News

The shareholders of McAfee & Taft, Oklahoma’s largest law firm, have elected attorneys Jeremiah L. Buettner, Joel A. Bulleigh, Wagner Dias da Silva, Lauren Barghols Hanna and Michael F. Smith as shareholders, effective January 1, 2015. The announcement was made by managing director Richard D. Nix.

Jeremiah L. Buettner is a trial lawyer whose practice covers a wide range of complex civil litigation matters, including environmental law, intellectual property disputes, business torts, healthcare law, and insurance disputes. He also has substantial experience representing agricultural landowners and producers across the country in claims relating to crop insurance against both the federal government and private crop insurance companies.

Joel A. Bulleigh is an aviation attorney who represents local, national and international clients in transactions involving the buying, selling, leasing and financing of aircraft. He also assists owners, lenders, lessors and lessees of aircraft who seek to protect their interests internationally under the Cape Town Convention through registration with the International Registry of Mobile Assets.

Wagner Dias da Silva is a corporate lawyer whose practice encompasses the areas of mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, public and private securities offerings, and transaction financing. He also advises publicly held companies on their public reporting and disclosure responsibilities, director and officer fiduciary duties, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance.

Lauren Barghols Hanna is trial lawyer whose state and federal litigation practice is focused on general civil litigation, particularly in the areas of energy and water rights, and on the representation of management exclusively in all phases of labor and employment law. She also serves as a volunteer attorney for Oklahoma Lawyers for Children.

Michael F. Smith is a trial and appellate lawyer whose practice is concentrated on defending manufacturers and other suppliers and distributors of products, including automobiles, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. He has particular expertise with appellate practice and procedure in the Oklahoma Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and has had primary briefing responsibilities on a broad range of cases, including those involving products liability, professional malpractice, employment and environmental matters.

McAfee and Taft is one of the nation’s 250 largest law firms as ranked by the National Law Journal and serves clients locally, nationally and internationally in the areas of aviation, business law, corporate and securities, employee benefits, entertainment law, environmental law, healthcare, intellectual property, labor and employment, litigation, oil and gas, real estate and tax and family wealth. The firm employs 350 Oklahomans, including 180 attorneys, and has offices in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa.