Tulsa Lawyer June 2017
Magazine
Golden Rule Awards
Kevin T. Gassaway Rita J. Gassaway
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TULSA LAWYER
In this Issue
A Message from
Matt Farris
June 2017
2016-2017 TCBA President
5 VP's Corner Ann Keele 8 Law Day Review
6
3rd Quarter Golden Rule Awards Kevin T. Gassaway & Rita J. Gassaway
Appreciation Month!
14 A Day of Golf & Giving TCBF Golf Tourney
Member Focus
16
The Law, Sports and Making a Difference : R. Michael Carter
ORU Athletic Director
9 Section & Committee News 10 Liberty Bell Award Suzann Steward 13 July is Member
18 Animal Law is Back 22 Sandra Day O'Connor Award Thoreau Demonstration Academy 23
Sounding Board: Agent Orange Harlan Pinkerton, Jr.
24 TCBA Sightings ~ Cane Crawl, BBQ & a Very Special Law Academy 26 Personal Injury and Wrongful Death: Ken Underwood
28
Grapevine
31
Classifieds Tulsa Lawyer 1
A Message from the President
Matthew S. Farris (and it's not fake) I have big news to report. But before I announce exciting news for the future, I want to announce and acknowledge news from a few days ago to those who could not attend the recent Law Day Luncheon. During the luncheon, special recognition was bestowed upon two distinguished TCBA members, Paul Brunton and Henry Will, who were honored for their decades of service to the bar and to our association by presenting annual CLE seminars addressing the latest legal trends and practitioner tips in the areas of criminal law and estate planning. For over 25 years and counting, Brunton’s Hodgepodge of Criminal Law Nuggets seminar and Will’s Annual Estate Planning Seminar remain two of the most well-known and attended CLE sessions offered every Fall at the Bar Center. For the continuous and selfless sharing of their respective legal expertise to countless attendees, the TCBA announced the creation of the Brunton-Will CLE Award to be awarded annually to a recipient(s) providing exemplary “contribution or dedicated years of service toward educating attorneys on theories of practical considerations of the law, developing meaningful and thought-provoking educational programs that benefit fellow attorneys or the public at large and teaching attorneys the highest professional and ethical standards as exemplified by his or her own
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conduct in the practice of the law.” It was a privilege to witness the inaugural presentation of the BruntonWill CLE Award to its well-deserving namesakes. Congratulations to Paul and Henry, well done! Speaking of CLE, I am pleased to announce that the TCBA Board of Directors has recently voted to approve a seismic change to the association’s 2017-18 CLE offerings. Beginning this Fall, the TCBA is moving to a free CLE model that will enable members to attend the vast majority of the live TCBA CLE programs and seminars free of charge. While the TCBA will still offer some paid CLE such as practicums addressing comprehensive legal education for practitioners desiring to transition into a new area of practice, admission to the TCBA’s historical slate of CLEs – e.g., the Winter Live CLE Schedule offered annually between October and December – will be included as a membership benefit. This is a massive change from historical TCBA practices. However, the current TCBA Board of Directors believes this change allows our association to adapt to the modern exchange of ideas and information which will, in turn, allow the TCBA to better customize its programming and provide members with more options and flexibility (topically and monetarily) while choosing how and when to obtain CLE credits. Most importantly, this vote reflects the Board’s desire to further the association’s goal of better serving its members by providing even more value to their TCBA memberships. Look for additional details addressing this historical change in the July edition of Tulsa Lawyer Magazine (“TLM”). Continuing on the theme of value for membership, a full calendar of the events slated for TCBA Membership Appreciation Month in July appears in this edition of TLM. Please take note of the dates and times shown on the calendar and make plans to take advantage of free headshots taken at the Bar Center (throughout July) and to attend complimentary events including an
Ethics CLE at the bar center (lunch provided), a Pinot’s Pallet night, Tulsa Drillers baseball, the Tulsa Zoo Family Event, and a No Suits Allowed Rooftop Party on Cherry Street to wrap up the month. Attendance at some events will be limited due to space and seating constraints, but I hope you are able to attend one or more of these complimentary events.
As a reminder (just in case you haven’t committed my article from the April TLM to memory), a Naturalization Ceremony is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on June 16th at the Federal Courthouse. Remarks will be delivered by Mayor G.T. Bynum. I encourage you to join me and other TCBA and TCBF representatives at the ceremony.
As you know, votes were cast last month for the 201718 slate of TCBA officers. Hopefully, I have conveyed to TLM readers that the TCBA Executive Committee and Board of Directors are invested in advancing the association’s mission to continually serve its members over time and in meaningful ways. As such, the annual election of officers to lead this association is a critical function of our members and I hope all TLM readers “pulled the lever.” As always, the TCBA welcomes ideas and suggestions from members regarding how the association can better serve your needs. In that regard, please do not hesitate to contact the Bar Center at your convenience (918-584-5423).
Finally, I included a public service announcement in May’s president’s article reminding TLM readers about Mother’s Day 2017. My follow-up PSA is to mention that Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18th. Try not to forget. Summer is here. Enjoy!
Matthew S. Farris 2016-2017 TCBA President
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VP's Corner Ann Keele, 2016-2017
School is out for summer, and the heat is here. I just can’t believe it is June already and 2017 is nearly half over. Time seems to be flying by faster and faster. I hope that all of you are able to get out and enjoy some fun times with your friends and family. Work-life balance is so important to maintaining health. So, remember to take time to enjoy yourself and spend quality time with those you love. It is time well spent with dividends in love and happiness.
The TCBA has some fun things planned for you this summer! July is Member Appreciation Month with several events planned to provide both you and your family some opportunities for fun. Our President, Matt Farris, previewed this in his article last month, and more details will be available soon. Thank you to Matt, Judge Millie Otey, Membership Chair and Kara Pratt, Co-Chair of the Membership Committee, as well as the committee members for all of your work to make the Membership Appreciation Month possible. It should be a blast! Last month, we had the annual TCBF Charity Golf Tournament at LaFortune Park. The Hon. William Kellough and his committee out did themselves yet again. This year’s tournament was even better than last year’s and provided thousands of dollars to benefit Disabled American Veterans, South Tulsa Community House, Tulsa Lawyers for Children, and the TCBF Community Outreach Committee. I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise, so I’ll defer to Bill to do the specific bragging on how much they raised in donations. Let’s just say, it is AWESOME! Thank you for supporting this wonderful event, and thank you to Bill Kellough and his committee for all of your amazing dedication and hard work this year. Congratulations to all of the newly elected officers of the TCBA! Matt has done a wonderful job leading us this year, and I’m so excited to help continue the progress by serving as President-Elect in the up-
coming year under Christina Vaughn, our incoming President. Christina’s talents are vast and impressive, and we are fortunate to have such a dedicated, professional, and creative person to lead our team. Remember, our fiscal year ends August 31, and our annual meeting will be held Thursday, August 24 at noon. Membership renewal packets will be sent out in late July, so be on the look out. We’d love for you to be more involved, so please join a committee and share your ideas and talents to help us make the TCBA even better. Remember, Father’s Day is June 18! In June we also celebrate Flag Day (June 14), and the summer solstice (June 20), which happens to be the “longest” day having more sunlight hours than any other day of the year. Thank you for your continued support and I hope you have a great summer. Don’t forget to join us next month for Membership Appreciation Month!
