Law Gala

GREGORY K. FRIZZELL

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell (BA ’81) began his legal career as a judicial clerk for the Hon. Thomas R. Brett from 1984 to 1986. Frizzell practiced law until 1995 when he was appointed general counsel for the Oklahoma Tax Commission. In 1997, Frizzell was appointed to the state trial bench for Tulsa and Pawnee counties, where he served as chief judge of the civil division in 2003 and as presiding judge in 2006. In 2006, President George W. Bush nominated him to the federal bench, and on Feb. 2, 2007, he was sworn as a U.S. district judge. From 2012 to 2019, he served as chief judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Frizzell has been a member of the Rotary Club of Tulsa since 1997 and has served on its board of directors.

Stacy Leeds

Regents Professor Stacy Leeds (JD ’97) is the Willard H. Pedrick dean of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. She is a scholar of Indigenous law and policy and a leader in law, higher education, economic development and conflict resolution. She was dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law (2011-18) and vice chancellor for economic development at the University of Arkansas (2017-20). She was an administrator and professor at University of Kansas and University of North Dakota and a William H. Hastie fellow at University of Wisconsin. Leeds is passionate about food, agriculture and whole health. She co-founded the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative and served as board president of Akiptan and vice chair of the board for the Native American Agriculture Fund.

DANNY C. WILLIAMS SR

In 2012, Danny C. Williams Sr. (JD ’91) was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Williams initiated the Violent Crimes Task Force, resulting in the prosecution of persons charged with human trafficking of minor children. From 1991 to 1993, he served as a Tulsa County assistant district attorney. In 1993, he transitioned to private practice with an emphasis on commercial litigation and criminal defense in federal and state court as well as eminent domain. Williams currently is a partner at Frederic Dorwart Lawyers. He has served on several nonprofit and municipal boards including Tulsa City County Library Commission, the Booker T. Washington Foundation of Excellence, Resonance Center for Women and Greenwood Cultural Center Board of Directors.