Making a Difference
A Message from the President
Kimberly K. Moore 2020-2021 TCBA President
Pg. 2
2020-2021 Election Results Page 5
Application of Cognitive Biases as Persuasion Tactics in the Legal System
TULSA LAWYER
In this Issue
June 2021
3
Blood Drive Event
4
TCBF Golf Sponsors
6
Reaching the Supreme CourtWillie Earl Carr et al vs Saul By Paul F. McTighe, Jr., Attorney at law
9
Food Bank Volunteer Opportunity
11 VP's Corner - Schools Out for Summer Philip Hixon 12 Golf Tourney Photo Review 14 Cheers to Another Round of Success! 16 The Importance Organ Donation The stories of Kacharra Mansker & Scott Johnson 20 Member Appreciation Events - Sign up now! 21 TCBA Community Outreach Planting Seeds in Our Community
By Pansy Moore-Shrier, Esq.
Page 24
23 Sandra Day O'Connor Award Presented to Candice Pierce 28 Law Day 2021 Review Lizzie Riter, Chair 29 Law Day Sponsors - Thank you! 30 La poule Français! Review – The French Hen at Vast.bank By Michael P. Taubman 32 Mother's Day Virtual Event Review in Pics 33 Softball is Back! 34 Grapevine 35 Classifieds
TCBA Contacts, Committees & Sections Page 36 Tulsa Lawyer 1
A Message from the President Kimberly K. Moore
Back to Busy at the TCBA
May was bustling at the TCBA. We celebrated Law Day, had the TCBF Annual Charity Golf Tournament, hosted the first Free Estate Planning Clinic for First Responders and Teachers, and re-opened the Bar Center. Whew! My head is spinning just thinking about the activities.
residents. In the furtherance of Housing Solutions’ recent efforts to combat homelessness, the Hotel to Housing Initiative was born to provide temporary housing shelter to residents and their pets while connecting them with landlords for permanent housing solutions.
And now for the drum roll please…The TCBA The Law Day Symposium was a huge hit. renovation is complete! Tami and her staff have moved Many thanks to the TCBF Law Day Committee and back in and are open for business. We celebrated by the speakers, Phil Armstrong and Hannibal Johnson, holding an open house on May 13th with free food, drinks, Tom Vincent, II and Candace Pace, and Keith and Dana treats and of course, tours. We also had a photographer Cutler from Kansas City, Missouri, for providing insight on hand to take free head shots for attorneys. into diversity and inclusion. Thank you to Oak Leaf Designs, Jim Butler The TCBF Annual Charity Golf Tournament Construction, Greg Gordon, past TCBA Executive returned to Meadowbrook this year. Despite the dreary Director and construction liaison, and Tami Williams, weather at the beginning, it turned into a beautiful day. our current TCBA Executive Director, and her staff. I We had over 90 participants who took to the green this am extremely grateful for Tami as she has goes above and beyond with every task presented to her. Thank year. OUTSTANDING! you, Tami! The TCBA hosted the first ever Free Estate Thank you to our members. We would not be the Planning Clinic for First Responders and Teachers. We had an outpouring of appreciation from the Tulsa success we are without you! Police Department. Our volunteers were amazing as Sincerely, they assisted over 90 individuals with estate planning documents. I, for one, was very excited to see this event roll out as a way to say thank you to our community. The TCBA Outreach Committee was also busy last month. On April 24th, volunteers met at the converted Wyndham Hotel to construct raised planters (donated by Lowe’s) to create an outdoor garden area for the
2 Tulsa Lawyer
Kimberly K. Moore TCBA President, 2020-2021
Bar Updates!
Bar Center Summer Hours
Beginning Friday, June 6th
• The Remodel is complete and your Bar Center has re-opened. Come check it out! • Welcome Nancy Dale, our new Membership Director. • The C.A.P. Program is still looking for volunteers to assist on the FED docket. Please contact Beth Nellis at bethnellis@cox.net to sign up. • Stay tuned to our website - Summer member events coming soon!
Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm
Friday
9am-1pm
2021 Tulsa County Bar Foundation
Annual Charity Golf Tournament
Thank You to Our Sponsors! EAGLE
BIRDIE
James R. Gotwals
Archer Law
PAR
HOLE
Brad Williams
William Kellough Stanley Monroe
TC BA E l e c t i o n s 2021-2022 ELECTION RESULTS
President Kara M. Vincent
President Elect Philip D. Hixon
Past President Kimberly K. Moore
Vice President Michael Esmond
Library Trustee: Trisha Archer Director at Large, Large Firm: C. Austin Birney Director at Large, Med Firm: Jennifer Struble Director at Large, Sm Firm: Linda Morrissey Incumbents (serving 2nd year of term)
Library Trustee: Julie Evans Director at Large, Public Sector: Hon. Ann Keele Director at Large, Large Firm: Philip Hixon Director at Large, Med. Firm: Kara Pratt Director at Large, Sm. Firm: Tamera Childers OBA Delegates (2 year term) Millie Otey James R. Gotwals Linda Morrissey Kimberly K. Moore Ashley R. Webb Sabah Khalaf Justin Munn
ABA Delegate: Molly Aspan
Rhiannon K. Baker Michael Esmond Pierre D. Robertson Barrett L. Powers Deborah Reed Morgan Taylor Lee Smith Vivek Kembaiyan
Secretary Stephanie R. Jackson
Treasurer Lesa Creveling
Reaching the Supreme Court Willie Earl Carr et al vs Saul By Paul F. McTighe, Jr., Attorney at law On April 22, 2021 I received an e-mail from Sarah Harris, of Williams and Connolly of Washington DC that we won the Carr case. The case of Willie Earl Carr et al v Saul, Commissioner of Social Security was decided by the Supreme in favor of my clients, Carr and Kim L. Minor in a 9 to 0 decision. The Carr and Minor cases were in the Federal Court system since 2018. This article will describe how the cases reached the Supreme Court. My story really goes back 50 years to my arrival in Tulsa in September 1970 for law school
Tulsa. At that time the TU law school was not on campus, it was in a small two story building (law library in the basement) on South Cincinnati. My aim was to learn oil and gas law and return to Pennsylvania. I did well at TU. I was ranked 7 in my class of 58 (December 1972), was on the Dean’s Honor Roll, was a member of the Law Journal and received a John Rogers Scholarship for several trimesters. Instead of returning to my home state, I stayed in Tulsa. I had something like 14 job interviews with law firms, Legal Aid, the District Attorney’s Office, the City Prosecutor’s Office and several Oil Companies. I struck out 14 times. th
After about 5 months of unsuccessful job hunting, I decided to open my own office without any contacts or clients. I borrowed $1,500.00 from a bank with my dad’s I moved to Tulsa in September 1970 from Western co-signature. The first years were very slow. After about a Pennsylvania to go to law school at the University of year in my first office I moved my office into a suite with
6 Tulsa Lawyer
All Sketch Credit: Art Lien