TCBA Summer Hours 8:30am-5:00pm Mon. - Thurs. 8:30am-12:00pm Friday
Effective 6/2/17
TCBA will be CLOSED Tuesday, July 4th.
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Golden Rule Award Winners The Golden Rule Award is more prestigious than most of us realize. First, all attorneys are possible nominees so that is a large potential pool. This is not an award given for seniority, special service to a specific group, writing, teaching or mentoring. You cannot volunteer or construct a plan of action to be chosen for the Golden Rule. This recognition is for doing what all attorneys are expected to do – for being professional, cordial, civil and ethical. It is a recognition of someone who exhibits the highest standards of fairness, honesty and professionalism – so much so that you think of these traits when you think of the person. The list of possible recipients that the Awards and Nominations Committee considers for this award each quarter is long indeed and that is a tribute to the quality of the Tulsa Bar. With that said, the selection of the recipient this quarter is unique – when the name “Gassaway” was brought up, the enthusiasm for Rita and Kevin was so equal, so jointly pervasive, that it was not possible to select just one over the other. Both of them exhibit the highest standards of fairness, honesty and professionalism in their interaction with the public, their fellow attorneys, clients and the judiciary. The choice of both Rita Gassaway and Kevin Gassaway should be viewed a premier recognition of two “golden” attorneys who just happen to be married to each other.
GOLDEN RULE
1: capitalized G&R : a rule of ethical conduct : do to others as you would have them do to you 2: a guiding principle
Kevin T. Gassaway
Kevin T. Gassaway was born and raised in Ada, Oklahoma, son of Jim and Evie Gassaway. Having a grandfather who was an attorney/judge, and a father who was an attorney/judge, Kevin was destined for the law (whether he knew it or not). Kevin graduated from the University of Oklahoma with his bachelor’s degree in 1977, and then his juris doctorate in 1980. He moved to Tulsa, developing skills in various areas of litigation until he found his niche. Not all attorneys can practice in the area of family law and maintain a sense of humor, belief in the human good, and ethical values, but Kevin has excelled at it.
Anyone who knew Jim Gassaway knows that he instilled in Kevin an intense sense of civility, honesty and morality. This was recognized early in Kevin’s career, when he was appointed to serve on the Oklahoma Bar Association Professional Responsibility Tribunal from 1985-1988, from 1989 to 1990, and then on the OBA Professional Responsibility Commission from 1990 to 1993. Kevin brings all of the traits valued by the Golden Rule Award to his practice on a daily basis. Kevin has found his calling in the area of family law, where his wit, sense of humor, fairness and integrity have long been the pillars of his practice. When the concepts of mediation and arbitration were just presenting as an option to litigation, Kevin embraced the ideas and benefits. He served as a volunteer mediator for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma for many, many years, generously donating his time and skills in resolving matters for litigants in the federal courts. Understanding the savings of time, expense, and the emotional benefits, not only for the litigants but also for our court system, Kevin pursued much further education and training in the areas of mediation and arbitration. Kevin and other forward thinking attorneys brought the area of mediation into the family law practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He continues to provide this valuable service to the community with Gassaway Family Mediation. Dealing with difficulty is expected in family law, and Kevin’s candor, creativity and fairness has allowed him to resolve many cases which would have been devastating to the family, financially and emotionally, had they been required to proceed to finality within the court system. The appointment of parenting coordinators by the Tulsa District Family Court Judges has provided another venue where Kevin excels. He has the ability to courteously confront and advise parents of the potential damage or issues they may be creating, with their behaviors and concepts of what
“is best” for the children. Making unwelcome suggestions and evaluations is not always popular, but Kevin always spends much time evaluating and considering all information provided to him before presenting a well-reasoned evaluation and recommendation. Nothing brings Kevin more satisfaction than knowing he has taken some action which reduces the stress and strain of a child going through the divorce process.
Rita J. Gassaway Everyone likes Rita. Rita J. Gassaway has been a practicing lawyer since 1984. In her law practice, and in her personal life, she has exemplified the characteristics of the Golden Rule. In high school and college, Rita was always involved in many activities, serving in leadership roles in most of them. She was always chosen because she was willing to do it, her fellow students liked her, and she served them all with dedication and enthusiasm. Since she became a lawyer, Rita has stayed on the same path, for the same reasons. Before she turned her practice to estate planning and probate, she was a member of the Oklahoma Association of Defense Counsel, serving as its Vice-President in 1993-1994, and as its President in 1996. She was in the W. Lee Johnson Chapter of the American Inns of Court from 1994 to 2004, and served on its Executive Committee from 1997 to 2004. She was on the Executive Committee of the Tulsa Title and Probate Lawyers in 2000, and was the Secretary, Vice-President and President of the Tulsa Estate Planning Forum running from 2002 to 2005. Those who have practiced law with (or opposed to) Rita know that she is a consummate professional and always handles herself with the utmost of civility. When she disagrees with you, she always disagrees agreeably. She is always a pleasure to be involved with in a professional capacity. With her clients, she particularly shines. Rita represents some very financially successful clients, and others of more modest means. They are all the same to her. Rita is incapable of seeing people differently. She will tell you that we are all
Utilizing these skills in his personal life, Kevin has served on Boards and has provided balance and reason in difficult social situations to resolve problems. As his spouse, Rita, states: “Kevin is my moral compass. If I ever have an ethical issue, I can count on him to provide me with an unbiased and fair assessment, even if he does not agree with me. I know of no one more deserving of this award.” ~Rita Gassaway the same, but that some of us just had more opportunities than others. Her clients are almost always repeat clients. She takes pains to explain the sometimes-complex world of estate planning to them, and always has patience with them even when it takes a long time. She constantly focuses on being pragmatic about the product she provides. She gives them what they need, but not what they do not need. She is forever focused on the expense to her clients. One of her personal friends, who is also a client, said: I have seen her diffuse intense worry over a small but impactful legal detail with calm quiet advice and soothing words. Unlike so many attorneys, she doesn’t delight in filling her clients full of worry over what might happen and running up her workload and fees. Instead she carefully coaches them to adopt the most important practices and to be happy with what they have decided. I have never had an attorney/ client conversation with her when she hasn’t had something nice and complementary to say about my business, my family, and our current transaction. It’s amazing what a difference that makes!" In her personal life, her approach to life is much the same. She LOVES animals, and devotes much personal time and energy to helping place critters needing to be re-homed. She is always devoted to her three dogs. She drives from home to work and always takes the time to check on the regularlyappearing animals along the way. She is always laughing, she is generous with her time, her money and her attention to other peoples’ needs. She never seeks acknowledgment or accolades. This award will honor her, but will also embarrass her because of the publicity, which she never seeks. Another friend notes, “She never pushes her political opinion on others, is always full of joy, compassion, and bubbly spirit. A good friend, a capable and sensitive counselor, and a lovely lady indeed.” She genuinely deserves this award.
