Michael E. Joseph

Michael Joseph is a transactional lawyer widely regarded for his experience and expertise in representing clients in a broad range of corporate, healthcare, franchise, and business law matters.

His successful, aggressive representation of client interests has been recognized by clients and peers alike and has earned his inclusion in Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America (antitrust law; biotechnology and life sciences practice; business organizations; corporate compliance law; corporate governance law; corporate law; franchise law; health care law; non-profit/charities law; project finance law), and Oklahoma Super Lawyers. He was selected by Best Lawyers as the “Oklahoma City Corporate Compliance Lawyer of the Year” for 2012 and 2014, “Oklahoma City Corporate Governance Lawyer of the Year” for 2013, and “Oklahoma City Health Care Lawyer of the Year” for 2019, honors given only to a single lawyer in each legal specialty in each community.

Mike was recognized for his professional and civic contributions to the state of Oklahoma by being named to The Journal Record’s inaugural list of Leadership in Law honorees in 2006 and again in 2014. He has been additionally been honored with Leadership Oklahoma City’s Distinguished Leadership Award, the Oklahoma Arts Council’s Governor’s Arts Award, and the United Way of Central Oklahoma’s John Rex Community Builder Award.

As a business lawyer, Mike represents privately owned businesses in business transactions and strategic and business planning.  He also represents numerous industry leaders, as well as emerging companies and tax-exempt organizations, in a variety of business transactions. In addition to transactional work, Mike regularly advises senior management and boards of directors on organizational and operational matters.

Mike has previously served as the leader of the firm’s Healthcare Industry Group, and his business practice includes decades of experience representing and advising healthcare industry clients in business transactions. He represents physicians and physician groups, including multi-specialty and single-specialty group practices in both private and academic settings. Also, he represents hospitals, including major tertiary referral centers, nonprofit hospitals, investor-owned hospitals, physician-owned specialty hospitals, religious-sponsored hospitals, academic medical centers, children’s hospitals, rural community hospitals, critical access hospitals, and government hospitals. Other clients include other types of healthcare facilities, health-related institutions and foundations, trade associations, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations.

Mike regularly represents businesses using franchising, licensing, and direct selling arrangements for the distribution of goods and services. He has a broad range of experience in representing franchisors in transactional and regulatory matters, including acquisitions and divestitures, contracting, development of franchise agreements and franchise systems, franchise registration, operational advice, business planning, antitrust, and dispute resolution. He has represented franchise clients in a number of industries, including retail photography, food distribution, restaurant, healthcare, business services, building products, home accessories and other products and services.

He has worked with numerous nonprofit organizations, including public charities, private foundations, supporting organizations, chambers of commerce, social welfare organizations, and other tax-exempt organizations. Leading organizations in the nonprofit sector frequently turn to Mike for guidance and assistance in legal matters, including those involving tax compliance, board governance, board and management responsibilities, fundraising and donor solicitation, planned giving, political advocacy, executive compensation, grants and grant-making, and a full spectrum of issues and challenges that the nonprofit sector faces. Additionally, Mike has also provided pro bono legal representation to numerous Oklahoma charitable and civic organizations.

A leader in the community, Mike serves on numerous community, civic and philanthropic boards, advisory boards, selection committees, and task forces.  He is a frequent speaker and organizer of educational conferences and institutes sponsored by the Oklahoma Bar Association, Oklahoma Hospital Association, and several state and national organizations, covering a variety of topics, and he has served as an adjunct faculty member and professor for the graduate-level course on “Nonprofit Organizations Law” at Oklahoma City University.