two other young attorneys, David L. Peterson (later Judge Peterson) and Eric Eli Anderson. Our offices were in the Beacon Building and we were able to build our practices. I handled civil cases and did a number of small jury trials. I also handled a lot of real estate lien work for material companies and tradesmen. Sometime in June 1979 a client came to me from the TCBA Lawyer Referral Service. At that time the TCBA office was also in the Beacon Building. He was a 57 year old carpenter who had permanent damage to the use of his right arm. He was there to see me about a Social Security Disability case. He had tried to represent himself with regard to the case. He had waived his hearing and had also lost at the Appeals Council. His case had to go to the District Court. I actually liked Federal Court. I also liked the fact that things were more orderly and quicker than the State Courts. I also liked the fact that the Federal Court was a quiet place. I looked at the man with the Social Security case telling him honestly that I do not know anything about Social Security, but I would take on his case. I quickly found that in 1979 Tulsa Attorneys did not want anything to do with Social Security Disability cases. I also found that because lawyers would not take the cases there was very little Court precedent in the field. I put together a brief for District Judge H. Dale Cook. Judge Cook had previously been Chief Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration. Judge Cook granted a remand. I ultimately won the client’s case. From that point on, Social Security Disability cases dominated my practice. I was the first attorney in the Tulsa area to work exclusively on Social Security Disability cases. Today there are many more attorneys working on these cases. I took a number of cases to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. Most of those cases involved oral argument in Denver. Between my efforts and the efforts of Eric Melders of Oklahoma City, Mark Buchner of Tulsa and Gary Martone of Albuquerque, we established precedent in the field of Social Security Disability in the Tenth Circuit.
and 1½ employees. I only practice Social Security Disability Law, including appeals to the Federal Courts. In 2015, two separate Tulsa attorneys referred the cases of Willie Carr and Kim Minor to my office. I represented the clients at the Administrative hearings and was denied. The Appeals Council of the Social Security Administration also denied the cases. Accordingly, I appealed both cases to the United States District Court in Tulsa. The District Court acts as an appeals court in these cases. After the cases were filed in the District Court, the U.S. Supreme Court held in the Lucia v SEC case that the SEC Administrative Law Judges were appointed contrary to the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. I looked at the Lucia case and decided it could be applied to the Social Security ALJ system. I raised that issue in my District Court briefs. In June 2019, Magistrate Judge McCarthy agreed with my argument. Up to that point, 60 different district courts had ruled on the issue. Only four districts ruled in favor of the claimants, including the Northern District of Oklahoma. The issue was not whether the ALJs were appointed illegally. The government conceded that issue. However, the government argued that the claimants waived or forfeited the issue by not raising it first before the Social Security Administration. When I won, I checked with several other attorneys in the Tulsa area and found that my cases were the only ones raising the Appointments Clause issue.
At one point, in the late 1990s I had an office staff of 14 people, including three other attorneys, also my wife, The government appealed the Carr and Minor cases. and my father-in-law. We had approximately 1,200 active files. At this point, my office involves myself
Continued on next page...
In the meantime, the Northern District ruled favorably on a number of other cases I filed with the same issues. The Tenth Circuit overturned the Northern District. I was fortunate to connect with Williams and Connolly in Washington DC for the Supreme Court portion of the case. Attorneys Lisa Blatt and Sarah Harris at that firm are Supreme Court Superstars in my opinion. Within two weeks of the Tenth Circuit decision, they put together our Petition for Writ of Certiorari. The government conceded that the Writ should be granted because there was a split among the Circuits and Federal law was involved. On November 5, 2020 the Supreme Court granted cert, combining our case with an 8 Circuit case. The briefing included 9 amicus briefs. By the time of oral argument, my two humble disability appeals involved 48 attorneys. The attorneys in the 8 Circuit case and our cases had to decide who would argue the case. They were at a standoff, so a coin flip decided that Sarah Harris of Williams and Connolly would argue the case. Oral arguments were held on March 3, 2021. The Supreme Court does not allow cameras in the Court, but does permit audio streaming through C-Span. Also, the arguments were handled by telephone with the Justices in other locations at this time due to COVID restrictions. I listened to the oral arguments and was impressed with the presentation of Ms. Harris. She was a former law clerk to Justice Thomas. Justice Thomas actually had a few questions even though he rarely asks questions. th
th
my clients will receive new hearings with a different ALJ. The Social Security Administration reappointed the ALJs legally after the Lucia opinion. I believe that the Carr and Minor cases are the first Social Security Disability cases from Oklahoma to reach the United States Supreme Court. I am grateful for several things involving these cases: 1.) Thank you to the University of Tulsa, College of Law. I like to think that the Law School invested in me as a student and an attorney. I also like to think that I have a professional and emotional tie to the Tulsa Law School; 2.) Thank you to the Attorneys who referred Willie Earl Carr and Kim L. Minor to my office. I do not advertise and never have. I believe I have a face for radio and an ad with me on television would not work well. I do, however, believe strongly in the word of mouth approach. It has worked for me; 3.) Thank you to divine providence, in connecting me with Sarah Harris and Lisa Blatt of Williams and Connolly. We have become more then co-counsel I consider them my friends. We shared photos of our dogs. Sarah sent me a photo of her young children at Christmas. It is nice to have friends in the legal profession. I have now been in private law practice in Tulsa for 48 years. The old saying is that it is not over until the fat lady sings. That might apply to me now. I think, however, that in my case she is not singing but she is humming very loudly.