~ Kevin Gassaway Tulsa Lawyer 7
Thank you to all who attended the 2017 Tulsa County Bar Law Day Luncheon Friday, April 28th Right: Members of the Energy & Mineral Law Section. Anita Anthony, Kim Fink, Kevinn Matthews, Richard Noulles and Breila Fisher(2nd from the left) a law student currently with the firm Newton, O'Connor, Turner & Ketchum, PC Below: Judge Cantrell presented the Sandra Day O'Connor Award to Thoreau Demonstration Academy - Accepting were Audrey Doctor & Sandy Warren Center: Faith Orlowski presented the Golden Rule Awards Right: Judge Cantrell & Keynote Speaker Tamara Piety LL.M, JD TU College of Law
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SECTION & COMMITTEE NEWS Diversity Committee The TCBA Diversity Committee met on Friday May 5th. The Committee reviewed their committee description in the TCBA bylaws and made recommendations for revision. The revised description was submitted to President-Elect Christina Vaughn. The Diversity Committee meets at noon on the first Friday of every month. The next meeting of this Committee will be June 2nd. Diversity Chair - Deborah Read deborah@reedlegalok.com
Litigation Section
The upcoming meetings are: June 29th - Joe Farris on Voir Dire. July 26th
Litigation ChairsAaron D. Bundy and M. Shane Henry (918) 585-1107 aaron@fryelder.com or shane@fryelder.com
TCBA Young Lawyers Committee YLD BOWLING
TRIVIA NIGHT WINNERS
TCBA had to share this great pic of Nate & Molly Lawyer with their daughter Adeline. Nate was on the winning YLD Bowling League Team that was pictured in the May issue. Team Flying Elvis consisted of Nate Lawyer, Phil Hawkins and his father, Eric Tabor and Amy Jett. Congratulations again on their bowling win!
The YLD wants to congratulate this year's Trivia Night Winners! Team "Alternative Facts," also known as Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison & Lewis, took home the coveted YLD Trivia Trophy. We would also like to thank our wonderful sponsors for this year's event: Monroe & Keele, PC; Sherwood, McCormick & Robert; Gorospe & Smith, PLLC; Atkinson, Haskins, Nellis, Brittingham, Gladd & Fiasco; Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison & Lewis; Crowe Dunlevy; Conner & Winters, LLP; Newton, O'Connor, Turner & Ketchum, PC; and University of Tulsa College of Law. We couldn't have done it without you! Make sure to plan on attending next year's Trivia Night! Tulsa Lawyer 9
2017 Tulsa County Bar Association
LIBERTY BELL AWARD Presented to
SUZANN STEWART
Executive Director of the Tulsa Family Safety Center
What happens when the justice system collides with the social service system? If Suzann Stewart is at the helm managing the impact of that collision and harnessing the strength of each system, lives are saved. For this reason, we nominate Suzann Stewart, Executive Director of the Tulsa Family Safety Center, for the Tulsa County Bar Association’s Liberty Bell Award. The Family Safety Center (FSC) is a one-stop-shop for victims of family and dating violence, stalking and sexual assault. Co-located at the FSC facility that Suzann manages are the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office, the Tulsa Police Department, Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, DVIS, and the OU-Tulsa School of Community Medicine. Located right next door in the courthouse is the Tulsa County District Court, a key partner integral to ensuring protection for victims of family violence and accountability for their batterers. Suzann has been the steady hand that keeps all the FSC partners, whether governmental entities or social service agencies, working together to strengthen the systems that respond to cries for help. In the legal arena, she has done many things that promoted a better understanding of the rule of law or encouraged greater respect for the law and the courts including: • Pursued, advocated for, and attained passage of state legislation that inserted into statute the national Family Justice Center model upon which FSC was built and additionally provided a statutory foundation for Integrated Domestic Violence Courts in Oklahoma. Despite stiff opposition and profuse debate, the legislation passed in one session. The new statute guides other jurisdictions including Oklahoma City, Sallisaw and Cleveland County as they pull together local partners to create their own one-stop-shops for family violence victims consistent with the new statutory guidelines.
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• Coordinates the FSC Operations Committee – The committee is composed of representatives from all partner agencies (police, DA, DVIS, courts, etc.), and it provides the forum for communication that makes this collaborative effort run smoothly. Suzann helps agencies grapple with legal requirements and conflicting regulations and procedures, and she schedules frequent trainings for all partners on topics related to statutes, procedures, and the dynamics of family violence and sexual assault. • Increased the number of Legal Aid Attorneys Recognizing that family violence victims are frequently intimidated by the legal system and the courts and have few resources, Suzann initiated a dialog with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (LASO) to provide legal services to qualifying victims of family violence. She then sought and obtained funding for attorney positions provided by LASO and housed at FSC. • Assisted the Integrated Domestic Violence Court (IDV) - Assisted the Tulsa County District Court in implementing a cutting-edge docket supported by national research that assists families in effectively and efficiently working through the labyrinth of the court system because of the diverse challenges that often accompany family violence. When the grant that funded Tulsa’s IDV Court expired, Suzann jumped in to raise funds so the court could continue. District Judge Kelly Greenough, former Director of the IDV Court, explains, “The Tulsa IDV Court was the first of its kind in Oklahoma. It has provided an efficient and effective mechanism for families to work through family violence issues, and Suzann’s dedication to the court has ensured its continued operation for another year. • Organized and led a committee to review the protective order process and make recommendations to the court - At the request of the court, Suzann organized
and led a multidisciplinary team to analyze the protective order process to identify gaps and inefficiencies in the process and make recommendations to the court. Judge Mary Fitzgerald, Chief of the Family Division, initiated this project and states “Suzann was instrumental in guiding this analysis and has aided the court by providing solid recommendations for efficiencies and by developing education programs related to the protective order process for staff, volunteers and attorneys.” Suzann stimulated a sense of civic responsibility by: • Served on the Mayor’s Domestic Violence Summit planning team – Suzann helped create the summit, recruit participants and facilitators, and develop a plan for better addressing family violence in this community with the support of former Mayor Dewey Bartlett. Over 100 public and professional participants attended the summit to discuss how the community and all components of the justice system could help address family violence issues. • Initiated and obtained volunteers for Camp Hope. Camp Hope was developed by the San Diego Family Justice Center to serve children of survivors of family violence. Some children are survivors themselves. Suzann sought funding for a local camp, forged a partnership with the YMCA and mental health professionals to operate the camp and OU-Tulsa researcher Dr. Chan Hellman to evaluate the goals of the camp. The camp opened 2 years ago for Tulsa County children who have witnessed or experienced violence in their homes. John Hickey, attorney at Hall Estill who caught the vision for Camp Hope, secured United Way funding and volunteered at the camp, states “Camp Hope had such an enormous positive impact on kids that it has doubled in size. These vulnerable kids have the opportunity to come together in the wilderness to find hope and healing.” • Created a child trauma assessment program at FSC for children accompanying parents seeking services at the Center by recruiting the Parent Child Center as a new partner agency. Children can now be assessed and referred with their parents to service providers in the community to help them address issues of trauma and to help end intergenerational violence. • Brought the OU-Tulsa School of Community Medicine to the FSC – Many victims at FSC need immediate medical triage and many need follow up medical assessments. Suzann contacted OU-Tulsa Medical Center and recruited them to assign internal medicine residents to FSC to assist victims needing medical services. This program not only serves fragile victims but also creates a vital training ground for new doctors.
