October 2022 Tulsa Lawyer Magazine

www.tulsabar.com

PHONE: 918-584-5243 FAX: 918-592-0208

1446 South Boston, Tulsa, OK 74119-3612

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Tami Williams tamiw@tulsabar.com Ext. 1002

Membership Director

CLE, Sections & Committees

Julie Rivers julier@tulsabar.com Ext. 1001

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Accounting

accounting@tulsabar.com

Lawyer Referral & Community Resource Navigator

Jeril Haug jerilh@tulsabar.com Ext. 1003

Tulsa Lawyer Editor - Michael Taubman michael@tulsafirm.com

Associate Editor - Milly Dunlap

Tulsa Lawyer Submissions - tulsabarnews@yahoo.com

TCBA OFFICERS

President ......................................................................Philip Hixon

Past President...............................................................Kara Vincent President-Elect............................................................Mike Esmond

Vice President......................................................Stephanie Jackson Secretary....................................................................... Lizzie Riter

Treasurer.............................................................. Michael Taubman

Budget/Internal Operations.........................................Austin Birnie

Foundation President

Director at Large (1) Large Firm.................................Natalie Sears

Director at Large (2) Large Firm.......................... Austin Birnie

Director at Large (1) Medium Firm..................................Kara Pratt

Director at Large (2) Medium Firm.................. Jennifer Struble

Director at Large (1) Small Firm.................................. Mark Smith

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)..................................................... Kim Vojvoda

Presiding Judge Hon. Doug Drummond

Chief Judge, U.S. District Court

John F. Heil, III

Chief Judge, Tulsa Municipal Court..........Hon. Gerald Hofmeister

TU Law School Student Representative............... Matthew Blewitt

FOUNDATION APPOINTMENTS

Law Day

& SECTION CHAIRS

FOUNDATION

President.................................................................Hon. Ann Keele

Foundation Vice President...........................................Justin Munn

Treasurer......................................................................Philip Hixon

Trustee.................................................................... Hon. Ann Keele

Trustee........................................................................ Justin Munn

Trustee......................................................................... Philip Hixon

Trustee...........................................................................Lizzie Riter

Trustee.......................................................................Chad McLain

Trustee ......................................................................Jim Gotwals

Trustee Catherine Hooper

Trustee................................................................ Michael Taubman

TCBA President......................................................Philip D. Hixon

TCBA Pres. Elect.......................................................Mike Esmond

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

Access to Justice..........................................Pansy Moore-Shrier

Animal Law..................................................... ..........Katy Inhofe

Bench & Bar Kevinn Matthews

Children & the Law....................................................Lizzie Riter

Children & the Law Vice Chair..........Timothy Michaels-Johnson

CLE...............................................................Pansy Moore-Shrier

Diversity Fee Arbitration............................................................Gary Crews

Law Related Education......................................Kimberly Moore

Lawyer Referral............................................... .......Karen Wilkins

Membership Services....................................................Kara Pratt Mentoring ......Shena Burgess

Military/Veterans ...Mitchell Garrett

Military/Veterans Co-Chair Hon. David Guten

Nominations & Awards ........Kara Vincent 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...........................................Billy Duncan

Young Lawyers Division Colton Richardson

SECTION CHAIRPERSONS

ADR/Mediation..........................................................Melissa Fell

ADR/Mediation Co-Chair................................ ....Lauren Lyndsey

Bankruptcy ........Paul Thomas

Business/Corporate...........................................Kevinn Matthews

Criminal Law................................................... ........Daniel Levy

Employment Law..........................................................................

Energy & Mineral Law............................................Ryan Pittman

Family Law...................................................... ..Jordan Dalgleish

Health Law

Juvenile Law. ..........Lizzie Riter

Juvenile Law Co-Chair.......................Timothy Michaels-Johnson

Rupp Carter

Community Outreach................................................ Ashley Webb

Golf Chair..............................................................Kimberly Moore

Scholarship Chair.......................................................Randy Lewin

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

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.

Litigation...............................................................Mark A. Smith

Litigation Co-Chair......................................Mbilike Mwafulirwa

Municipal Law............................................................Cassia Carr

Paralegals/Legal Assistant....................................Kathryn Keener

Paralegal /Legal Assistants Vice Chair.....................Gloria Jones

Probate/Estate/Elder.......................................................Co-chairs

................................Kelley Hunt, Phillip Jennings, John Gotwals

Tax ......................................................... ..........Ashlee Hall

Technology ...................................................Pansy Moore-Shrier

Workers Comp.........................................................Valerie Evans

* Section Chairs will be updated as positions are filled

Be October!

