McAfee & Taft, Oklahoma’s largest law firm, received top marks in the 2011 edition of the Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for
Business, earning top rankings in the areas of corporate/commercial, energy and natural resources, intellectual property, labor and employment, litigation and real estate law. The firm’s Native American law practice was also highly ranked. In addition, 48 of the firm’s attorneys were honored as leading lawyers in their respective practice areas, more than any law firm in Oklahoma.
First-time honorees included Jennifer Callahan (Labor & Employment), Spencer Haines (Corporate/Commercial: Tax), Robert Joyce (Energy & Natural Resources: Environment), Patricia A. Rogers (Corporate/Commercial: Healthcare) and Mary Ellen Ternes (Energy & Natural Resources: Environment). In addition, two associates, Marni Ahram (Real Estate) and Andrew Peterson (Intellectual Property), were named to the prestigious list.
Re-named to this year’s edition were Terry Barrett (Energy), T. Michael Blake (Corporate/Commercial: Tax), Rachel Blue (Intellectual Property), Joseph Bocock (Litigation), Tim Bomhoff (Energy), W. Chris Coleman (Corporate/Commercial), Richard D. Craig (Corporate/Commercial: Tax), Bruce Crum (Corporate/Commercial), Clifford C. Dougherty, III (Intellectual Property), Theodore M. Elam (Corporate/Commercial), Sam Fulkerson (Employment), Gary Fuller (Corporate/Commercial: Tax), Robert L. Garbrecht (Real Estate), John N. Hermes (Litigation), Frank Hill (Real Estate), Richard Hix (Litigation), James Dudley Hyde (Employment), Michael E. Joseph (Corporate/Commercial: Healthcare), John A. Kenney (Intellectual Property, Litigation), David J. Ketelsleger (Native American Law), Michael J. LaBrie (Intellectual Property), Myrna Latham (Real Estate), Michael F. Lauderdale (Employment, Litigation), D. Keith McFall (Corporate/Commercial), James C. McMillin (Native American Law), M. Richard Mullins (Litigation), Kathy R. Neal (Employment), Charles Plumb (Employment), Tony G. Puckett (Employment), Anthony Rahhal (Intellectual Property), Richard Riggs (Real Estate), Reid Robison (Litigation), John E. Sargent Jr. (Real Estate), C. David Stinson (Energy), N. Martin Stringer (Corporate/Commercial), Jeff L. Todd (Litigation), Elizabeth Tyrrell (Corporate/Commercial: Healthcare), Peter Van Dyke (Employment), James Webb (Litigation), Nathan L. Whatley (Employment) and Elizabeth Scott Wood (Employment).
Researchers with London-based Chambers & Partners Publishing, publishers of the 2011 guide, conducted more than 14,000 interviews of attorneys and clients throughout the United States to identify and rank the nation’s leading business lawyers. The final rankings are based on such factors as technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by the client.