Suzann recognized that domestic violence is a public safety problem and public safety is a core function of government. She contributed to good government in the community by: • Wrote a grant with sponsorship by the City of Tulsa to fund a Rapid Intervention Team – This team funds police officers, a district attorney, and case manager to intervene early in highly lethal family violence cases. To date, no victim served by this team has died despite grave danger and the highly volatile environment involved. Tulsa’s Police Chuck Jordan has long been a staunch supporter of efforts to address family violence in Tulsa. “These cases are some of the most lethal my officers must respond to” says Chief Jordan, “and the work of Suzann and the Family Safety Center is essential to making this community safer.” This list of Suzann’s accomplishments in a few short years is extensive. While we know that no one person can take sole credit for moving the needle on a community’s response to family violence, Suzann deserves recognition for her unique ability to harness the talents of many others, to lead diverse professionals toward strategic goals, and to inspire us all to stay focused on the vision of ending family and dating violence, stalking and sexual assault. For her many contributions to the legal system and to local government and for her commitment to ending family violence, we nominate Suzann Stewart for the Tulsa County Bar Association’s Liberty Bell Award.
Thank you to all of our participants and sponsors. It was another successful Bill Kellough, tournament! 2017 Golf Chair Special thanks to....
July 2017 - Mark Your Calendars Headshots: July 7th, 14th, 20th & 25th. Are you needing a professional photo? Come get a free professional headshot at the TCBA! On July 7 from 9am-12pm, July 14 from 9am-12pm & 1pm-2pm; July 20 from 12pm-4pm; and July 25 from 9am-2pm. Pinot Pallet: July 12th. Are you needing some relaxation and fun? Come paint a fun picture with your TCBA friends. This event is limited to the first 20 TCBA members who register. TCBA members can reserve up to two slots. July 12, 2017 from 7pm-9pm. Ethics CLE & Lunch: July 14th. Are you needing some ethics CLE credit? Come hear OBA General Counsel Gina L. Hendryx present a one hour CLE on ethics. Lunch will be served from 11:00-12:00 with the CLE presentation from 12:00-1:00. Tulsa Drillers: July 18th. Are you needing some hometown baseball? Come watch the Drillers with your TCBA friends. This event has limited registration. TCBA
members can reserve up to 2 slots. We will provide the game tickets and $10.00 in Driller bucks for use at concessions. Zoo Family Event: July 22nd. Are you needing some fun with your family? Come enjoy a day at the zoo with your family and TCBA friends. This event is a family event. We have secured the Rhino Reserve we will have a meet and greet experience with the Rhinos which includes meeting them, petting them, and taking photos with them. We will have a kid friendly buffet in addition to the adult buffet. We will have a cash bar. The food will be served at 7pm but for members attending this event you can enjoy the zoo the entire day. No Suits Allowed Rooftop Party: July 28th. Our member appreciation month will conclude with a fun patio event at the Rooftop located on Cherry St. Please dress casually as there are no suits allowed. We will have food and drinks from 7:30-9:30. Reservations for any of these events can be made by calling the TCBA at 918-584-5243. Tulsa Lawyer 13
Bill Kellough, 2017 Golf Chair
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Monday, May 15th - TCBF Golf Tourney
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James R. Bullard, Ryan Lynch, Lauren Meyers & J. Patrick Mensching 14 Tulsa Lawyer
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Tulsa Lawyer 15
Member Focus: R. Michael Carter Director of Athletics at Oral Roberts University The Law, Sports and Making a Difference Mike Carter has been the Director of Athletics at Oral Roberts University since 1994 after practicing business and sports law in Tulsa for 21 years. In 1993, Mike was practicing business, oil and gas, and sports law in Tulsa when his friend Bill Self accepted the head basketball coaching job at Oral Roberts University. Mike represented Coach Self and negotiated his contract for him. The next summer the athletic director retired, and Mike was on the search committee to find a new athletic director. After two people turned the job down, coach Self asked Mike if he would become the athletic director. That happened just 10 months after Mike and Paula had lost their 13-year-old son Scott to bone cancer. Mike learned from that battle that life is about doing something you really enjoy and making a difference in the lives of others. Mike says that after almost 23 years "the coaches are like my kids and the players are like my grandkids".
Carter served with the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Committee conducting the NCAA Championships for 17 years and chaired the Committee for 5 of those years. He was the chair of the Summit League Joint Council of athletic directors and served on the Conference’s Executive Committee after having chaired the Championships, Men’s Basketball and Baseball Committees. He serves on the Executive Committee of the NCAA Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association and was the chair of the Awards Committee. In 2012, Carter was named the NCAA Division I Athletic Director of the Year for the Central Region.
Over the last 19 years as members of The Summit League and the Southland Conference, the Golden Eagles have captured nine Commissioner’s Cups winning 147 Regular Season & Tournament Championships and sending 82 teams to NCAA Tournaments in addition to multiple NIT and other post season appearances. The programs produced 91 All-Americans, 1,143 All-Conference selections, 1,284 Academic All-Conference selections, 133 Players of the Year and three NCAA Champions. In 2012, Jack Whitt won the NCAA Outdoor Pole Vault Championship. In 2008, Andretti Bain won the NCAA Men’s Indoor and Outdoor 400 meter Championships and collected a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics as part of the Bahamas’ 4 x 400 meter relay team. In 2008, Head Baseball Coach Rob Walton won the Gold Medal as the head coach of Team USA in the Baseball World Games in the Czech Republic with a perfect 24-0 record. ORU student athletes have had an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 or better for 18 of the last 19 seasons and finished 2016 with a 3.2. Mike chaired the Marshal Committees for the 2001 U.S. Open, the 2007 PGA Championship and the 2009 U.S. Amateur, as well as serving on other committees for major golf championships in 1977, 1982, and 1994 and PGA Tour Championships in 1995 and 1996 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa. He is a five time Club Champion at Southern Hills and won the Oklahoma Fourball Championship in 1995. 16 Tulsa Lawyer
He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of CureSearch for Childhood Cancer and the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame & is a member of the Advisory Board of the Tulsa Sports Commission. He and his wife, Paula, are the Trustees of the Scott Carter Foundation which raises funds for children’s cancer research. Mike is a past director of Leadership Tulsa, Operation Aware, the Oklahoma Golf Association, Theater Tulsa, NABC Coaches vs. Cancer Board of Advisors, Southern Hills Country Club Board of Governors and served on the Mayor’s Vision 2025 Recreation and Leisure Committee.
