Gatlin C. Squires

Representative Experience

Federal Crop Insurance Disputes

• Represented numerous producers and farmers in arbitration proceedings in proving that the producers were owed 100% of their indemnity payments.
• Represented more than 200 Texas farmers in a joint-arbitration proceeding that is now before the USDA Risk Management Agency for a Final Agency Determination concerning whether annual forage planted behind a failed cotton crop qualifies as double cropping, such that the producers are entitled to 100% indemnity for both crops.

Groundwater Rights

• Assisted several landowners with obtaining groundwater withdrawal permits, severing their groundwater rights from their ownership rights with the surface, and selling such groundwater rights to nearby cities.
• Acted as lead counsel in a groundwater protest concerning a proposed well that was not in compliance with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s well-spacing requirements. Presented and cross-examined numerous witnesses on the issue of whether there was sufficient groundwater available for the applicant in other areas that would have complied with the well-spacing requirements.

Miscellaneous Disputes

• Served as lead counsel in a dispute concerning the validity and enforceability of a settlement agreement dividing more than $3 million in real property between two siblings. Following the opposing sibling’s request to reform the settlement agreement to provide for a transfer of more than $1 million in property from client, the court held multiple half-day hearings and, ultimately, granted judgment in client’s favor and denied the sibling’s request for the transfer. The case is now on appeal before the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
• Represented several southwestern Oklahoma farmers who had lost their cotton crop due to applying a contaminated and defective product. Successfully negotiated several pre-litigation multimillion-dollar settlements.
• Successfully negotiated multiple agreements between wind developers and owners of wind turbines and landowners across Oklahoma, including the resolution of a dispute between a landowner adversely affected by a fire believed to be caused by a wind turbine on their property.
• Represented multiple livestock producers in obtaining favorable results in proceedings before various breed associations—such as the American Angus Association and Red Angus Association of America—related to issues with transferability of registered cattle and unfreezing of membership accounts.
• Ongoing representation of a regional livestock feed supplier in numerous disputes with customers relating to the collection of past-due accounts.
• Successfully quashed a federal court subpoena to a statewide livestock industry group in connection with a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state statute that the industry group helped enact.
• Ongoing representation of numerous agricultural businesses, including large agricultural lending institutions, sale barns, auctioneers, and large livestock producers.

Construction Disputes

• Ongoing representation of subcontractor on a large federal construction project in seeking to obtain payment on a Miller Act bond while defending against claims for an offset due to alleged defective workmanship.
• Successfully obtained judgment on behalf of a subcontractor and supplier of materials to various projects in New Mexico following non-payment for said supplies. The nearly $1 million judgment also included an award of attorneys’ fees and costs, and is currently in the process of enforcement against the debtors’ assets.
• In representing a small oil and gas provider of labor and materials to various well sites, recently obtained a favorable judgment, inclusive of attorneys’ fees and costs, against the general contractor.
• Successfully represented and negotiated favorable settlements for various subcontractors and general contractors in disputes concerning defective workmanship, delays in performance, and termination for cause.

Banking and Finance

• Represented a large regional banking institution in defending against claims of a discriminatory denial of a loan application in violation of the Fair Housing Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and 42 U.S.C. § 1981 brought by four individuals and their co-owned entity. Obtained a dismissal of the individuals’ discrimination claims, and subsequently obtained a dismissal and judgment against their entity. Currently defending the propriety of the district court’s dismissal before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Represented a local bank in a breach of promissory note and foreclosure action wherein the borrowers asserted nine different counterclaims challenging the validity of the underlying debt, the enforceability of the note against one borrower in his individual capacity, and claiming both actual and punitive damages. Following a favorable partial summary judgment by the court finding that the loan instruments were enforceable against the individual borrower, assisted in the negotiations of a favorable settlement on behalf of the bank.
• Acted as lead counsel or second chair for numerous other creditors in seeking to collect on past-due debts, obtaining judgment against the debtors, and enforcing said judgments against various assets.