Tulsa media Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Fry & Elder Tulsa Law Firm

Jul 29

Leading Tulsa Immigration Attorney Selected for Leadership Tulsa

As a leading Tulsa immigration attorney for the past six years, Lorena Rivas displays no shortage of leadership qualities.

The Fry & Elder trial lawyer has traveled to Washington D.C. multiple times to meet with state and national legislators to discuss and advocate for immigration law reform.

The Tulsa Business & Legal News celebrated Rivas as one of Tulsa’s most accomplished professional women in 2016 with its annual Women of Distinction of Awards.

More recently, Rivas was honored as the 2018 Fern Holland Award Winner, which is annually given to a lawyer who advocates for human rights or the empowerment of women.

Rivas’ leadership qualities were further validated earlier this month when the leading Tulsa immigration attorney was selected to Leadership Tulsa Class 60 – a 10-month intensive leadership program which runs from August 2018 through May 2019.

Leadership Tulsa Explained

Just as the name suggests, Leadership Tulsa is a program designed to “identify, develop and connect diverse leaders who impact the community through service.”

Leadership Tulsa began in 1973, “as a joint project with the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and the Junior League of Tulsa to help build the leadership capacities of Tulsa area professionals.”

With roots extending beyond 40 years, Leadership Tulsa’s impact has been far reaching. A recent survey indicated that Leadership Tulsa members “serve on 200 boards and volunteer hundreds of hours a year” in the Tulsa community.

“I am very excited about participating in Leadership Tulsa,” Rivas said. “The opportunity to meet and learn from community leaders in a wide variety of professions is something which really sets this program apart from others.”

Leadership Tulsa could also be described as a more intensive, focused and selective leadership program.

Rivas is one of only 49 participants selected for the 10-month program which includes:

Orientation and an overnight retreat
Monthly class days covering geographic regions of our city as well as topics including education, healthcare, business, the arts, social services and community history
A hands-on board internship with a choice of nearly 100 area agencies

A Leading Tulsa Immigration Attorney Who Makes a Difference

As the proud daughter of two Mexican nationals, Rivas has been directly impacted by immigration law which enables her the ability to make a deeper connection with her clients.

In 2017, Rivas gave her powerful story about what led her into the field of immigration law to a Pre-Law Society meeting at the University of Central Oklahoma.

“I’m a Mexican-American,” Rivas said. “Immigration law is something that is constantly hitting my life, whether it be family members, friends or my clients. In law school, I initially thought I wouldn’t go into immigration law, but I started thinking about it more, and felt like I could make a bigger impact in that area.”

Rivas has indeed done that and more during her accomplished tenure at Fry & Elder. Her practice areas include the following:

Asylum
Business Immigration
Citizenship/Naturalization
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
Deportation/Removal Defense
Family Immigration
Fiancé Visa
Humanitarian Relief
Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
Waivers

Contact Fry & Elder today to set up a personal consultation with leading Tulsa immigration attorney Lorena Rivas.

May 22

Fry & Elder Back In Business At Robert G Fry Jr. Center for Trial Studies

The Robert G Fry Jr. Center for Trial Studies is re-open for business.

The elite Tulsa law firm of Fry & Elder will be moving back to its former 1630 S. Main Street Tulsa location, the Robert G Fry Jr. Center for Trial Studies, where it resided for two brief but memorable years from 2015-2017 by the end of the month.

“Very happy to be moving back to the 1630 location,” Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. said. “From a financial perspective, moving back to this location makes the most sense. I feel the greatest advantage, however, for me is that I will be able to see everyone daily just walking down the hall. I believe our culture will be much stronger at this location which is vital to the success and morale of any workplace. It will feel much more like home.”

Fry & Elder, which has been named to the illustrious U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms List for five consecutive years, will continue to feature an acclaimed lineup of attorneys who have won many awards and accolades during their legal careers.

Joining Fry at the 1630 S. Main Street location will be James R. Elder, Aaron D. Bundy, Lorena Rivas, T. Luke Barteaux, Katie Egan, Amy Page and Ruth Calvillo.

Fry & Elder’s talented legal support team of Joyce Caldwell, Judy Willits, Allison Smith, Kathy Keener, Rosie Renteria, Esther Salas and Amy Figueroa will also relocate with Fry & Elder’s experienced team of attorneys at 1630 S. Main Street.

The group is so respected and accomplished in the legal community that Caldwell and Willits were the subject of a recent feature story by the Tulsa Business & Legal News.

“We all work well together and respect one another’s talents and abilities,” Barteaux said. “I think we are all excited to begin a new chapter at Fry & Elder.”

The vaunted Tulsa law firm will return to 1630 S. Main Street riding a tidal wave of legal momentum.

Rivas has solidified herself as one of the premier Oklahoma immigration law attorneys and was the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Fern Holland Award.

Now in his 50^th year of practice, Fry remains one of the best and most established Tulsa divorce attorneys. He is one of only 19 attorneys in the state to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and was the 2016 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year for Family Law in Oklahoma. Fry was also a Significant Sig Award Winner in 2017.