Honors and Awards: • Sigma Chi Award of Merit from the Gamma Delta Chapter in 1982. • Sigma Chi William Bringham National House Corporation Officer of the Year Award in 1983. • Family and Children’s Services Family of the Year Award in 1994. • Tulsa Sports Commission Sportsman of the Year Award in 2006. • NCAA Division I Athletic Director of the Year for the Central Region in 2012. • Sigma Chi Fraternity Significant Sig Award in 2014. After receiving his B.S. degree from Oklahoma State University in 1970, he obtained a J.D. degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 1972 and practiced law in Tulsa until taking the AD position at ORU.
Mike and his wife Paula have been married for 46 years. Paula is the Area Director of Community Bible Study and runs the daily affairs of the Scott Carter Foundation for children’s cancer research which was founded in memory of their 13 year old son Scott who died of childhood cancer in 1993. Mike and Paula have two grown children. Lizz is a graduate of USC and is an actress in Los Angeles. She and her husband Gary Clark, the owner of Clark & Associates, a sales and marketing agency, reside in Newport Beach, California.
Cason and his wife Shelley are graduates of Duke and Georgetown Law School and are members of the Tulsa County Bar Association having practiced with Tulsa firms for several years. Shelley served for many years as a clerk for Judge Terry Kern and is now the Executive Director of the Judith and Jean Pape Adams Foundation. Cason is Director and the Head of Government Affairs for Citadel, LLC, a hedge fund and global financial firm based in Chicago, IL. Cason and Shelley have 3 sons – Luke, Henry and Jake. All photos courtesy of Mike Carter aand ORU Athletics Media.
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THE ANIMAL LAW COMMITTEE IS BACK! Did you catch the news about Alaska passing a law earlier this year requiring divorce courts to "take into consideration the well-being of the animal" and even empowering judges to assign joint custody of pets? I didn’t until I heard about it from an Animal Law Committee member. Come to a meeting and find out all kinds of other interesting information about animals and the law. The Animal Law committee has been in hibernation for a while but it’s back. Rest assured it’s not a radical group of do-gooders plotting against people who eat meat or wear leather. It’s not just a bunch of animal lovers who want only to talk about their pets and show off their latest Facebook photos. The Animal Law Committee talks about animal issues that are in the news or have come up in our practices or community activities like local animal control laws, how pets are defined and treated under the property laws, and service animals in court.
pets, what rights and responsibilities owners of such animals have, and why a favorite pet doesn’t become a support animal or emotional support animal just by ordering a vest online, was helpful. Whether you’re at a family dinner and you’ve stumbled on a topic more dangerous than politics, or you get a call from the general counsel of a major airline worried about a video going viral, you’ll be prepared. In addition to discussing current issues and presenting CLEs, we also want to help local animal welfare organizations with publicity and fundraising efforts. Which brings us to the first annual Lawyers Against Pawverty! Each year we will choose and promote a worthwhile local organization that positively impacts both animals and people. While Lawyers Against Pawverty will be an ongoing project, June is special!
June is Lawyers Against Pawverty month! This year the Animal Law Committee is supporting Feeding the Pets of Tulsa’s Homeless. Feeding the Pets of Tulsa’s Homeless is a donation-driven program run by Tulsa Animal Welfare Officers to help our city’s neediest citizens by providing food and more for their pets. It started about three years ago by Tulsa Animal Welfare Officers who saw a need that was not being met in our community and decided to step in and offer assistance. They understand the importance of pets
But we’re doing more than talking about animals in our meetings. Committee members want to share what they know about animal law and how it ties in with other areas of the law. Look for an upcoming CLE on estate planning with pointers on providing for pets and for supporting animal rescue and aid organizations. You’ll learn what to say to your client who asks “What will happen to poor Fluffy (or Spike or Fenway) when I die?? My family hates him because he bites and tears up the furniture but my lovely neighbor who adores him can’t afford to take him for his annual rabies shots much less buy his favorite gourmet food!” Also in the works is a CLE on the hot topic of service animals and emotional support animals. I had an interesting discussion last year with a relative who struggles with an anxiety disorder and who is doing much better since he got a puppy who goes everywhere with him. New studies come out almost every day about the benefit animals have on a person’s physical and mental health and he’s a shining example. Yet when he said he wanted to take his now 100 pound dog on a plane to visit his grandmother across the country, I had to pause. Fortunately, I could put my lawyer hat on. This was when knowing the difference between service animals and emotional support animals, how and why they are more than
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to the homeless. Pets provide protection, companionship and often, emotional stability. These animals are beloved family to the homeless and often eat before they do. Volunteers go to Iron Gate every Wednesday morning and Night Lights every Thursday evening. They hand out about 6,000 pounds of pet food, and 10-20 collars and leashes each month. During the winter months, they also provide dog sweaters and blankets to those in need.
The TCBA Animal Law Committee meets the second Wednesday of each month. The next meeting will be held at the Tulsa County Bar Association on Wednesday, June 14 at noon. You are invited to bring a sack lunch, with or without meat.
FPTH relies entirely on donations to assist those pets in need. A donation of $100 will provide five 50 pound bags of dog food and will feed approximately 30 dogs for a week. To learn more about Feeding the Pets of Tulsa’s Homeless, check out their Facebook page. We’re also celebrating in June with our first Lawyers Against Pawverty event. We’ll be hosting Eat Out for a Cause this month in conjunction with the Tulsa County Bar Foundation Community Outreach Committee. Enjoy fabulous wood fired cuisine at Amelia’s Restaurant on Thursday, June 22 to “eat out for a cause” and support Feeding the Pets of Tulsa’s Homeless.
