Business Law

Our business practice is overseen by "AV Rated" shareholders, including those recognized by their peers as "Best Lawyers in America" and Oklahoma Super Lawyers in various business categories, with a combined practice history of over 120 years. This level of experience and expertise allows the Firm to offer a diverse range of legal services to assist the dynamic life cycle of any size of business.

Corporate and Business Law

In the mainstream corporate practice, our Firm often represents clients in negotiating contracts of all kinds, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate planning and reorganizations. We are frequently called upon to advise clients with regard to entity selection, and have expertise in corporate, partnership and limited liability company law. Three members of our Firm have lectured on the legal and tax aspects of limited liability companies, and we have established a large number of these entities for our clients.

Securities Law

The Firm represents public companies as general counsel and also represents brokers, underwriters and other clients in a number of public and private securities offerings. We have significant expertise in both the public and private securities arenas, ranging from start-up capital formation to public offerings, as well as annual compliance requirements associated with public companies.

Taxation

We devote a significant amount of our practice to tax law. Our expertise includes: taxable and tax-free mergers, reorganizations and acquisitions; federal and state tax planning; federal and state tax controversy matters; taxation of partnerships, corporations and tax exempt organizations; tax exempt financings; oil and gas taxation; sales, use, telecommunications and other state tax matters. One of our shareholders is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Public Finance

Firm members have been engaged as counsel for the borrower, issuer, underwriter, bond trustee and as co-bond counsel in tax exempt financings. We are recognized in the “Red Book” for our work in this area.

Lending and Commercial Transactions

We represent both local and regional financial lenders as well as borrowers in the areas of commercial lending, real estate transactions and regulatory compliance.

Employment Law

Attorneys with the firm have extensive experience in advising and representing corporate clients in most areas of the employment relationship. This experience includes compliance with state and federal equal employment opportunity statutes and regulations; developing employment applications, management policies and employee manuals; and drafting employment agreements, non-compete agreements, independent contractor agreements, and non-disclosure agreements. We also have experience in the negotiation and handling of employment-related disputes, including the defense of discrimination claims at the administrative level and before federal and state courts.

Health Law. We represent a large number of physicians and their group practices. We have substantial expertise in planning for professionals, representing their professional corporations and designing compensation and benefit plans. Because of this client base and the dramatic changes in the healthcare delivery system, we have developed considerable expertise in health law relating to the business practices of physicians, hospitals and clinics. This expertise includes application of areas such as fraud and abuse, anti-trust and the Stark laws and regulations. We routinely assist our clients in forming group practices and addressing issues that arise when physicians join and separate from employment with a group practice. Administration of physician employee relationships, corporate governance and business planning are areas in which our members routinely are engaged. We are involved in an increasing number of relationships in which group practices consider merger, joint venture, participating provider and other professional relationships where the concentration of our legal expertise is a valuable resource to our clients.

Economic Development. The Firm has substantial expertise with the laws relating to federal, state and local incentives available to businesses relocating in Oklahoma. For example, we have represented a Fortune 100 company in its decision to locate a substantial manufacturing facility in Tulsa, handling all local legal matters on this project and preparing all relevant documentation. We are accustomed to dealing with city and county government and the various departments of state government on these projects.

Public Law. The Firm represents governmental entities and private enterprise clients in connection with a full range of legal services involving governmental affairs. Our expertise in this area particularly includes governmental contracting, economic development, tax exempt financings, and regulatory compliance.

Real Estate. The Firm handles most phases of real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, development, finance, leasing and property management.

Tax-Exempt Organizations. Our attorneys have experience providing services to many types of tax-exempt organizations. We routinely help clients achieve their nonprofit objectives, whether such goals include establishing a private charitable foundation to further their family’s charitable giving, or establishing a publicly supported charity. The Firm counsels clients on selecting and forming the appropriate form of tax-exempt organization (including nonprofit corporations and charitable trusts), as well as securing and maintaining tax-exempt status. Our representation includes advising private non-operating and operating charitable foundations; support organizations; civic leagues; scientific and medical research organizations; and publicly supported charities.