Hixon

Oktoberfest

Corner - Make Your Move

Jackson

Paws Holiday Photo Sessions

Meeting Review

Class! - Member Event

Drive - October 13th at The

Spotlight - J. Christopher Davis

Leadership Academy

for the Veterans Parade - Nov. 11th

Bag CLE!

Philip D. Hixon

A Message from the President 2022-2023

IT MUST BE OCTOBER!

The weather is starting to cool, the days are getting shorter, Labor Day memories are fading, and my writer’s block is progressing at an all too familiar pace. It must be October. (It is actually September 7 as I write this, which makes the writer’s block all the more disconcerting.) I apologize for much of what follows.

The U.S. Department of Labor has designated October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In recognition of the federal designation, this issue of the Tulsa Lawyer Magazine features more than a couple of articles on related topics. In these pages, you’ll hear from attorney members of the Association with disabilities, who will share their unique experiences. You’ll find an informative article on disability etiquette and similar considerations, counseling readers to “[t] reat people with disabilities as you would anyone else.” (When in doubt, you will seldom go astray by following the Golden Rule in any of its various religious or secular incarnations.)

Speaking of the Golden Rule, a kind lady bought my lunch today at the Country Q BBQ food truck parked at the Guthrie Green in celebration of the park’s tenth anniversary. An acquaintance of hers, a gentleman with

dreadlocks, had purchased her lunch after placing her order. She did the same for me. I returned the favor to the thankful lady behind me. I heartily recommend the practice and the pulled pork and brisket-laced baked beans at the Country Q BBQ food truck. Now, back to October.

October is also the month of the MLB playoffs and the World Series. Will my Cardinals clinch the pennant? Will (or has) Albert Pujols reached 700 career home runs? I don’t know. It’s only September 7. However, in keeping with this month’s theme, I ran across an internet article about a dozen MLB players with disabilities. Amazing stories. (Before we get to the stories, I’ll note that Mr. Pujols is the president of the Pujols Family Foundation which serves the needs of children and families who live with Down syndrome.)

Have you ever heard of Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown? His nickname runs afoul of the pointers in the aforementioned etiquette article. In any event, Brown lost two fingers on his throwing hand in a farming accident, but as a pitcher, he won two games for the Cubs during their successful 1908 World Series campaign. How about Jim Abbott? He was born with a deformed hand. Abbott was selected by the Angels as the 8th overall pick during the 1988 draft. He finished third in the Cy Young Award voting in 1991, and he

threw a no-hitter pitching for the Yankees in 1993. Jim Eisenreich, who played for the Royals, Phillies, and Marlins (where he won a World Series ring), had a long, successful career while playing with Tourette’s syndrome. Jim Mecir and Freddy Sanchez were both born with a club foot. As a pitcher for the A’s and others, Mecir had a 3.77 ERA over an 11-year career. Sanchez won the batting title in 2006 as a Pirate and achieved a career .297 batting average. You can read about the other remarkable athletes on The Sportster (www.thesportster.com).

Finally, October is the first month’s program, the Leadership Bootcamp, for the Association’s first annual YLD Leadership Academy. During the bootcamp, the class will discuss leadership styles based on a personal assessment and engage in team building exercises. I am excited by our first class of the Leadership Academy, who will be tomorrow’s Association leadership.

Until then, it must be October. Go Cards!

Sincerely,

Philip D. Hixon 2022-2023 TCBA President

Mark your calendars!

OBA Annual Meeting November 2nd, 3rd, & 4th

We had Faith…

On August 20th the SPCA held a dedication ceremony for the new Faith Orlowski Memorial. An outdoor memorial was built in honor of one of SPCA and TCBA’s most avid supporters that will serve as a place where adopting families can pose for photos with their new fur family members. The wooden gazebo is adorned with metal art that consists of cats, dogs and other small animals and includes a plaque dedicated to the one and only Faith Orlowski. In addition to the outdoor memorial, another sitting area was created indoors with Faith’s name in lighted letters where pets in search of their forever homes can meet adopting families.

The TCBA Animal Law Committee will continue to raise funds towards the cost of this project throughout the fall so there is still time to donate or participate in one of these upcoming activities: Pinot’s Pallet Event on Oct 13 and Santa Paws on Nov 12 and Nov 19!

Thank you to these financial contributors!