Laurie Phillips, Chair
THE 2017 MEMBER PICTORIAL DIRECTORIES ARE HERE! Available exclusively for TCBA Members! You may pick up your copy at the Bar Center during regular business hours Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:00 Limit 1 copy per Member If your firm needs more than 10 directories please email Julie in advance. juliec@tulsabar.com 20 Tulsa Lawyer
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Sandra Day O'Connor Award Presented to Thoreau Demonstration Academy The Sandra Day teacher facilitators and are hired for government positions O’Connor Award is given and businesses within a student City that operates one hour in honor of the retired Justice a day at Thoreau. Ms. Warren (a lawyer/ teacher) used bar
of the US Supreme Court, and prep materials to prepare a curriculum with five components: first female Justice in history, Constitutional Law, Torts, Criminal Law, Contracts, and who in retirement has made Procedure. Students study for 8 weeks and then take a her mission highlighting the “Bar Examination” in order to practice law in Emerald importance of legal civics City. Those who score an 80% or higher become judges, education. Justice O’Connor the others become attorneys. In order to bring a case to trial, has been instrumental in they must gather evidence, create a “Trial File” and prepare establishing the award-winning their witnesses. The students have had cases on issues such website icivics.com which has as battery, failure to pay traffic tickets, business losses/ been invaluable to educators negligence, counterfeiting and theft of property. As many teaching this critical subject matter. The award will go to as 300 students have been part of EC Law and some have the person or persons who have significantly advanced the become attorneys as adults – including one who became an teaching of legal civics in Oklahoma schools. This year the Assistant Attorney General. Ms. Warren says “To see young Foundation has chosen to honor Thoreau Demonstration students advocate for each other and create a personal sense Academy. Principal Audrey Doctor and founder and teacher of justice is more gratifying and inspiring than I can describe. Suffice it to say, as I sit at the table surrounded by my young Sandy Warren are present to receive the award. lawyers and hear them discuss their opinions about how Emerald City (EC) Law is a “business” of the cases should be decided to ensure justice for all, I strongly school’s MicroSociety program which began in 1998. As a feel that I will be leaving our world in good hands”. part of the program students prepare resumes, interview with Accepting were Principal Audrey Doctor & Sandy Warren
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Vietnam Veterans and Agent Orange Vietnam veterans, those who had boots on the ground or were brown water sailors from January 9, 1962, until May 7, 1975, are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange and other herbicides. Agent Orange and other herbicides permeated the air through the country. It did not make any difference if you were flying, on the ground, or participating in water operations. The Veterans Administration, regardless of your opinion of it, has established an Agent Orange Registry. I’ve been surprised at the number of my fellow lawyers who have not heard of the Agent Orange Registry nor taken advantage of the VA benefits available to them through it.
acute and sub-acute peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus (Type 2), all chronic B-cell leukemias (including, but not limited to, hairy-cell leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia), Parkinson’s disease, and ischemic heart disease. To receive benefits from the VA you must register with them and have a physical. It will take at least 2 days out of your life, but the benefits are worth it. During this process you may also be determined to have a service related disability. I do not wish anyone ill health, but we are all in this together. You need to be registered to get the benefits available.
Also available are hearing aids, sleep study with treatment, flu shots, tetanus shots, and all 3 levels of The VA presumes the following diseases to be pneumonia shots. Some medications are available. service-connected for you Veterans: AL amyloidosis, Your disability depends on whether or not you have a chloracne or other acne-form disease similar to co-pay. chloracne, porpyria, cutanea tarda, soft-tissue sarcoma So, friends, take the time and get the benefits (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s available to you. sarcoma or meslthelioma), Hodgkin’s disease, multiple myeloma, respiratory cancers (lung, bronchus, larynx, ~ Harlan S. Pinkerton, Jr. trachea), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, prostate cancer,
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TCBA Sightings ... Chappelle Pathway to Law Academy The Chappelle Pathway to Law Academy was started in 2016 to honor the late Judge Carlos Chappelle. Judge Chappelle was passionate about mentoring the youth of Tulsa. In particular, he was a very essential part of the annual Minority Law Awareness Day for high school students. He spent over an hour with these students from different high schools, talking about what a profession in law looks like and giving them valuable life advice. When he passed, the event was renamed to honor him and also created a new event for middle school students, The Judge Carlos Chappelle Pathway to Law Academy. Dates for The Judge Carlos Chappelle Pathway to Law Academy : 1st year: Friday, May 13, 2016, 2nd year: Friday March 31, 2017, and 3rd year: Friday, March 30, 2018
Eighth grade students from KIPP Tulsa with an interest in law were invited to come to the College of Law for a full day of interactive learning. The day started with a presentation by Dean Lyn Entzeroth and Danny Williams Sr. It was followed by a panel featuring TU undergraduate representative Deanna Smith, WPX attorney Kevinn Matthews, and two TU Law students, Morgan Vaughn and Ian Jones. KIPP students then met with undergraduate student ambassadors and were provided with a tour of the entire TU campus. Lunch was served in the Presidential Suite of the Reynolds Center. Law students, local attorneys and TU Law professors were in attendance: Kevinn Matthews, Lorena Rivas Tiemann, Ruth Addison, Rachel Gusman, Lauren Oldham, Cassia Carr, Myriah Downs, Betsy McCormick, Johnny Parker, Michelle Kruse, Courtney Nelbach, and Daniel Gibson.
Lunch was followed by a mock negotiation with TU Law’s Black Law Student Association chapter. The final component for the day was a Socratic method led course taught by Professor Johnny Parker from TU Law. The purpose of this event is to encourage underrepresented students to prepare for the rigor of an undergraduate education and animate them to pursue another degree in law. It is our hope that students participating in this new program will also participate in our high school outreach program, The Judge Carlos Chappelle Minority Law Awareness Day. * TU Law Students * TCBA Members
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Bixby BBQ’n Blues Festival Kent Siegrist and JW McBee first competed in a KCBS competition together on March 24, 2012 in the Sam’s Club Invitational. Since that time we’ve cooked on average 4 competitions each year since that time. Our claim to fame is our annual participation in the Bixby BBQ’n Blues Festival People’s Choice Competition. Since 2013, Know
Team Know Bull: Kent Siegrist, Hanson & Holmes (Team Founder); JW McBee (“Sue” Chef), Riggs Abney; Larry Saunders (Joins them once a year to participate in the Bixby People’s Choice Competition)
Bull has placed 2nd (2013), 1st (2014), 1st (2015), 8th (2016) and 1st (2017). Know Bull also scored first place pork in the Stillwater Oklahoma Elks’ Blazathon last April. This year the Rotary estimated around 2000 taster kits for the People’s Choice competition. To win the prize, the public has to vote for you. It’s also important to do a shout out to the volunteers who help us cook (including but not limited to Riggs Abney’s own Lynn Pearson).
Team Know Bull- The whole crew claiming the Peoples Choice Award
University of Tulsa Cane Crawl
TU’s Cane Crawl took place in the Brady District in Downtown Tulsa on Saturday, April 22. Participants formed teams of 8-12 people and "crawled" from bar to bar taking part in an interactive photo scavenger bingo game. Support of the TU Cane Crawl helps to build The University of Tulsa Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to TU students from the Tulsa area. Pictured above are the participants for the Tulsa County Bar Association Team, See you at the bar.
