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Media Casts Spotlight On 2017 Earl Sneed Award Winners

Shane Henry and Aaron D. Bundy are in high demand these days.

The two Fry & Elder trial lawyers and partners were presented with the 2017 Earl Sneed Award for their significant and outstanding continuing legal education contributions during Friday’s general assembly at the OBA Annual Meeting in Tulsa.

Earl Sneed Award winners

If that weren’t enough, Henry and Bundy were spotlighted in Friday’s Tulsa Business & Legal News in a feature written by long-time legal writer Ralph Schaefer. CLICK HERE to read the article.

“It’s always nice to have your accomplishments recognized by the media,” Bundy said. “Ralph (Schaefer) and the Tulsa Business & Legal News have done such a great job of providing legal coverage throughout our Tulsa legal community over the years.”

The article provided insight into what drove Henry and Bundy to be active in CLE and how they emerged from students to teachers. Both AV-Rated attorneys discussed how early setbacks and a burning desire to improve in the courtroom fueled their drive to attend various CLE seminars many led by acclaimed trial lawyer Roger Dodd.

As Bundy stated in the article,

“We work from a lot of our material that has come from our failures. But we are torn. We don’t want to sound like failures, although we talk about it at the beginning. We are saying that we are not perfect and that we do things perfectly. We want people to learn from our mistakes instead of going through some of the same things we have.”

Henry and Bundy offer an extensive and diverse portfolio of CLE presentations that include the following:

  • Starting Your Trial Off Right: Winning in the Beginning
  • Evidence at Trial
  • Using Social Media Evidence
  • Advanced Cross Examination
  • Dealing with Speaking Objections at Trial
  • Advanced Trial Techniques
  • Hostile Witness & Cross Examination
  • Connecting in the Courtroom
  • Marriage, Murder and Molestation

Earl Sneed Award Winners

The two experienced trial lawyers presented one of their newest presentations: “Marriage, Murder and Molestation” during Wednesday’s CLE section on the Crossroads Between Family Law and Criminal Law just two days before receiving the Earl Sneed Award.

Media Exposure Second to None

Fry & Elder has been no stranger to media coverage over the past few years. Friday’s article in the Tulsa Business & Legal News was just the latest installation. All total, the renowned Oklahoma law firm has been spotlighted a staggering 27 times since 2014 by many of the state’s largest and most prestigious media outlets. Below is a comprehensive list of Fry & Elder stories published by the media since 2014 on the firm and its attorneys’ accomplishments.

Earl Sneed Award Winners

Capping Off a Memorable Week

The presentation of the 2017 Earl Sneed Award by OBA President Linda Thomas on Friday capped off what can only be described as one of the most memorable weeks in Fry & Elder history which dates back to 1932.

The firm began the week by moving into its new state-of-the-art Tulsa Maple Ridge office – The Headquarters Building – on Monday. That was followed up Wednesday with news that the U.S. News & World Report had selected the firm to its prestigious Best Law Firms List for a 5th consecutive year.

“It’s been an amazing week,” Henry said. “There is just a lot of excitement surrounding the firm and all that we’re doing at Fry & Elder. I’m so grateful to be a part of the Fry & Elder team.”

Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to set up a personal consultation with an elite Oklahoma trial lawyer.

Spotlight Set To Shine On Bundy, Henry At OBA Annual Meeting

Whether it is in Claremore at the Rogers County Bar Association Annual August Meeting or Las Vegas for the Seminole County Bar Association’s Annual Las Vegas CLE , Fry & Elder partners Aaron D. Bundy and M. Shane Henry have little trouble drawing a crowd and rave reviews with their engaging and informative CLE presentations.

OBA Annual Meeting

The two decorated Oklahoma trial lawyers have developed quite a following over the past few years – so much so that a crowd of just under 75 flocked to the Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section’s annual monthly meeting in October to hear Bundy and Henry’s presentation titled: “Dealing with Speaking Objections at Trial.”

“It was the second most attended meeting we had all year,” said OBA FLS Chair Allyson Dow. “They always do such a great job and are very well prepared.”

If Dow comes across a little biased, it’s OK. She not only is a trial lawyer at Fry & Elder, Dow is Henry’s younger sister. Still, Dow is hardly the only member of Bundy and Henry’s CLE fan club. The duo will receive the 2017 Earl Sneed Award for their outstanding continuing legal education contributions during this year’s OBA Annual Meeting, which runs Wednesday through Friday in Tulsa.

“It’s a huge honor for us,” Bundy said. “It’s very humbling to think of some of the people who have come before us and won this award. Shane and I are always trying to learn more and improve as trial lawyers, and a big part of the improvement we have been able to make over the years has come through are active involvement in continuing legal education and professional improvement opportunities.”