Cathy Cullem

Scott Savage Claudia Kovar Welsh & McGough Tami Williams Mike McBride

Justice Dana Kuehn

TCBF Outreach Committee

Katie & Doug Inhofe Moyers Martin

Embracing Diversity - Celebrating

Disability Employment Awareness Month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, recognizing and celebrating the vital roles people with disabilities play in the nation’s workforce. A disability takes many forms, whether mental, physical, developmental, cognitive, or emotional. A person may become disabled at birth, or it may arise over the course of their lifetime. Beyond those limitations known at birth, some impairments are only revealed as a person ages, or are caused by accidents and/or other events. There are more than 50 million Americans with living with disabilities today.

“Disability: Part of the Equity Equation” is the theme as selected by the U.S. Department of Labor. “A strong workforce is the sum of many parts, and disability has always been a key part of the equation,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “People with disabilities make up a wonderfully multifaceted group. By recognizing the full complexion of our community, we can ensure our efforts to achieve disability inclusion are, in fact, truly inclusive.”

Disability Diversity

Part of the diversity present in today's workforce are our disabled workers. There are all types of disabilities covered by the word "disability." Just as with race, gender, and culture, a disability may mean that someone does or processes things a little differently than you. For example, a person with a hearing disability might need special accommodations related to communication tools in the workplace, or a person with a physical disability may require an entrance into the place of work with an automatic opener, while an employee with a wheelchair may need their desk access and height adjusted to fit their device. Understanding and valuing the need for an accommodation will go a long way toward promoting a harmonious, productive workplace environment for all employees.

Your Past Experiences with Disabilities

Consciously and unconsciously, our experiences with people who have disabilities shape the way we perceive and engage with people in the workplace. For example, you might believe that those with mental illnesses are unreliable or unstable workers if you knew that person does not regularly take medication as prescribed. However, you may not know that the medication has severe side effects for them that make them unable to perform. It's important to take a minute to explore your personal biases about people with disabilities. Uncovering your own biases and stereotypes, and replacing them with facts, is the best way to build a better working relationship with disabled co-workers.

Common Stereotypes

Stereotypes are common to the disabled. We make incomplete assumptions when we base our perceptions on the disability instead of the capability of a disabled person. For example, people stereotype individuals with cerebral palsy as unable to walk and having impaired speech function. They are stereotypes that people believe, based on misconceptions, past experiences, and the absence of facts. To the contrary, an individual with cerebral palsy may have a narrow gait or shortened stride, but they still walk under their own power; likewise, their manner of talking may be heard differently, but this does not mean their thoughts are impaired if you show the courtesy of your time to listen to what they are saying.

The same holds true of those with mental illnesses. Our society perpetuates common stereotypes that people suffering from mental illness are dangerous, unstable, and face periods of hospitalization. The portrayals some movies in Hollywood give us of those with mental illness foster a bias against mental health. Clinical depression is a form of a mental illness, and anxiety issues can be considered a form of mental illness. Anxiety and depression can be debilitating for some people, but stereotyping someone because they suffer from these disabilities removes the individual’s inherent abilitiy from the equation, labeling them as being less than you or others like you who do not suffer (or recognize their own) disability.

We should presume that when we see someone with a disability that they are just as competent as you are in the job they've been assigned. Assuming that they are not capable or that you need to step in and help diminishes their self-respect. Pity is not the same as compassion. Pity stems from stereotypes and biases. Compassion stems from an awareness of the differences in others and a willingness to work as a team to accomplish goals and meet deadlines.

Using the Correct Terminology

Words can be as powerful as any weapon. Just one word can degrade someone, insult them, or even imply that you are discriminating against them. It used to be acceptable to refer to a person with a disability by naming their disability. If a woman were blind, one might say, "the blind woman." However, labeling someone by a disability takes away from their abilities and individuality. No-one wants to be labeled by their flaws, people with disabilities do not want their disability to be their identity either. In the early 20th century, the word "handicapped" was popular to describe people with disabilities, regardless of the type of disability they had. People with disabilities do not like this term applied to them. It suggests they have something that holds them back from doing things people without disabilities can do. It sets up a “less than” comparison between the disabled and able-bodied person.

It's always best to use first person when referring to, or talking to, anyone. Address the person for who they are, not what you perceive about them. Refer to the person, not their disability, just as you shouldn't refer to the race, economic circumstance, or religion. Whenever possible, refer to a disabled person by their name. If you don't know their name, use a distinguishing feature, such as the color of their shirt, their location (the woman next to the copier), etc.

Disability Etiquette

Your disabled co-workers and employees are not any different than you, in that they are there to earn a living, advance their career, and better the organization through their contributions. You don't have to "baby" someone with a disability, and you don't have to watch what you say out of fear of offending them.

Here is an example:

A colleague has a form of mental illness. One day, you remark to another co- worker that your son is "driving you crazy."