Barteaux became the firm’s first and only attorney to be sworn in as a judge when he was appointed Cherokee Nation District Judge in 2017. He was reappointed by the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council in February of 2018.

Bundy was the co-winner of the 2017 Earl Sneed Award, while Page is the 2018 Tulsa County Bar Association Family Law Section Chair, and the 2018 and 2019 OBA FLS CLE Chair.

All total, Fry & Elder features four lawyers who have garnered Super Lawyers® accolades and three AV-Rated attorneys. Contact Fry & Elder today to set up a personal consultation with a proven and experienced Tulsa attorney at the Robert G Fry Jr. Center for Trial Studies.

Apr 17

Fighting A False, Frivolous Oklahoma Protective Order

Long before Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. became a distinguished Tulsa family law attorney, he served as the Chief Public Defender for Tulsa County. The skills Fry acquired as a criminal defense attorney certainly have not diminished. He is a highly skilled Tulsa protective order defense attorney.

Fry not only successfully defended a client from a protective order, the sought-after divorce attorney was able to turn the tables on the petitioner and have the Tulsa protective order ruled as frivolous.

The court stated:

“The court finds Petitioner filed this Protective Order action against Defendant to ‘retaliate’ against Petitioner’s wife and her family and to cover and distract from his own violations of the emergency protective order then in effect against him. The Court finds Petitioner filed the instant protective order action frivolously and no victim exists.”

This ruling opens the door for the Respondent (defendant) to secure attorney fees against the Petitioner, which Fry said his client fully intends to do.

“It’s an unusual case, which has a lot of moving parts,” Fry said, “A request for a frivolous ruling from the court is unusual, primarily because most people don’t know that it is available and must be alleged in a response to an emergency protective order.”

Oklahoma Protective Orders Trending Up

Oklahoma protective orders are on the rise. The Tulsa World reported in 2017 that protective orders in Tulsa County “doubled from 2015 and 2016.”

As an acclaimed Oklahoma law firm, which has been named to the U.S. News & World Report’s elite Best Law Firms List every year since 2014, Fry & Elder understands the significant importance protective orders have as a legal boundary for victims to protect themselves against psychological and physical abuse.

However, there also are times when protective orders might be abused.

Protective orders intersect family law with criminal law. Though not always the case, protective orders can be misused as a means for a spouse or family member to get you out of the house or to get emergency custody of children.

Fry & Elder’s experienced team of Oklahoma family law and criminal defense attorneys want you to know that the ramifications of having a protective order filed against you can be detrimental.

Below is some information you need to know about Oklahoma protective orders.

Tulsa Protective Order Defense Attorney Explains Protective Orders

Protective orders in Oklahoma are defined and governed by the “Protection from Domestic Abuse Act.” Protective orders are typically entered against a family or household member when a victim has experienced or feels a threat of:

Domestic violence
Harassment
Stalking
Sexual assault

There are two types of protective orders which can be filed in Oklahoma: an emergency ex parte order of protection and a final or permanent order of protection.

What Having a Tulsa Protective Order Filed Against You Means?

Having a protective order filed against you can have very serious consequences which can potentially affect your parenting rights and employment opportunities.

Once a protective order has been served, the defendant may not have contact with the person protected by the order until the protective order is lifted. Violation of a protective order can result in criminal charges.

Oklahoma protective orders are initially heard on an “ex parte” basis, which means the defendant (the person who is accused of abuse, stalking, or harassment) has no opportunity to be heard or to challenge the protective order when it is first filed. When the protective order is granted, a court hearing date is set by the judge and the protective order petition, order, and notice of the hearing is set for service upon the defendant. A trial will be held at that set date and time to determine if a protective order is necessary.

If a permanent protective order is granted there is a chance you could lose your job and your professional license in certain circumstances. You also will no longer be legally allowed to possess or transport a firearm.

Protective orders are serious and the violation of a protective order can bring about even greater consequences.

What are the Consequences of Violating an Oklahoma Protective Order?

If you have had a protective order filed against you, it is important that you understand the serious nature of it and contact a proven Oklahoma protective order defense attorney to help you challenge it. Violation of a protective order can result in the following:

1st offense: misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000
1st offense resulting in injury: misdemeanor, 20 days to one year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000
2nd offense: felony, 1 to 3 years in prison and a fine of $2,000 to $10,000
2nd offense resulting in injury: felony, 1 to 5 years in prison and a fine of $3,000 to $10,000

Why Experience the Fry & Elder Difference

With roots dating back to 1932, Fry & Elder has long epitomized Oklahoma legal excellence in family law, criminal law, and personal injury law. The firm and its attorneys have been the subject of 36 articles by various Oklahoma media outlets since 2014.

Although Fry is considered an elite Tulsa protective order defense attorney, the firm’s lineup of attorneys is are all well experienced. They include:

Among the many titles and accomplishments Fry & Elder trial lawyers have recently collected include the following:

A 2018 Best Lawyers® Selection
One of only 19 attorneys in the state to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year for Family Law in Oklahoma 2016
Two attorneys recognized by Super Lawyers®
Two attorneys AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®
The 2018 Fern Holland Award Winner
A 2017 Significant Sig Award Winner

If you think you have been the victim of a false or frivolous Oklahoma protective order, we encourage you to contact Fry & Elder as soon as possible to set up an immediate consultation with a proven Tulsa protective order defense attorney.