Julie Evans, Sam Johnson, Jane Johnson, Margo Elliott, Kelli Bradshaw and Jim Elliott, Brenna Wiebe, Sandy Thompson, Rex Thompson, Andrew McMahon and Helen Sgarlata Tulsa Lawyer 25
Personal Injury and Wrongful Death: New Statutes, Pending Appeals, Current Limitations and Perspectives from the Plaintiff By Ken Ray Underwood
Part One of a Three Part Series Historically, the law provided that damages for the breach of an obligation not arising from contract was the amount that would compensate for all detriment proximately caused, whether it could have been anticipated or not. Title 23 O.S. ยง61. The law allowed for a broad interpretation of the nature and extent of recovery available to a person who was injured at the hands of another. Health insurance was considered a collateral source which could not be used as an offset by a Defendant and it was inadmissible at trial. Porter v. Manes, 1959 OK 239. In fact, the amount paid by a health insurance carrier was not even discoverable by a Defendant. Nitzel v. Jackson, 1994 OK 49. Oklahoma law protected its citizens through the State Constitution by providing that the Courts of Justice shall be open to every person and speedy and certain remedy afforded for every wrong, and for every injury to person, property or reputation, and right and justice shall be administered without sale, denial, delay or prejudice. Okla. Const. Art. 2 Section 6. Our State Constitution, like the 14th Amendment of the Unites States Constitution, provides that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. Okla. Const. Art. 2 Section 7. The Constitution appeared to provide t r ial by jury for all civil matters involving claims exceeding $10,000 to be decided by a Jury of twelve persons. Okla. Const. Art. 2 Section 19. In spite of these bedrock principles, the Oklahoma Constitution, statutes and case law, the Oklahoma Legislature decided to limit the recovery of medical bills to the amount which was paid, instead of that which was billed (Title 12 O.S. ยง3009.1) and limit the amount of non-economic damages to $350,000. (Title 23 O.S. ยง61.2.) These laws, along with many others passed in Oklahoma and throughout the country over the last thirty years have significantly reduced 26 Tulsa Lawyer
the likelihood that someone injured at the hands of another will be made whole for their losses, harms and damages. PAID VS. INCURRED, TITLE 12 O.S. ยง3009.1 In the past, Plaintiffs and their lawyers simply accumulated medical bills from providers; added them up on a summary; and presented those bills as the calculation of medical expenses to present to an insurance carrier for consideration or to admit into evidence at trial as damages for the cost of medical treatment. The new law limits the damage claim for medical bills to the amount paid if a signed statement is submitted by the medical provider indicating that the amount paid will be accepted as payment in full for the obligation. If a lien has been filed, that amount may be admitted into evidence. If no payment has been made, the law provides that the Medicare reimbursement rate in effect at the time of the injury is the amount admissible at Trial if the medical provider agrees to accept the Medicare rate less cost of recovery as payment in full. In the event no bills have been paid and there is no statement from any medical provider regarding the amount they have accepted or will accept, then the amount billed is admissible into evidence. This statute is burdensome, complicated and confusing. Medicare rates and their regulations regarding costs of recovery are obscure and change regularly. In practice, most medical providers do not appear to be providing affidavits or sworn statements where they agree to accept the amount of the Medicare reimbursement rate. They either agree to accept what has been paid, file a lien or write it off. Regardless, the practice of collecting medical bills from providers and adding them up to provide a trial exhibit for the damage claim on medical expenses is a thing of the past. It is now simply a starting point and amounts paid by insurance
carriers, Medicare, Medicaid, or the amount of a lien are more frequently the amount of the damage claim. Oddly enough, it might be that someone who is indigent, has no health insurance and is not on Medicaid or Medicare might have the best opportunity for making a full recovery of their damage claim for medical expenses incurred. Although this result is wrongheaded, the Oklahoma Supreme Court saw it differently and concluded that the law was constitutional in the case of Lee v. Bueno, 2016 OK 97. The Collateral Source Rule remains intact in Oklahoma except for the reduction of medical bills from the amount billed to the amount paid. Workers Compensation benefits are still inadmissible as a collateral source. Witt v. Martin, 1983 OK CIV APP 33 and Propst v. Alexander, 1995 OK 57. Social Security benefits are a collateral source and inadmissible at Trial. Bagley v. Blue Flame Propane Co., 1966 OK 161. The remarriage of a party after the death of a spouse is inadmissible. Kimery v. Public Service Co. of Oklahoma, 1977 OK 60. Lost wages are an element of damages which may be recovered even if the injury victim continued to receive his wages the entire
time he was off work because of the injury. Huey v. Stephens, 1954 OK 222. And, in œ11, the Court goes on to say that even if medical services were rendered gratuitously, that element of damages would still not be eliminated. It is always a good practice to file a Motion in Limine on these issues which may constitute a collateral source and contaminate a jury if mentioned, even by accident. At least you will educate the Judge on the applicable facts and law which will be presented at Trial. Although the ruling is always advisory and you still need to object to the testimony, a ruling helps you understand the Court’s position and it will help in your Trial preparation. Ken Underwood, ulawok.com, with his friend Jackson Paulk, DRC
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G rapevine N ews
Newton, O’Connor, Turner & Ketchum, P.C. is pleased to announce that Alexandria G. Mayfield, Troy J. McPherson, and Micah J. Petersen have joined the firm as Associate Attorneys. Ms. Mayfield concentrates her practice in the areas of Labor and Employment Law, and Civil Litigation. Messrs. McPherson and Petersen concentrate their practices in the area of Complex Business Litigation.Tulsabased Newton, O’Connor, Turner & Ketchum is a 26 lawyer law firm, serving local, regional and national clients who seek advice and representation regarding labor and employment matters, complex business litigation and dispute resolution, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, insurance receivership, business succession planning, trust & estate planning, and probate. Conner & Winters, LLP is proud to welcome David H. Herrold back to the firm as a Partner in the firm’s Tulsa office. Herrold is an experienced trial lawyer whose commercial litigation practice primarily focuses on complex civil and commercial cases, D&O and E&O liability, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy litigation. Listed as an “Oklahoma Super Lawyer” since 2010, he has successfully litigated cases in Oklahoma and around the country on behalf of local, national and international clients. After beginning his legal career with Conner & Winters upon graduating from the University of Tulsa College of Law, Herrold now returns after having spent the last six years as a Partner with another Oklahoma law firm.“We are very pleased to have David return to the Conner & Winters family,” said Mark Berman, President of Conner & Winters. “David will be terrific asset to our exceptional litigation group.”