Suddenly, you realize the person with a mental illness has heard you, and you quickly apologize.

Continued on next page...

Relax! There's no need to worry. If you're worried that you offended someone, ask. Sometimes you won't have to ask. The person will politely tell you they find your words offensive. However, you don't have to tip-toe around people with disabilities. They can use the same slang and jargon that everyone else does.

You'll find that you'll be more relaxed if you just see the person the individual instead of seeing them as their disability. Maybe they have a great sense of humor. Perhaps they're a sharp dresser. Maybe they're a hard worker. See them for the things they are. They are not defined by their impairment any more than you are defined by the color of your hair. If you are afraid of them, or uncomfortable around them, because of their disability, then do some research to learn more.

Listed below are some tips for interacting with individuals with disabilities.

• Treat people with disabilities as you would anyone else. Offer your hand as you would any other coworker.

• If someone is deaf, maintain eye contact with them, not an interpreter, when you are communicating. They are the person you are talking to, not the interpreter.

• If you think someone needs assistance, you can offer it. The person may accept it or not. Either way is okay. Don’t give your assistance without their permission. That is assuming they can’t do something on their own. Let them make that call.

• Sometimes people may have impairments that affect the way they speak. If you are having problems understanding what someone says, ask them to repeat what they said. Be honest. Be polite.

• If someone is in a wheelchair, you want to make sure you converse with them at eye level. This may mean pulling up a chair. Don’t bend over, kneel, or lean to talk to them. Also, don’t lean on the wheelchair as support. If you can’t sit down, it’s okay to stand. Just look them in the eye.

• If someone has a visual disability, identify yourself and anyone else who is with you. If talking to someone else other than the blind person in a group, make it clear who you are speaking to by addressing them by name.

• Never pat people in wheelchairs on the head or on the shoulders. That is how you would treat kids or pets. Always treat adults as adults.

• To get the attention of a person who has a hearing disability, tap them on the shoulders. Speak slowly and clearly so the person can read your lips. Don’t block the view of your mouth. Speak in normal tones. Don’t shout.

US Dept of Labor. (2022, June 22). US Department of Labor to Recognize Importance of Disability, Equity in Workforce During National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2022 (Press release). https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/ndeam

Lawyers Helping Lawyers

If you need support...reach out!

Oklahoma City Meetings 6-7:30 p.m. on the dates listed below. In-person meetings in Oklahoma City are held at the office of Tom Cummings, 701 NW 13th St., Oklahoma City. The group will also meet virtually at the same time using BlueJeans. Email debraj@okbar.org for login information.

Meeting Dates: Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1.

Tulsa Meetings are held 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the office of Scott Goode, 1437 S. Boulder Ave., Ste. 1200, Tulsa. scottbgoode@ gmail.com

Meeting Dates: Oct. 13, Nov. 10, Dec. 8.

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VP'S CORNER

Stephanie Jackson

TCBA Vice President 2022-2023

Make Your Move

We are off to a great start with our TCBA activities and committees. One of the best things that I have found through my involvement with our bar association community is that there is something for everyone. Opportunities to help transform lives and impact our Tulsa community are endless. This month, I want to lead by issuing a challenge to our members to make a move. Whether it’s joining a committee, attending a Yoga session, or attending an event. We can’t very well build more Fear of Missing Out (“FOMO”) moments together by standing idly by watching from the sidelines. So, make your move.

When we move, change happens. When we move new opportunities abound. And when we move together for the good of our bar and Tulsa community, it changes lives and augments our own trajectory towards helping others live fully and accomplish much that otherwise might not be achieved.

Many of you have probably heard me say, “Be the Change You Want to See.” So, thank you Valerie Evans for making your move to chair the TCBA Worker’s Compensation Committee. Let’s not stop there, thank you Kelly Hunt, Phillip Jennings and John Gotwals for making your move to co-chair the TCBA Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Committee. You all answered the call to make a difference. I look forward to seeing your fearless leadership in action. You don’t want to miss out on what these committee chairs have in store for their sections this year. They did it and so can you! It’s your move!

If you have ideas to share, would like to serve on a committee, or have a TCBA project or program you would like to see highlighted, please reach out to me or Tami Williams.

Lawyers Fighting Hunger will be holding its fall event in November. We are needing volunteers and donations.

Contact Hugh Robert at hugh@smr-law.com to sign up to volunteer or make a pledge. You can also visit www.lawyersfightinghunger.org

Santa Paws Holiday Photo Session

Animal Law Committee Annual Santa Paws Event

Holiday photos stressing you out while you try to round up the family and dress them like there is a blizzard outside just to have a cute photo for that Christmas card?