The end result of the case was a 9 to 0 decision entered Paul F. McTighe, Jr. on April 22, 2021. Justice Sotomayor issued the Attorney at law majority opinion with concurring decisions by Justices pmctighe@mctighejr.com Thomas and Breyer. The clients along with 20 other of
TCBA WANTS YOU! • VOLUNTEER FOR "CAP"- COURT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FORCIBLE ENTRY & DETAINER ("EVICTION" DOCKET) • EVERY DAY - EXCEPT WEDNESDAY • 2 PM • JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER - 500 W. ARCHER • FREE PARKING. 8 Tulsa Lawyer
CONTACT: BETH NELLIS, CAP COORDINATOR bethnellis@cox.net or 918-760-3945
VOLUNTEER CENTER OPPORTUNITY Join the TCBF Community Outreach Committee on Saturday ~ July 24, 2021 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Each time slot is open to 12 volunteers. Volunteers must create an account if they do not already have a volunteer account with the Food Bank & register for the event at
http://tulsacountybarfoundation.okfoodbank.volunteerhub.com/ Volunteers should to wear loose, comfortable clothing and closed toe shoes are required for safety. Questions? Contact the TCBA frontdesk@tulsabar.com
MEMBER BENEFIT ~ LIVE STREAMING WELLNESS CLASSES
VISIT THE TCBA FACEBOOK PAGE
Yoga Flow Wednesdays 4:15pm - 4:45pm
Flow through different postures in a specific sequence. We will build some warmth in the body while focusing on core strength and balance.
Friday Pilates
12:15pm - 12:45pm Instructor - "Toni" Caroline Meeks
www.embodiedworks.net @BodyByToni
Certified Yoga Teacher - Trauma Informed Yoga & Gentle Somatic Yoga. NASM Certified Personal Trainer - Corrective Exercise & Exercise Therapy Specialist. Licensed Massage Therapist - Myofascial Release & Chronic Pain Specialist.
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VP'S CORNER
Philip Hixon, TCBA Vice President
SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER As I was exploring topics for this month’s article, I came across a comment that Alice Cooper’s song “School’s Out” is—and I quote—the “ultimate June tune.” I won’t speculate as to whether the assessment of the anthem is accurate, but I will attest that the song has been playing on an endless loop in my head for several days now (as I suspect may now be true for some of you of a certain age). Anyway, this article has a June publication date, and school has recessed for summer. At least one member of my household is celebrating the latter event (but he thinks the VP Corner is boring).
This June also marks my twentieth year—my entire career as an attorney—in Tulsa. Time flies (too fast) and things have changed. My first residence in T-Town is now part of the Gathering Place/Discovery Lab complex. My current residence was pasture land in Owasso. Some of the associate attorneys in my office were completing kindergarten. Unlike now, the waist size of my jeans was less than or equal to the length size. A then-confirmed bachelor now can’t imagine life without my wife and son. At least one thing in that 20-years has remained constant: I’ve been a member of the TCBA. Membership in the TCBA, and especially leadership positions in the Association, has always been valuable to me. I have met people who I would not have otherwise known, or not known as well, but for membership. My membership has progressed from a passive member to YLD chair and now culminating in (admittedly unopposed) “election” as President-Elect. I thank all of you who cast a vote for me, although it wasn’t necessary. I look forward to continued service to the Association and its membership.
Notwithstanding this year’s commemoration of the tragic events of May 31—June 1, 1921, and the list of horribles arising from COVID-19 over the past 18-months, June brings other things to celebrate. Some normalcy seems to be returning to everyday life. I am hoping to permanently retire my mask collection soon. GableGotwals’ office move to the Greenwood District is complete with everyone back in the office and settled in. Baseball season is in full swing. (As I began to write this article, the grounds crew at ONEOK Field was outside my new office window preparing the diamond for last night’s Bedlam game. Go Pokes!) Last year’s Let’s celebrate! vacation, which was canceled due to the pandemic, has School’s out for summer! been rescheduled for July. I now have offspring old enough to share in lawn care duties. Let’s celebrate!
The Bar Center will be closed Monday, July 5th in observance of Independence Day.
2021 TCBF ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNEY
Monday, May 3rd
MeadowBrook Country Club
Cheers to Another Round Round of Success! Return of the TCBF Charity Golf Tourney It is with great honor to announce that we have returned! After a yearlong hiatus due to COVID restrictions and out the deepest concern of our fellow colleagues, sponsors and guests, the Annual Tulsa County Bar Foundation Charity Golf Tournament resumed this year and was on May 3rd, 2021 at Meadowbrook County Club, located in Tulsa Oklahoma.
treated to a delicious meal from one of our longest supporting sponsors, Mazzios.
The golfers were also busy buying raffle tickets for the $500.00 McNellies gift card (congratulations Ken Williams) and putting in their last minute bids on the silent action items donated by local businesses, committee members and the Tulsa County Bar Association, while again being treated to some tasty Despite mother nature throwing in a little mist treats provided by Mazzios. and rain for that added competitive edge, the day This event would not have been possible turned out to be a great day for our golfers and our without the support of the TCBA Golf Committee, the local charities! The (need number) players made up TCBA Staff, and most import, the tremendous support (need number) teams who fought hard for the coveted we receive each year from our dedicated sponsors who honor of winning one of the 3 flights on the day, and the are always ready to step up to help meet the needs of numerous hole prizes that were given out for various our community, while enjoying a day on the course! Our golf skills along the way. Upon arrival, while hitting heartfelt gratitude goes out to all of our sponsors and the practice green and driving range, the golfers were donors. Check out page 4 of this issue to see them all!
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In an amazing display of generosity, our players were able to generate a total of $17,500 dollars for our charities! This year we donated to the DAV, ( Disabled American Veterans), Tulsa Lawyers for Children, South Tulsa Community House and Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. A check will be presented to each organization at a later date. And finally, what you have all been waiting for, the winners of the Annual TCBF Golf Tournament are: 1st Flight:
McAfee & Taft
2nd Flight:
Average Joes
Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen 3rd Flight: Orbison & Lewis Congratulations to all our winners, and thank you again to all of those who came out to support the TCBF! Trisha Archer and Brian Keester, Co-Chairs 2021 Annual TCBF Charity Golf Tournament
The Importance Organ Donation The stories of Kacharra Mansker & Scott Johnson Kacharra Mansker
was a single mother raising two young girls and being on dialysis was physically draining. My late grandmother encouraged me to begin medical testing to get on the kidney transplant list. As you can imagine, I had no idea where this journey would lead. With my family, friends, and community behind I took this faith field journey that landed me on the donor transplant list. On August 23rd, 1998, I received my new kidney from a deceased donor. After the transplant, I have made it my mission to encourage everyone to sign up for organ donation. A simple click of the mouse can change so many lives. I encourage each of you to go to RegisterMe.org and visit DonateLife.net to find out more.
