and Best Lawyer.

How fitting it is that the recipient of 1975 Best Men of America award would in 2021 become the TCBA’s Outstanding Senior Lawyer. Honoring Doug with this TCBA award in recognition of his personal and professional life exemplifies the way that Doug Dodd practices law, serves and supports his country and his community on multiple levels throughout his life. One of the memorable aspects of Doug Dodd is how he has and does repeatedly undertake the hard service of leadership, while always remaining kind and compassionate. According to his law partner Linda Martin, “Doug is the most honorable attorney I know, with the highest ethical standards, and very even tempered. Truly a prince of a guy.” She adds that he also loves his scotch.

Judge Kurt Glassco describes Doug as, “an outstanding lawyer and human being. He has also served his country as a member of the armed forces, served his community on the school board and serves his church as a deacon. A committed family man with strong, positive and lasting contributions to the improvement of our honorable and noble profession.”

Congratulations to S. Douglas “Doug” Dodd, the TCBA’s Outstanding Senior Lawyer.