Tired of trying to convince your teenager that a safety pin through his eyebrow with a piece of mistletoe stuck through it was not what you meant when you told everyone to “dress festive” for the photographer?

The Animal Law Committee is here to help! Spruce up Spot and/or fluff up Fluffy and come on down to the TCBA office on Saturday, November 12th & 19th for a picture of them with Santa Claus!! The TCBA Animal Law Committee has arranged to have the festive tree background all ready for Santa’s helpers to assist you and your pet(s) on to Santa’s lap (we don’t care which one of you sits on Santa but Santa might). You will receive digital photos via email so that you can pick which pretty pic of pooch you think that Aunt Edna would like best staring back at her in December! Book your appointments soon because this event fills up quickly and sessions need to be scheduled.

Annual

& Awards

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

J. Christopher Davis of Crowe & Dunlevy

Tell us about your family:

Married to Adora Davis (anniversary December 1995), and have one daughter Emilie who lives out of the house and is college aged. We are happy empty-nesters (most nights of the week). My father is still living and lives near us. My father in law is also still living and lives with us in our home in West Tulsa. We have three dogs, Daizie, Malibu, and Muffin, all poodles or poodle strain.

How long have you been practicing law and what are your practice areas?

I clerked for a federal judge after law school, 19951996. I began private practice in September, 1996.

I have always been a civil trial lawyer practicing in catastrophic injury and property damages cases, mostly on the defense side, and complex business and IP litigation on both plaintiff and defense sides. In recent years I have had a growing mediation practice, and now serve as mediator in around 50 cases or more a year.

What do you like most about being a lawyer?

There is a nobility to it, I believe. It is an ancient and time-honored profession. Many of our most important figures in history had a law degree, whether they

practiced law formally or not. I love the company of lawyers and judges. It is intellectual and constantly challenging. When I was sworn in to bar in September, 1995, then Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice Alma Wilson told our new bar members “If you have the soul of a student, you will love this profession”. She was right. I do, and I have.

What has been your biggest professional achievement?

It is not any one case or trial or client representation, but instead the long slow consistent building of a decent reputation, for both competence and character. I would like to think that for those who know me, even a little, they would have a favorable view of me as an honorable person who also happens to be fairly good at the job.

What is your passion outside of work and the law?

I love to read, currently biographies of Presidents and other notable historical figures. My wife and I are also avid RV’ers with a Class A Newmar handicapaccessible motorhome complete with a lift system, hand controls, and functional restroom. We travel all over the US and commonly spend weekends at local state parks throughout Oklahoma “glamping” with friends including fellow attorneys.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

With regard to personal and professional development: Nothing will advance your reputation better than being honest and owning your own mistakes. Own them. If you got delayed in finishing a project in a time frame you promised a client or opposing counsel, don’t make excuses, just be candid and honest. Be humble. And never get personally crossways with any fellow attorney. Our work is important but our humanity even more so

With regard to practicing litigation: Be careful what you ask for.

How long have you been a TCBA member?

All 27 years.

Has your career benefited from being a member of the TCBA? If so, please share.

There are too many ways to count. I would start with the collegiality I have enjoyed with other TCBA members has added a sense of enjoyment to my profession. I would then add the availability of the resources, such as the abundance of good CLE, the accessibility of the TCBA building itself with the conference rooms and staff. Also the many programs that members of the TCBA volunteer to do for the benefit of the community provides many ways for each of us to get involved in something beneficial apart from our office practice.

If you could spend the day with one attorney/judge, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

I have always been an Anthony Scalia fan. The sharpness of his mind and his sense of logic was so rare that even among other great Supreme Court Justices he stood apart in his own way. But beyond being a remarkable jurist even among other remarkable jurists, he was man of deep Catholic faith. While I am a protestant, I am inspired by his example of pursuing Faith and spiritual growth while at the same time trying to apply the law in an even-handed way. And I love how one of his very best friends ever was RBG. That by itself makes for a very interesting personality.

What is your favorite book, movie, or television show?

Lonesome Dove, the TV series. Full Stop.

What is your favorite food?

Speaking of 40 lbs, Italian food, especially Spaghetti and meat sauce. I’ll put a plug in here for Mondo’s and D’Alesandro’s. Both make Tulsa worth living in.

Tell us a fun fact that no one knows about you!

I played NCAA Div. I wheelchair basketball with the University of Illinois “Fighting Illini” and traveled all over the Big 10. That was almost 40 years and 40 pounds ago.