As a result of the kidney I received at the age of 22; I raised my two girls, got married and I am now a proud grandmother. The lasting impact of the kidney I received has helped not only my family but, has made a major difference in the community as I have served Tulsa County as a Minute Clerk for the last twenty I have been a staple at the Tulsa County years. Courthouse for over 20 years and have had the There are two ways you can support the mission opportunity to work with many of you and was honored for this chance to raise awareness for a cause that has of organ donations. Most of us know about the deceased affected my life, “Organ Donation”. According to organ donation drive but few have heard of the living OrganDonor.gov there are over 107,000 men, women, organ donation process. According to The National and children on the national transplant waiting list as of Kidney Foundation, you can pursue living kidney February 2021. One person can donate up to 8 lifesaving donation if you are in good physical and mental health, 18 years or older and have normal kidney function. organs. During my time at Tulsa County, I have met many After almost 4 years of dialysis, I was blessed with another chance at life. In 1990 as a freshman at wonderful people, and have made great connections. I Central High School, I noticed that my feet began to discovered that I have a connection with Tulsa attorney swell. My parents took me to St. John’s Medical Center Scott Johnson, who has recently received a living where I soon found out that I had ESRD, (end-stage kidney donation. Scott’s story touched me deeply and renal disease). At the age of 18, I was placed on kidney I asked him to share his journey with the living kidney dialysis three times a week for 3 ½ hours each time. I donor process.
Tulsa Lawyer Magazine Let our TCBA Membership know what your business can offer!
16 Tulsa Lawyer
Contact tulsabarnews@yahoo.com
Scott Johnson
In 1992, I graduated from the University of Tulsa School of Law and passed the bar. After these achievements, my mother thought it was time that she told me that her nephrologist advised that I needed to be retested for polycystic kidney disease (PKD) because the test that I had completed when I was in my early teens was not technologically advanced enough to be conclusive. Obviously, with the passing of time at least the testing to determine if the disease was present had advanced. Well, I had it and it was a guaranteed renal failure at some point in my future, likely in my early fifties. For the totality of my twenties and thirties my kidneys were checked regularly and while my function was slightly decreasing, they continued to function sufficiently. This changed rather dramatically in my late forties and by fifty, my function started to decline more rapidly. My nephrologist advised that it was time to look at getting on the transplant list to obtain a new kidney. I followed my nephrologist’s advice and went to Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, Maryland where I eventually was placed on the transplant list. It is important to appreciate that even getting on the list can be a difficult task as the recipient has to be healthy in most other respects, save and except their kidney function. To get on the list it requires a series of tests and confirmations that you are not at risk in various areas so that it does not become an issue once your immune system is compromised by the anti-rejection medication (e.g., skin cancer).
My journey on the transplant list lasted for approximately three and one-half years. I had individuals who attempted to be approved to give me a kidney, but it appeared for one reason or another they were not viable candidates. During this time, I was primarily looking for just my blood type, O positive, and thought it would be a quicker fix to find a type of match donor. This proved to be more difficult than I had originally expected. During the process with Johns Hopkins visits, I learned about the paired exchange program which allowed you to bring a kidney to the program from an individual who did not match you but who was willing to donate a kidney to allow then to locate a kidney that would match. That was my salvation. My sister-in-law, Tina Johnson, who I had known since I was eleven years old and first met at church camp those many years ago, was approved to donate but she was A positive. They even tested our kidneys to see if I could take the A positive, but I had too many antibodies that would have precluded a successful transplant. This did not deter my sister-inlaw; she flew up to Johns Hopkins hospital with me and we went through the process to be placed on the paired exchange list. She said, “If you can’t have mine, I will at least get you one”. That she did. We were approved on the paired exchange list on approximately November 30, 2019 and I got a call on January 2, 2020 advising me they had a kidney for me, but I had to be available on January 14, 2020 for the surgery. At first, I asked them to give me a minute and began to look at my calendar to determine what trials/court appearances I would need to pass before I committed to the transplant on January 14, 2020. Then I stopped and thought, this has got to be about me for once or there is a possibility that I would not be doing the trials at all. At that time, I was working full-time and functioning with seven, yes, I said seven percent of my original kidney function. I committed to the January 14, 2020 date and it was confirmed the next day that the kidney was in fact available and I should come to Baltimore for the transplant. I had to be there by the 9th of January 2020 to begin preop and prepare for the process. On January 14, 2020, I received a kidney from Fran Decker of Key West, Florida. At that time, I did not know much about my donor as they will not let you meet prior to the transplant. After the transplant, they allow the recipient to determine if they will meet the donor. Obviously, that was a no brainer for me. The person who had just given me continued life wanted to meet and I would say “No”? Of course not!!! Fran
and her sister had come up from Key West and when Fran walked into my room her first statement was “All I wanted to do was to see you smile”. From that point Fran and I were friends for life. We continue to keep in touch and update each other about life events. Fran worries about my health and is always checking to make sure I am doing well. My sister-in-law, Tina, came the week following my transplant and donated her kidney which in fact went back to Florida (as a coincidence). Her recipient would not meet her but following the surgery Tina said, “My only regret is that I don’t have another to give”. It truly takes a special person for this process. Today, both Fran, Tina and I all have great kidney function and live normal lives. If you are thinking about donating or inclined to do so, both Tina and Fran are happy to discuss the process of donating a kidney. Please contact my office at (918) 794-3333 and I can provide you with contact information. You truly cannot appreciate the difference you make to the recipient. Fran did not know me or the person she exchanged for but wanted to help save a life. There is no greater gift.
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From Kacharra You can see that Scott’s story is one of perseverance and selflessness. He has made such an impact in my life and has encouraged me to pursue a living donor this time around. A living donor kidney functions, on average, 12 to 20 years, and a deceased donor kidney from 8 to 12 years. I have had my kidney for almost 23 years. It has served me well but, I recently was accepted back on the transplant list. This time around I am seeking to find a living donor. I am hopeful, and believe that sometimes in life you may lose some things, but who is to say you cannot get it back? If you would like to pursue living donor options for a person in need including me, please contact Lauren at Integris Baptist Medical Center (405) 951-2230. Thank you TCBA for this opportunity to share my story.
Monday, May 30
th
TCBA Member Appreciation Events Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Charcuteray - Virtual 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Virtual charcuterie board party! Supplies will need to be picked up from TCBA. Please email nancyd@tulsabar.com to schedule a time. Limited to 35 registrants. Limit one kit per member.