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Conner & Winters, LLP is proud to announce the addition of Danny C. Williams Sr. as a partner in the firm’s Tulsa office. Williams joins the firm after serving as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma from 2012 to 2017,
where he led a department of 60 employees and was responsible for the prosecution of numerous white-collar crimes which netted large forfeiture amounts in the Northern District of Oklahoma. During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, Williams also initiated the Violent Crimes Task Force, a collaboration of local and national law enforcement agencies, resulting in the prosecution of more than 20 persons charged with human trafficking of minor children. While under his leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District filed the largest indictment in its history, with 52 defendants and 232 counts. Previously, Williams was president and managing partner at Charney, Buss, and Williams, P.C. A past recipient of the Oklahoma Bar Association ‘s Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Diversity Award in recognition of his efforts to promote diversity in Oklahoma, Williams is also very involved as a leader in the Tulsa community as a frequent speaker and member of multiple non-profit boards, including the Greenwood Cultural Center. “Danny will be a dynamic addition to our strong team of litigators,” said Mark Berman, President of Conner & Winters. “We are excited to have him join us as we continue to enhance the services we provide our clients in commercial litigation and elsewhere.” Michael Scoggins joins GableGotwals as an associate in the firm’s Tulsa office. Scoggins’ primary practice will focus on transactional business law. Scoggins is a graduate of the University of Tulsa College of Law and received his undergraduate degree from Furman University. The Tulsa law firm of Atkinson, Haskins, Nellis, Brittingham, Gladd & Fiasco announces that Gabrielle E. Mandeville has joined the firm as an associate. Gabrielle E. Mandeville graduated with highest honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2016, after earning a B.A. in political science and news editorial from Oklahoma State University in 2010. While in law school, Ms. Mandeville served as the Notes and Comments Editor of the Tulsa Law Review and was exchequer of the legal honor society, Phi Delta Phi. Her article, Sex Trafficking on Indian Reservations, was published in the Summer 2015 issue of the Tulsa Law Review. She received a CALI Award in Legal Writing II and was awarded the Chapman-Rogers Fellows Scholarship by the Oklahoma Bar Foundation. Ms. Mandeville is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association and currently practices in the area of civil litigation, with an emphasis in insurance defense and medical malpractice defense.
It is with great pleasure that Cornell Law Firm welcomes associate Courtney Najera. Ms. Najera attended The University of Tulsa College of Law intending to practice family law and graduated with highest honors. She brings to Cornell Law Firm her moot court experience, law review skills, and passion for assisting clients as they create new futures for themselves and their families. Because Ms. Najera is firm owner Melissa F. Cornell’s daughter, this family law firm may proudly pronounce itself a family practice. Ms. Najera will concentrate on representing family law clients with divorce, custody, and child support disputes. The American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys has recognized the exceptional performance of Oklahoma’s Personal Injury Attorney Mark Stanley as Two Years 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys for Client Satisfaction. The American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys is a third-party attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Personal Injury attorneys in each state. Attorneys who are selected to the "10 Best" list must pass AIOPIA's rigorous selection process, which is based on client and/or peer nominations, thorough research and AIOPIA’s independent evaluation. AIOPIA's annual list was created to be used as a resource for clients during the attorney selection process. We congratulate Mark Stanley on this achievement and we are honored to have him as a Two Years AIOPIA Member. The Oklahoma City law firm of Needham and Associates, PLLC announces the opening of its Tulsa office, where Cara Collinson Wells and Amber Howard Cornelius have joined the firm as partners. Ms. Wells’ practice focuses on probate, trust, and estate administration; estate planning with an emphasis on long term care issues; and adult and child guardianship matters. Cara also handles trust disputes and litigation matters. She holds a J.D. from the University of Tulsa College of Law and serves on the TU Law Alumni Board. She is a Commissioner for Oklahoma
AmeriCorps, on which she serves as an appointee of Governor Mary Fallin. Cara is also a volunteer attorney at Tulsa Lawyers for Children, where she represents abused and neglected children. Ms. Howard Cornelius’ practice focuses primarily on oil and gas law, where she represents oil and gas producers, operators, landowners and other parties in a broad range of oil and gas law matters, including oil and gas litigation, contracts, transactions, and regulatory matters. She is a Tulsa native, who graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law. Amber serves on the executive board for the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice(OCCJ) and is also a volunteer attorney with Tulsa Lawyers for Children.
Send Grapevine items to tulsabarnews@yahoo.com
Tulsa Lawyer 29
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Mediators & Arbitrators of Oklahoma, LLC Jon Starr * Michael Gassett Scott McDaniel * Jack Crews Mark Smiling * David Wilson Scott Ryan * Robert Coffey, Jr. Mark A. Warman * Truman Rucker Peter Erdoes * Jeff Curran Call (918) 693-7850 to schedule you next mediation CLUGSTON POLYGRAPH & INVESTIGATING SERVICES FBI National Academy graduate, 25 years law enforcement experience. See our Website at www.clugston-polygraph.com or call (918) 622-7008 for information about our services. Corporate internal investigations, criminal defense, divorce, child custody, loss prevention…. We can help answer your questions.
VICE-PRESIDENT OF LEGAL SERVICES SUMMARY OF DESCRIPTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Act as primary liaison between the agency and the legal community. Manage agency legal resources and provide professional direction for the legal department and court advocacy program. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: •
Responsible for assisting in the development and implementation of strategies to increase communications, cooperation and collaboration between DVIS, law enforcement, District Attorney, state/federal court system and probation/parole authorities, under the direction of the Chief Executive Officer.
•
Responsible for staying current with trends in family law and domestic violence related criminal law Responsible for supervising Court Advocates, attorneys and other legal staff, monitoring advocacy activities and providing professional direction for the program.
•
Responsible for continuing the development and monitoring a DVIS pro bono legal services program with appropriate interface and training to volunteer attorneys.
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Responsible for interfacing with Tulsa County and Creek County Court Judges and others in the criminal and civil justice systems. Functioning in a problem solving and advocacy role representing the best interest of DVIS and our clients.
•
Responsible for handling all agency subpoenas, writs, court orders, pick up orders, etc. as related to clients and client records.
Responsible for developing and implementing a domestic violence training program for judges, prosecutors and law enforcement using internal and external training resources. Responsible for supervising Court Advocates, and other legal staff, monitoring advocacy and providing professional direction for the
attorneys activities program.
REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
Contact Jody at 918.584.5243 Ext. 240 jodyg@tulsabar.com Tulsa Lawyer is a monthly publication of the TCBA. The TCBA does not necessarily share or endorse the opinions expressed in the materials published. The views are those of thoughtful contributors. Similarly, advertising does not imply endorsement by the TCBA of products or services or any statements concerning them.
•
Juris Doctorate degree is required. Must be licensed to practice in Oklahoma and a member in good standing of the Oklahoma Bar Association.
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A minimum law services
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Ability to communicate orally and in writing, collaborate and negotiate with a variety of internal and external contacts - media, funding sources, community leaders and the judicial/legal community are also required.
•
Knowledge of Oklahoma family and criminal law. Superior research skills - traditional and electronic.
•
A minimum of two years of supervisory experience, required.
of two years’ experience in family to the under-represented is preferred.
State of Oklahoma Driver’s License, To apply for this position online, go to www.dvis.org.
required.
Tulsa County Bar Association 1446 S. Boston Ave. Tulsa, OK 74119
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