I was the first and may still be only paraplegic in Oklahoma with an “M” class rating on my driver’s license for motorcycles. I put hand brakes on an automatic Can Am Spyder and became the first licensed paraplegic-motorcyclist in Oklahoma. My wife and I have ridden all over the Black Hills, around the Grand Tetons in Jackson, Wyoming, through Yellowstone National Park, across the southern Arizona desert outside of Phoenix, and down the Route 66 trail across Oklahoma. The picture is of me in front of the Tetons with my legs strapped onto the saddle seat of our Spyder.

Join Us As We March & Honor Veterans

Friday, November 11th

• 7:00 am - Free breakfast at the VFW. 1109 East 6th Street Tulsa, OK

• 10:45 am - All TCBA volunteers & participants should me at designated location no later than 10:45 am.

• TCBA will have a banner to march with.

• 11:00 am - Parade Kick Off with prayer/salute and war birds.

• The American Legion is hosting a lunch after the parade at Veterans Park. Watch for more details.

• Register at www.tulsabar.com or call 918-584-5243

LETS CELEBRATE!

By being a member of the TCBA, you are also a member of the Tulsa County Bar Foundation. As a general rule, the funds that come into the Foundation are the result of a fundraising event for our community, and the monies raised are immediately distributed back out into the community through non-profit organizations.

In an effort to assist the Foundation, we have implemented a monthly “Fund the Foundation” program. To participate we are asking each member who has a birthday this month to consider making a donation to the Foundation. You can do so with the QR Code shown here.

If you are not currently a Fellow, please consider joining that program. As a thank you (and let’s be honest, an encouragement to other members), if you donate before the 10th of the month we will include a shout out to you in the next issue of Tulsa Lawyer Magazine.

If you wish to donate or join the Fellows program, please contact Tami Williams or Julie Rivers and they can assist you.

Hixon

President

Committee

VIRTUAL FITNESS

the Tulsa Veterans Treatment Court

They say it takes anywhere from 21 to 28 days to form a new habit. The 28-Day Virtual Fitness Challenge is a commitment to making physical health a priority. There are no rules or stipulations around how you should or can do that. The purpose of this challenge is to help give participants the opportunity to set healthy goals, maintain momentum and motivation and to provide accountability for those who dare to participate. This challenge is also an opportunity to recognize and honor the continued success and commitment the Tulsa Veterans Treatment Court has provided to so many of our veterans over the last 14 years.

ABOUT THE CHALLENGE!

The 28-day Virtual Fitness Challenge will officially kickoff on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2022. Registration for the event will began mid-October, and participants may continue to register until December 9, 2022. After December 9th, registration for the event will be closed. The Fitness Challenge itself will consist of 5 different physical challenges (push-ups, sit-ups, burpees, planks, and a walk/run/combo) each with a varying level of difficulty depending on your current fitness level, and each increasing in intensity over the course of 28 days. Participants can elect to do any or all of the challenges, there are no restrictions as to what or how much you have to do. The goal is simple- make it through your 28 days.

HOW DO I SIGN UP?

Registration is $30 per person, and you can sign-up online at www.tulsabar.com or by contacting TCBA Staff at 918-584-5243.

Proceeds will benefit the Tulsa Veterans Treatment Court and all registrations will receive a #TCBAVETS 28 Day Fitness Challenge t-shirt while supplies last.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I SIGN UP?

Following registration, you will receive 28-day calendars for all 5 of the events, each listing the daily exercise goal you should try to accomplish. Again, you can do as many of the challenges as you want. This is a virtual challenge so, you are encouraged to post pictures and/or videos of your daily challenge experience directly to the TCBA’s social media using the tag #TCBAVETS. This will be a great way to share your daily success, encourage and support others, and help spread the Fitness Challenge online. So be sure to tag your friends! You will also receive email updates and invitations to some of our virtual and/or in-person events, to include the Fitness Challenge kickoff and joining us in the 2021 VFW Veterans Day Parade on Friday, November 11th.

Learn more about the Veteran's Treatment Court here....

https://issuu.com/tulsacountybarassoication/ docs/10-21_tl_web/18

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

David T. Potts

of Hall Estill

each of every one my client’s trust to provide then with high quality legal services to resolve their legal issues is something I am very proud of.

What is your passion outside of work and the law? My family.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

From my father “treat everyone with respect.”

How long have you been a TCBA member?

17 years.

Has your career benefited from being a member of the TCBA? If so, please share.

It provides a great way to meet and interact with people I would not know if I was not a member of the TCBA.

Tell us about your family:

Married to my amazing wife, Jennifer, and we have a daughter, Megan.

How long have you been practicing law and what are your practice areas?