Thursday, June 17, 2021
The SafeHouse Tulsa –
Tulsa’s Premier Escape Room
6:30pm - 7:30pm
Participants have exactly one hour to test their wits and problem solve a series of puzzles in a single room. The goal is to escape within the time limit. Four rooms have been reserved for TCBA and 8 participants form one team for each room. Limited to 32 registrants and members may bring 3 guests.
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
OK Cookie Momster Virtual 6:30pm – 7:30pm Cookie decorating class with OK Cookie Momster! Each member who signs up will receive a cookie decorating kit that includes 6 cookies and 3 bags of icing. Registrants will need to pick up decorating kits from OK Cookie Momster’s Location at 31st & Harvard. Limited to 40 registrants. Limit one kit per member.
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Happy Hour at the Brook Downtown 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Join us for complimentary drinks, appetizers and an overall good time mingling with other members. Members may bring 1 guest. 201 E. 2nd Street.
Register for events at www.tulsabar.com Some events have limits on participants, don't wait to register!
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TCBA Community Outreach Planting Seeds in Our Community
Volunteers gathered at Housing Solutions Tulsa on April 24th. TCBA volunteers constructed planters (provided by generous support from Lowe’s) to further their creation of an outdoor parklet for garden planters at the converted Wyndham hotel in East Tulsa. TCBA volunteers constructed the planters and prepared them with liners and soil so that the residents could then fill the planters with flowers. This effort was in furtherance of Housing Solutions’ recent efforts to combat homelessness throughout the bitter cold temperatures of winter. From that, the hotel to housing initiative was born, designed to provide temporary hotel shelter to residents while connecting them with landlords for more permanent housing solutions.
Tulsa Lawyer 21
22 Tulsa Lawyer
Sandra Day O'Connor Award Candice Pierce The Sandra Day O’Connor Award is given in honor of retired and first female Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor, who in retirement made it her mission to highlight and facilitate the importance of legal civics education. The award is made to the person who has significantly advanced the teaching of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Curriculum in Tulsa County schools and this year’s recipient is Candice Pierce. Mrs. Pierce is the 7th grade language arts and social studies teacher at Thoreau Academy in Tulsa. She started her journey of learning about the then called Race Riot by attending the professional development
Thank you to our volunteers for making the First Responder Will Project a huge success! Together we were able to assist 92 individuals with their estate planning, including simple wills, health directives and basic Power of Attorney documents.
class hosted by the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Commission. Upon learning and then incorporating the curriculum into her coursework back in 2018, Thoreau students and she had extensive discussions about the definition of a riot vs. massacre. She and students lobbied Senator Kevin Matthews about changing the name from Race Riot to Massacre and invited him to come to Thoreau to discuss the legislative efforts he was pursued about the name change. As part of Mrs. Pierce’s curriculum on the race massacre, a field trip to the John Hopkins reconciliation park is included. Thank you to Mrs. Candice Pierce for highlighting, educating, and facilitating important discussions around the massacre.
Brittany Littleton
Gary Crews
Madison Cataudella
Robert Farris
Zac Hargis
Randall Gill Randi Gill
Kimberly Vojvoda Coy Coffman
Emily R. Turner
Karen Wilkins Julie Evans
Kimberly Moore
Stephanie Jackson Tim Studebaker
Tulsa Lawyer 23
Application of Cognitive Biases as Persuasion Tactics in the Legal System By Pansy Moore-Shrier, Esq. An aspect of ensuring that our justice system provides fair results involves the idea that decision makers make reasoned, rational decisions. We may not always agree with the decision, but we rely on the premise that the decision maker is engaging in rational decision-making behavior. What if, however, there are ways to cause a decision maker to make an irrational decision using scientifically proven methods? What if your opposing counsel knows these methods, and you do not? Is it fair to use these methods to persuade when these methods cause an irrational decision?
credited for resulting in billions of dollars in increased verdict amounts. Understandably, defense attorneys began to argue that Reptile Theory arguments should be disallowed and proceeded to file motions in limine addressing the theory and, at times, requesting mistrials. Reptile Theory is merely one example of a tactic used to persuade a DM. The field of behavioral economics studies the impact of cognitive biases in decision-making. Cognitive biases are defined as the systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment. Research has demonstrated that there are many, many cognitive biases that lead to irrational decisions. This article discusses three cognitive biases commonly implicated in the legal system. The impact of any one of these biases to any single case can be millions of dollars. Until the legal community determines the ethics of using cognitive biases as persuasion tactics, attorneys must be aware of their existence and understand how they are used to impact decisions.
For purposes of this article, a decision maker is anyone making a decision in the litigation process. Obviously, a judge or a jury deciding at trial is a decision maker, but a judge making a ruling on any motion is also a decision maker. While a mediator does not make decisions in the litigation process, the mediator plays a role in the process of resolving the litigation and should be considered in the context of the issues discussed in this article. Finally, clients are also decision makers via settlement options or sentencing offers. For the Anchoring. sake of brevity, throughout this article decision makers will be defined as “DM.” Anchoring bias was first described by psychologists Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman in the 1970s. In 2009, David Ball and Don C. Keenan’s book, The idea of anchoring is that, when making a decision Reptile: The 2009 Manual of the Plaintiff’s Revolution, based upon estimates or predictions, an individual started a trend around the country by teaching plaintiff will have an initial starting point and then adjust from attorneys in personal injury and product liability cases there. What Tversky and Kahneman proved was to advocate using the “Reptile Theory.” This theory that a person’s judgment was skewed by providing a strategized that plaintiff attorneys should focus the number to the DM, even if that number was random. DM on viewing the defendant’s conduct as impacting Even when the provided number had no relation to the the DM’s own personal safety and the safety of their decision to be made, it still impacted the decision. families and communities. This theory has been 24 Tulsa Lawyer
An experiment performed by Tversky and Kahneman demonstrates the application of this bias. In the study, the researchers spun a wheel of fortune, and students were asked to write down the number on which the wheel stopped. The wheel, however, was rigged to stop at either 65 or 10. After the students wrote down the number, the researchers asked the participants two questions: Is the percentage of African nations among UN members larger or smaller than the number you just wrote? What is your best guess of the percentage of African nations in the UN? For the participants who saw 65 on the wheel, their estimated answer was 45%. For the participants who saw 10 on the wheel, their estimated answer was much lower—25%. Anchoring bias and its impact have been extensively studied, and the impact on legal decisions can be significant. In a study to test the effects of anchoring on judicial decisions1, researchers presented the filing of a meritless motion to dismiss a federal court case arguing that the case did not meet the jurisdictional minimum amount for diversity of in excess of $75,000. One group of judges had no anchor—they did not have a motion to dismiss and were asked to determine only the amount of damages to award to the plaintiff. The other group had an anchor—$75,000. If the judges in the anchor group denied the meritless motion to dismiss, they were asked to then determine the amount of damages to award to the plaintiff. The no anchor group awarded an average of $1.25 million whereas the anchor group awarded an average of only $882,000. Thus, the anchoring bias— being anchored to the $75,000—resulted in a difference of $500,000 in the compensation award. Anchoring bias has also been found to impact sentencing in criminal cases.2 Misinformation Effect This bias results from the tendency for memories to be heavily influenced by events that happen after the actual event itself. For example, in an experiment by
1 Guthrie, C., Rachlinski, J., & Wistrich, A. “Inside the Judicial Mind” (2001). Cornell Law Faculty Publications. Page 814. 2 Englich, B. & Mussweiler, T. “Sentencing Under Uncertainty: Anchoring effects in the Courtroom.” Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 31(7) (2001), 1535-1551.