Apr 2

Longtime Paralegals Latest to Garner Media Spotlight for Elite Firm

Fry & Elder is no stranger to the media spotlight, but the final week of March took on a whole new level of notoriety for the nationally prominent Oklahoma law firm.

Tulsa journalists converged on Fry & Elder not once, twice but thrice for feature stories.

Immigration attorney Lorena Rivas was the subject of two articles for her recent travels to Washington D.C. and for winning the prestigious Fern Holland Award.

If that weren’t enough long-time Fry & Elder paralegals Joyce Caldwell and Judy Willits were the subject of a center-piece story on March 28, giving the elite Tulsa law firm back-to-back-to-back cover stories in the Tulsa Business & Legal News.

“Very pleased that (Ralph Schaefer) decided to do a story on those two,” Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. said. “Joyce and Judy are as big a reason for this firm’s success and longevity over the years as anyone. They are both incredibly loyal and very hard-working. We are very fortunate to have them here at Fry & Elder.”

Caldwell, Willits’ Loyalty with Fry & Elder Has Remained Steadfast Over the Years

As Fry alluded to, the article highlighted Caldwell and Willits’ remarkable tenure with the firm that has combined to span for over 70 years and counting.

Caldwell began working at the firm in 1969 under C. Lawrence Elder and then for Fry in 1972. Other than a brief stint with another firm and a move to Connecticut, Caldwell has worked closely with Fry as his financial paralegal.

In the article, Caldwell discussed how no two days are the same.

As Schaeffer wrote:

“A person is constantly learning, assisting individuals with family issues either through a marriage, a modification of support after a divorce decree or other issues. The atmosphere always is changing, and there are so many people with diverse problems.”

Divorce and child custody trials often bring about an array challenges which are emotional and sensitive, but success can follow once the parties have worked their way through the process.

Caldwell reflected on two challenging child custody cases involving fathers and young children which were satisfying.

“The mothers (sadly) were unstable and we were fortunate enough to get full custody of the children for the fathers,” Caldwell said. “We have watched them grow to become productive, good students, and both are doing very well. One is in high school, the other college. It is very satisfying knowing we have been part of changing someone’s life for the better.”

After joining Fry & Elder in the 80s as a file clerk, Willits’ role with the firm rapidly evolved into an irreplaceable one as Fry’s personal paralegal.

She maintains the acclaimed Tulsa divorce lawyer’s files, but her primary roles is to make sure Fry is organized and prepared for anything and everything that they might see in trial.

Willits was quoted in the article saying:

“When Mr. Fry says to do this or that, I am so familiar with the procedure that I can do whatever needs to be done. I handle most of his really bad divorce cases that involve custody, abuse — stuff like that … He treats me more like an attorney than an assistant. He trusts and depends on me.”

Standout Personnel Staff a Hallmark of Elite Tulsa Law Firm

Though Caldwell and Willits were featured in the article, the duo is far from the only exceptional members of Fry & Elder’s outstanding legal personnel team which has now, deservedly so, received some notoriety.

The team also includes the firm’s project coordinator Allison Smith, family law and criminal law paralegals Deborah Lauderdale and Kathy Keener, legal assistant Amy Figueroa and immigration legal assistants Esther Salas and Rosie Renteria.

“It’s a very hardworking and dedicated team,” Fry & Elder partner M. Shane Henry said. “We are extremely fortunate to have them here at Fry & Elder. They do so much for us day-in, day-out.”

The acclaimed Oklahoma law firm also boasts a talented team of interns – several of which are multilingual and aspiring attorneys.

Media Continues to Seek out Prominent Oklahoma Law Firm for Legal News, Compelling Story-lines

It is not a very common practice for a media outlet to choose to profile a law firm’s paralegals, but Fry & Elder continues to prove it is not the common Oklahoma law firm.

Led by an aggressive and creative public relations and marketing approach which began in 2014, Fry & Elder and its attorneys and legal support staff has been the subject of an eye-popping 36 stories by various Oklahoma media outlets. The firm has been featured six times alone thus far in 2018.

The list of 36 articles written about Fry & Elder since 2014 include:

“We very much appreciate the efforts of our local media to promote many of our attorneys and their achievements,” Fry said. “We began incorporating a more proactive approach to promote the firm in 2014 and it has paid big dividends without question. The number of articles written about the firm is just one example of our marketing efforts paying off.”

Experience the Fry & Elder Difference

Fry & Elder’s team of attorneys in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City are some of the most decorated in the state. The lineup includes the following:

Whether you are need of consultation in family law, criminal law, immigration law or personal injury law matters know that Fry & Elder’s team of trial lawyers has the experience and aptitude in place to help best navigate you through the process. Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to set up a personal consultation with a proven trial lawyer who will aggressively fight for you in and out of the courtroom.