Seventeen years, primarily practicing in the areas of federal, state and local taxation, including tax controversy and litigation matters. I also provide trust/ estate counsel and have extensive knowledge in various tax laws and their impact on the marijuana business.

What do you like most about being a lawyer?

I know its cliché, but I really like helping my clients resolve their tax issues.

What has been your biggest professional achievement?

I can’t really name one specific professional achievement I would say was my “biggest,” but earning

If you could spend the day with one attorney/judge, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

If I could spend the day with one attorney it would be with John Patrick “Pat” Cremin because he was an amazingly good attorney, a great person and someone I was lucky enough to be able to call my friend.

What is your favorite book, movie, or television show?

The Lord of the Rings books (I can’t pick one of them as my favorite over the others).

Tell us a fun fact that no one knows about you!

I used to try and compete in high school pole vault, never succeeded but not for lack of effort.

What is your favorite food?

Seafood, but possibly only because my wife and daughter hate seafood so much we never have it.

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GableGotwals is pleased to announce four new associates have joined the Firm in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

Bailey Barnes focuses on general corporate transactions, commercial agreements, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions. She received her J.D. with honors at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. In addition, she won two American Jurisprudence awards for Antitrust and Mergers & Acquisitions, was named to the Order of the Solicitors and Dean’s Honor Roll, and received the Gene H. & Jo Ann Sharp Outstanding 2L Award. Bailey is a Marjorie P. Maute Memorial Public Service Fellow and was on the Editorial Board of the Oklahoma Law Review as a Notes and Comments Editor. She received her B.A. in Strategic Communications at Oklahoma State University.

Madeline M. Cook focuses on a broad range of general litigation matters, specifically in copyright and trademark infringement, medical malpractice defense, Native American law, and energy. Her experience includes drafting pleadings, researching complex legal issues, and advising clients on litigation strategy. She received her J.D. with honors at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where she was on the Dean’s Honor Roll, received the Frank C. Love Memorial Award (2021), and American Jurisprudence Award International Business and Human Rights. Madeline was also the Notes and Comments Editor of the Oklahoma Law Review. She received her B.A. in Communication and French Language & Literature at The University of Tulsa, where she graduated cum laude and was named to the President’s Honor Roll, and received the Freeland Faculty Award for French.

Maria Escobar focuses on litigation matters, including drafting, preparing, and reviewing motions and pleadings. Her experience also includes conducting legal research on various matters, including oil and gas, civil procedure, zoning laws, discovery request limitations, and conflict of laws. Maria received her J.D. at the Oklahoma City University School

of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude and was named on the Faculty Honor Roll and Dean’s List. She also received CALI Awards in Evidence, Constitutional Law I, and Trial Practice. She was a member of the Oklahoma City University Law Review, inducted to the Order of the Barristers, and named a Holloway Scholar and Alumni Scholar. She received her B.A. in Economics and B.S. in Political Science at Oklahoma State University. Maria is also fluent in Spanish.

Rhyder M. Jolliff focuses on a range of matters, spanning from corporate transactions and risk management to general litigation. He received his J.D. at The University of Tulsa College of Law, where he graduated as class salutatorian. Rhyder received 11 CALI Awards (highest individual performance in subject) and was inducted into the Order of the Curule Chair, the law school’s highest academic honor. He received his B.A. in Public Policy at Rogers State University, where he graduated summa cum laude and was named an Outstanding Liberal Arts Graduate.

Crowe & Dunlevy is pleased to announce the addition of J. Christopher Davis and Jon Cartledge as attorneys in the firm’s Tulsa office.

Davis joins the firm as a shareholder and director. He represents clients as a member of the firm’s Alternative Dispute Resolution, Insurance, Intellectual Property, Litigation & Trial, and Product Liability Practice Groups.

With more than 27 years of experience in the courtroom, Davis represents businesses and individuals throughout Oklahoma in state and federal courts, serving as lead counsel in catastrophic loss and bet-the-company cases regarding corporate tort and IP related matters. A seasoned litigator and mediator, Davis is regularly soughtafter for his formidable courtroom presence as Oklahoma’s only active paraplegic trial attorney.

A former federal law clerk, Davis has an active presence in multiple federal court venues including serving as an Adjunct Settlement Conference Judge, a member

of the Committee on Local Rules and Court Operations, and a former member of the Admissions and Grievances Committee for the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Davis received his Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He graduated cum laude from Oral Roberts University (ORU) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology, and holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Literature as well as a Master of Education in Applied Linguistics from ORU.

A firm director, Cartledge is a member of the Appellate, Insurance, Litigation & Trial, and Product Liability Practice Groups. His practice focuses on legal research and brief writing as well as preparing oral arguments at the trial and appellate court levels.

Cartledge has more than two decades of trial experience representing clients in state and federal courts on matters regarding civil and commercial litigation including multimillion dollar tort litigation, insurance defense, and intellectual property. He also has particular experience serving as lead counsel in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases involving the oil and gas industry.

He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Tulsa College of Law graduating as the salutatorian. He completed his undergraduate degree at Oral Roberts University where he graduated summa cum laude.

Hall Estill has announced the addition of four new attorneys. Bailey Betz has joined the Tulsa office, while Alyssa Gillette and Alexandra (Allie) Crawley have joined the Oklahoma City office, all as associates. In addition, J. Kirk McGill has joined the Hall Estill Denver office as Special Counsel. “We welcome the unique skillsets and dedication Bailey, Alyssa, Allie and Kirk each bring to our practice and clients,” said Stephen Ray, managing partner for Hall Estill. “They make great additions to the team, providing excellent representation to our clients across our practice areas.”

Betz focuses his practice in the corporate services and litigation arenas. Within his practice he also assists clients in the cannabis law industry. Betz earned his Juris Doctorate, with highest honors, at the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2020. He holds also a 2016 bachelor’s in economics, with a minor in finance, from Oklahoma State University.

During law school, he served as the Executive Articles Editor of the Oklahoma Law Review, was awarded the Comfort "Top Ten" Scholarship, and received the Salem Civil Liberties Award. Upon graduation, he was inducted into the National Order of Scribes and the Order of the Coif.

Gillette practices in the areas of energy and environmental law, as well as litigation. She graduated first in her class, summa cum laude, in 2019 with a Juris Doctorate from Oklahoma City University School of Law. While in law school, she served on the Oklahoma City University Law Review. She earned her bachelor’s, summa cum laude, in 2014 from Texas A&M University.

She also served as an intern for the U.S. Army JAG Corps, completed an externship with the Oklahoma County Public Defender's Office and served as a judicial assistant in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Crawley focuses her practice in the areas of general civil litigation, including contract disputes, securities litigation and complex business litigation. While in law school, she served as the Business Development Editor for the American Indian Law Review and was a member of the Victim Advocacy Program.

She graduated from University of Oklahoma College of Law, earning her Juris Doctorate, with distinction, in 2021, and Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s in strategic communications, cum laude, in 2017.

McGill is a full-service attorney with specialties in Federal and state appeals, litigation, constitutional law and civil rights defense, tax, estates and trusts, business law, administrative law and regulatory compliance, contracts, and commercial transactions.

McGill earned his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2018. In addition, he is a Colorado Certified Public Accountant, and earned a M.S. in Accounting from the University of Colorado-Denver (2014), as well as B.S.

degrees in both Accounting (minor in English Literature) and Business Administration (emphasis in finance), summa cum laude, from Regis University (2009). He is presently completing a Doctor of Business Administration program.

JOHNSON & JONES, P.C. is pleased to announce that attorney M. Scott Mogan has joined the Firm, in a Senior Counsel position. Mr. Mogan graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2004 and also earned his B.S.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma in 2001. Prior to joining the Firm, he was most recently Vice President / Loan Documentation Manager at Bank of Oklahoma from February 2020, and prior to that spent nearly eight years with the Office of Legal Counsel of the University of Oklahoma. Mr. Mogan will practice primarily with the firm’s transactional department and will focus on general corporate law, commercial transactions, acquisitions/ divestitures, tax and estate planning.

Tombstone, Arizona (2021 population 1,307)

Truth or Consequences, N.M. (2021 population 6,062)

Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. (2021 population 10,955)

Kill Devil Hills, N.C. (2021 population 7,777)

Yellville, Arkansas (2021 population 1,150)

Transylvania County, N.C. (2021 population 33,165)

Slaughter Beach, Delaware (2021 population 227)

Casper, Wyoming (2021 population 58,656)

Scarville,

population

TCBA HAS MEETING SPACES!

With the TCBA offices newly remodeled and repurposed spaces, you have the opportunity to rent the meeting rooms for mediations, depositions, staff meetings & classes…or whatever you may need!

Each room upstairs will accommodate various size needs from 2 – 26 and most have A/V capabilities. We also have the Seminar Room downstairs that will accommodate a classroom size of 80. We have rates for both Members and non-members of the Association. If you would like to check the availability, contact tamiw@ tulsabar.com

Boardroom

Deposition Room

Benefactor's Room

Seminar Room (shown as classroom set up)

Past President's Room