Elizabeth Loftus, Pd.D.,3 participants watched a video of a car crash and were then asked one of the following questions: How fast were the cars going when they hit each other? or How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other? A week later, the viewers were asked whether they saw any broken glass. The viewers who were asked the “smashed” question were more likely to incorrectly report that they had seen broken glass. Again, the implication of this bias on the legal system is immense in it demonstrates that the words used when questioning a witness can actually change the witness’s recall of the event. Framing. Framing bias is the tendency for a DM’s decision to be swayed depending upon how information is presented. There are several ways in which framing bias may be presented, of which two are gains/losses and default options. 3 Loftus, E., & Palmer, J. “Reconstruction of Automobile Destruction: An Example of the Interaction between Language and Memory.” Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior 13.5 (1974): 585-89. Continued on next page...
Framing as a gain or loss. To a DM, a loss is perceived as more significant than an equivalent gain. For example, when presenting the availability of a surgical option, participants were told either that 90% of the patients are alive after 5 years or 10% of patients are dead after 5 years. Even though the risks are equivalent, the framing bias results in more people accepting one option (90%) over the other (10%).4 The application of framing bias to decision-making must be kept in mind when offers or options are presented to clients to avoid unintentionally biasing a client into accepting a specific resolution. Further, in criminal proceedings, researchers have argued the framing bias implicates plea bargains. In pretrial detention, application of this bias increases a defendant’s willingness to plea bargain because the baseline for the decision is that the defendant is already imprisoned and, therefore, a plea bargain will allow an earlier release. Conversely, a defendant who is not detained pretrial is less likely to plea bargain.
where the default option for organ donation is that you opt-in, the participation in organ donation is much higher. In countries where individuals must decide to opt-in to participate in organ donation, the rates of participation are significantly lower. This type of framing is important when designing programs within the legal system because individuals are more likely to follow a default option. Conclusion. There are numerous cognitive biases that cause decision makers to make scientifically irrational decisions. Lawyers knowledgeable in cognitive biases can, and do, use these biases to persuade decision makers. While the ethics of using cognitive biases to obtain results can (and should) be debated, all lawyers should be familiar with the various cognitive biases implicating decision making in the legal system.
Framing as default. Another example of framing is setting default options because individuals are far less Pansy Moore-Shrier is an attorney at Moore-Shrier Law likely to opt out of a default decision. A prime example Firm. She also serves as the chairperson of the TCBA of this bias is options on organ donation. In countries Technology committee, TU College of Law’s coach of the National Trial Competition team, and operates Two Goats Solutions, a company working to improve 4 See, e.g., Tversky, A. & Kahneman, D. “The Framing of people’s access to the legal system. Decisions and the Psychology of Choice.” Science, New Series, Vol. 211, No. 4481. (Jan. 30, 1981), 453-458.
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Tulsa Lawyer 27
Law Day 2021 Review Lizzie Riter, Chair
Thank you all so much for joining the Tulsa County Bar Foundation’s Law Day Symposium on April 30, 2021! Our first ever Zoom Law Day was incredible. Each speaker provided insightful instructions into the way our words and actions have a significant impact. Tom Vincent and Candice Pace got the morning started by helping us see and understand the ways our language can unintentionally exclude and offend those we are often trying to reach out and help. Next up, Dana and Keith Culter kept the conversation going with a presentation about macro-aggressions and ways to do some internal work to be an ally. Our Law Day Symposium closed out with a special presentation by Phil Armstrong and Hannibal Johnson on the history of the Tulsa Race Massacre and the future of the Greenwood District. We are so grateful for the work they are doing in our community. Lastly, Law Day would not be complete with recognizing the work of those in our community. This
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year’s Law Day award winners are Justin Jones, Sheila Naifeh, and Candince Pierce. Thank you to our platinum sponsors, Gable Gotwals and Graves McCLain, and to everyone else that donated. We raised over $5,000 for the University of Tulsa’s College of Law Buck Colbert Franklin Legal Clinic.
Learn more about the Buck Colbert Franklin Legal Clinic recently launched by the University of Tulsa Law School. Visit https://law.utulsa.edu/buckcolbert-franklin-legal-clinic/ Or see pg17 of the March issue of Tulsa Lawyer Magazine.
THANK YOU TO OUR LAW DAY SYMPOSIUM SPONSORS AND DONORS! Platinum Gold TCBF Community Outreach Committee Silver Other Donors
Kevinn Matthews Tami Williams Sabah Khalaf
Kaleb Stufflebean Emily Duensing Pierre Robertson
Lynn Conard Kara Vincent Katy Inhofe
And special thanks to our featured speakers for making this event a success! Tulsa Lawyer 29
La poule Français!
Review – The French Hen at Vast.bank By Michael P. Taubman In this next episode, our virtual travel experience with friends through our taste buds led us to a new, old place. The French Hen for over 40 years has been in the core of Tulsa’s fine dining cuisine. Restauranteur Terry Turner first opened around 1979, later sold to Dick Clark (father of chef Richard Clark) in 2001, before coming to rest in the talented hands of Kathy Bondy, the current owner since 2011. Most know this restaurant by the longstanding location of The French Hen & Wine Bistro at 71st & Yale in the Lighthouse Shopping Center. However, you go try the new location of The French Hen in the Vast.bank building at 3rd & Archer. Strolling at night past the glass enclosed dining establishment, the warm lights and the rich design of the room draws you into the restaurant. The room provided ample distancing from other patrons, with reduced seating capacity, which, as of the time of writing this, may one day be a thing of the past and return to full capacity. We joined our friends for dinner, seated in a booth across from the bar. The French Hen’s cocktail menu listed about ten different concoctions, which all looked tasty. My wife elected to start off with dessert, ordering the Chocolate Martini, while I, being more oriented to bourbon, dove into their Old Fashioned. The Old Fashioned, while a simple recipe, gets mangled by some bartenders who confuse their muddling and mixing; however, the French Hen’s Old Fashioned did not suffer this problem. The first sip was as consistently tasteful as the next one. One of our companions ordered from their beer selection, while the other chose to test the wine. They offer wine selections by both the bottle and the glass. Their list goes beyond my limited knowledge of wines, but our companion, who has a more expansive palate for wine than I, remarked on the selections and availability on their menu. However, the delivery of the drinks, considering we were seated
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at a booth directly across from the bar, met with some delays. Our drinks reached the table at different times instead of being served together at once, with the Chocolate Martini arriving first, followed by the Old Fashioned, the beer and then the wine. This seemed uncharacteristic of a precise, fine dining experience when all drinks were ordered at the same time on a night that did not seem busy. My dining companions disagreed with my suggestion of Escargot for the appetizer… c’est la vie, so I succumbed to the group decision to order the Shrimp, Scallop and Crab Cheesecake. Being overruled was the right call, this dish was magnifique! The crisp, salty flavor of the onion rings that accompany the seafood cheesecake with the drizzle of balsamic reduction over them gave this dish wonderful complexity. Also, we enjoyed an order of the Fried Oysters, with the creamed spinach and Pernod sauce, which made a nice, shareable companion appetizer. Few restaurants in Tulsa include Osso Bucco on their menu, which makes it a treat to find. The French Hen’s Osso Bucco Buccatini presented over a bed of pasta, soaking in the braising broth, and the meat pulled from the bone with the most delicate of touch. Another at our table ordered the Roasted Atlantic Salmon served with grilled pears and a seafood cream, and this did not disappoint either from
the few bites I was allowed (sharing is caring). The salmon arrived at a nice temperature, not dry, and the pears gave a pleasant sweetness to the taste of the sea. The more traditional diner among us chose the Prime Beef Ribeye, which appeared cooked exactly to the medium rare temperature requested as evidenced by the pink color and juices flowing from the dish. The menu includes many other dishes that sounded as delicious as they looked passing by our table to the other patrons, so those will wait for another time. There’s only so much room in the tank, and we wanted to try the desserts. Since no-one wanted to go it alone at this point in the meal, we joined forces, choosing the Berry Crème Brûlée and the Espresso Chocolate Mousse to
end our visit. First, the Espresso Chocolate Mousse gives the feeling in the mouth that you just sipped a demitasse cup of espresso. The bitterness of coffee flavor sits comfortably alongside the smooth texture of the chocolate mousse as if they know each other passionately. Meanwhile, the sweet custard of the crusty crème brûlée pairs well with the tart flavor of the raspberries and juicy blueberries in the Berry Crème Brûlée. Both desserts do justice to the rest of the meal. The décor and the food make for a perfect romantic outing or upscale business dinner setting. The French Hen at Vast.bank brought the gavel down on the scales of justice with a rating of 4.5 of 5.
TCBA MOTHER'S DAY VIRTUAL CELEBRATION OF MOMS
MAY 6, 2021
Thank you to all who participated! It was a great evening of virtual flower arranging. Another great TCBA member appreciation event!
Thank you to Penelope & Lu Florists
See page 20 for more Member Appreciation Events Scheduled in June! Thank you TCBA! 32 Tulsa Lawyer
Lawyer League Softball is Back! After a year off, we are ready to take the field again for outdoor fun, exercise, and social interaction. This year’s league will begin mid-June and run approximately 8 weeks into mid-August. Dues per team will be $300, and any excess funds will support the Young Lawyers Division’s budget. Games are outdoors and we ask that everyone on the field and in attendance comply with CDC guidelines for outdoor gatherings, including vaccinations and/or face-coverings. If you are interested in forming a team with your firm, colleagues, or lawyer friends, please contact Daniel Gomez at (918) 586-8984 or by email at dgomez@cwlaw.com.
Grapevine News The Tulsa law firm of Atkinson, Haskins, Nellis, Brittingham, Gladd & Fiasco announces that Wynoka Middleton McClellan and Kristopher K. McVay, have become partners in the firm. Wynoka Middleton McClellan graduated with highest honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2016, after earning a B.S. in business with a major in accountancy from Wright State University in 2012. While in law school, Ms. McClellan served as Production Editor of the Tulsa Law Review and was a member of the legal honor society, Phi Delta Phi. She received a CALI Award in Copyright in the Digital Age and was awarded Order of the Curule Chair. Ms. McClellan is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association and currently practices in the area of civil litigation with an emphasis in research and writing. Kristopher McVay graduated with highest honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2017. He earned a bachelor of arts in Sociology with a focus on law and legal institutions from Oklahoma State University in 2011. While in law school, Mr. McVay served as Articles Research Editor of the Tulsa Law Review. Since joining the firm in 2017, he has litigated a variety of cases in the fields of medical malpractice, premises liability, and auto negligence. Mr. McVay is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association and has been admitted to all three federal districts in Oklahoma and the courts of the Osage Nation, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and Cherokee Nation.
Sherwood, McCormick & Robert is pleased to announce the addition of Michon Hughes to the firm. She will advise clients primarily in the areas of civil litigation, elder law, white collar criminal defense, and family law. In 2011, Ms. Hughes was honored as Domestic Violence Prosecutor of the Year for the State of Oklahoma, one of America’s Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys in 2018, and a Super Lawyer. Her jury trials include such
34 Tulsa Lawyer
high-profile cases as first degree murder, rape, and child crimes.Hughes graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, with Highest Distinction and graduated from the University of Tulsa College of Law with honors where she placed second in the National ABA Negotiations competition. She is the recipient of the Order of the Barrister’s Award and the prestigious Cali Award for evidence. She is licensed to practice in the State of Oklahoma, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Western, and Eastern District Courts of Oklahoma. Sherwood, McCormick & Robert is pleased to welcome Cheryl Jackson to the firm. She represents clients in complex litigation matters, with a special emphasis on construction and real estate law. Ms. Jackson also represents clients in the areas of lien enforcement, transportation compliance, employment/HR matters, and negotiating and drafting business contracts. Before joining the firm, she served as in-house general counsel for a regional trucking company that specializes in hauling “frac sand” for oil and gas operations. She has assisted real estate and construction clients with lien enforcement, construction defect claims and general business representation, including litigation and transaction matters. She has also represented a diverse portfolio of business clients in matters involving contract disputes, employment law issues, medical malpractice defense, insurance defense, reviewing and preparing handbooks, policies, and other compliance materials and business transactions. Ms. Jackson graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern State University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Juris Doctor degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2009.
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Making a Difference Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (LASO) is seeking an experienced attorney to be the Managing Attorney for the Division of Parent Representation within LASO’s Tulsa office. DPR will provide legal representation and advocacy in Tulsa County to indigent parents in juvenile deprived cases. The Managing Attorney will play a leadership role in LASO’s efforts to provide high-quality representation to indigent parents and will provide administrative oversight and support for the independent contracted attorneys providing parent representation. Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma offers staff exceptional benefits to include employer-paid health and dental insurance, an employer-funded pension, generous paid leave and training, just to name a few. But the best benefit LASO offer is for attorneys to Make a Difference. If you or someone you know has the passion to provide access to justice with us, please apply at: https://www.legalaidok.org/employment/ LASO is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
• Do you have a knack for writing or story telling? • An interesting & unique area of legal practice? Let us know your ideas for articles and features! Contact Michael Taubmanmichael@tulsafirm.com Tulsa Lawyer 35
2020 - 2021 TCBA CONTACTS, COMMITTEE & SECTION CHAIRS
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President................................................................ Kimberly Moore Past President......................................................... Jim Milton President-Elect............................................................ Kara Vincent Vice President.......................................................... Philip D. Hixon Secretary..................................................................... Natalie Sears Treasurer................................................................. Mike Esmond Budget/Internal Operations........................................ Lisa Creveling Foundation President ...........................................Christina Vaughn Director at Large (1) Large Firm................................. Philip Hixon Director at Large (2) Large Firm.......................... C. Austin Birney Director at Large (1) Medium Firm................................ Kara Pratt Director at Large (2) Medium Firm.................. Jennifer L. Struble Director at Large (1) Small Firm...........................Tamera Childers Director at Large (2) Small Firm...........................Linda Morrissey Director at Large (2) Public Sector.........................Hon. Ann Keele ABA Delegate............................................................. Molly Aspan OBA Delegate................................................................Rick White Library Trustee (1)......................................................... Julie Evans Library Trustee (2)............................................ Trisha Archer Presiding Judge ..................................... Judge William LaFortune U.S. District Court .................................. Hon. John Dowdell C.J., Tulsa Municipal Court............................. Hon. Gerald Hofmeister TU Law School.......................................................... Rachel Baker
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Law Day ......................................................................Lizzie Riter Community Outreach................................................ Ashley Webb Golf Chair.......................................Trisha Archer & Brian Keester Scholarship Chair.....................................................................TBD Submission, Grapevine & Advertising- Visit www.tulsabar.com Subscriptions to Tulsa Lawyer are available for $40.00 a year to those who are not Tulsa County Bar Association members or others who do not currently receive the publication. Contact tamiw@tulsabar.com
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President...........................................................Christina M.Vaughn Treasurer..................................................................... Philip Hixon Trustee....................................................................... Chad McLain Trustee.......................................................................... Jim Gotwals Trustee.................................................... Hon. Martha Rupp Carter Trustee....................................................................... Ken Williams Trustee...........................................................................Lizzie Riter Trustee........................................................... Hon. Ann Keele Trustee..........................................................................Justin Munn TCBA President.....................................................Kimberly Moore TCBA Pres. Elect........................................................Kara Vincent
COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
Access to Justice.............................................. ......Shena Burgess Access to Justice Co-Chair...............................Hon. Tanya Wilson Animal Law..................................................... ..........Katy Inhofe Bench & Bar.................................................... Kevinn Matthews Children & the Law......................................... ........Lizzie Riter Children & the Law Vice Chair..........Timothy Michaels-Johnson CLE ................................................................. .........James Asbill Diversity Development......................................................Ben Fu Diversity Co-chair...................................................Deborah Reed Fee Arbitration................................................. ..........Gary Crews Law Related Education...................................Stephanie Jackson Law Related Education Co-Chair.................... ........Ron Jones , II Lawyer Referral............................................... Catherine Hoopert Membership Services....................................................Kara Pratt Mentoring......................................................... ........Randy Lewin Military/Veterans ............................................. ...Mitchell Garrett Military/Veterabs Co-Chair.............................. Hon. David Guten Nominations & Awards.................................... ...........Jim Milton Pro Bono............................................................... Mac Finlayson Professionalism................................................ ...........Rick White Public Relations....................................................Steve Layman Social Media.........................................................Collaborative Special Events.................................................. .......Natalie Sears Tulsa Lawyer.................................................... Michael Taubman Young Lawyers Division................................. ....Ephraim Alajaji
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ADR/Mediation..........................................................Melissa Fell Bankruptcy....................................................... ........Paul Thomas Business/Corporate.......................................... .............................. Criminal Law................................................... ........Daniel Levy Employment Law............................................. ...Kassidy Quinten Energy & Mineral Law.................................... .......Ryan Pittman Family Law...................................................... ...Todd Alexander Health Law ...................................................... ..... Kristen Evans Health Law Vice Chair..................................... Whitney Dockrey Immigration Law Chair.................................... ....Whitney Webb Juvenile Law.................................................... ..........Lizzie Riter Juvenile Law Co-Chair.......................Timothy Michaels-Johnson Litigation Co-Chairs...............Robert Mitchener & Robert Winter Municipal Law................................................David Weatherford Paralegals/Legal Assistants.............................. .........Gloria Jones Paralegal /Legal Assistants Vice Chair............ Deborah Gresh Probate/Estate/Elder......................................... ...Catherine Welsh Solo/Small Firm............................................... .....................TBD Tax ......................................................... .....Ashlee Crouch Technology ...................................................Pansy Moore-Shrier Workers Comp................................................. ............................ * Section Chairs will be updated as positions are filled.
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.
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