In addition to Las Vegas, Bundy and Henry have traveled this year to Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Kansas City, New Orleans and San Diego, among other locales, for CLE opportunities to participate and present. They also credit famed attorney Roger Dodd as being a big influence in their commitment to CLE.

“We learn so much at those conferences and seminars and are able to pick the brains of so many talented legal minds,” Henry said. “We’re always going to promote continuing legal education here at Fry & Elder. It’s a big part of our culture.”

OBA Annual Meeting

Bundy and Henry will receive the prestigious award, named after the former dean of the University of Oklahoma College of Law, during Friday’s general assembly at the OBA Annual Meeting.

For Henry, the award will come one year after he was recognized as the 2016 Oklahoma Family Law Attorney of the Year by the OBA FLS. For Fry & Elder, the award will come four days after the firm moved into its new luxurious Tulsa office – The Headquarters Building. For good measure, Bundy and Henry will present during the OBA Annual Meeting at Wednesday morning’s CLE session on the Crossroads Between Family Law and Criminal Law. Their presentation is titled: “Marriage, Murder and Molestation.”

Bundy and Henry’s other CLE presentations are the following:

  • Starting Your Trial Off Right: Winning in the Beginning
  • Evidence at Trial
  • Using Social Media Evidence
  • Advanced Cross Examination
  • Dealing with Speaking Objections at Trial
  • Advanced Trial Techniques
  • Hostile Witness & Cross Examination
  • Connecting in the Courtroom

Visit Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City to learn more about Bundy and Henry’s engaging CLE presentations or contact Allison Smith at 918-585 1107 or Allison@FryElder.com.

 

Rivas Among Best Oklahoma Immigration Law Attorneys

As Lorena Rivas recently conveyed during the University of Central Oklahoma’s Pre-Law Society monthly meeting, the Fry & Elder immigration law attorney learned at a very young just how important a lawyer can be to people and families.

Best Oklahoma Immigration Law Attorneys

About the time Rivas was 4, her father was injured in an Oklahoma oil field accident which landed him in the hospital for a spell and unable to work. With her mother working but struggling to make ends meet and juggle the obligations of caring for Rivas and her sister, the family enlisted the services of an attorney to help them get some much-needed relief and aid needed following the accident.

“We were a low-income family, but I remember who came to the rescue for (my parents) and it was an attorney,” said Rivas, a first-generation Mexican-American. “Somebody who took up their case, fought for them and got us some funds. Did we get a lot? No, probably not … But it was something to keep us going and allowed us to keep our house, keep food on the table and keep us dreaming. That is (when) I got my first taste of what an attorney is and how important they are to people.

“After seeing the importance of a lawyer, I knew I wanted to be somebody that important to somebody in their life and help them out.”

Fast forward some 25 years later and Rivas has become just that – having established herself as one of the best Oklahoma immigration law attorneys as a trial lawyer with Fry & Elder.

Rivas shared what was her first legal memory and a whole lot more during the October Pre-Law Society meeting at UCO.

“I’ve been very fortunate to be invited to speak at some different events over the years, and this was one of the more memorable ones I’ve been able to attend,” Rivas said.  “It wasn’t long ago when I was sitting where they were sitting as an undergrad. It’s such a great and important time of life. I chose to focus my talk on what led me to my current career path and the current trials and tribulations I face as an immigration attorney, especially in this political climate.”

Being One of the Best Oklahoma Immigration Law Attorneys is no Easy Task

As Rivas alluded to, immigration law is a very controversial topic in Oklahoma and throughout the United States. During her presentation, which lasted approximately 45 minutes, Rivas told her audience that when she goes to court, she travels to Dallas and often flies out of Tulsa as early as 5 a.m. the day of court.

“Immigration law is administrative law,” Rivas said. “The practice is very hard. It’s very harsh. It’s very exhausting.”

But it is rewarding.

There is tremendous satisfaction that comes with successfully advocating for a client in the realm of immigration law. Rivas got her first taste of that satisfaction as a second-year law student at the University of Tulsa College of Law when she successfully prevented a Haitian national from being returned to Haiti after he plead guilty to drug possession without fully understanding the consequences of his plead.

“He plead guilty to those drug convictions without knowing the true consequences of pleading guilty,” Rivas disclosed to her audience. “You see, justice is a pretty word. When I go to criminal court and I see the district attorneys and the prison systems and the judicial systems, I don’t know how much justice is truly taking place because people are ushered in and urged to take a plea deal without truly understanding the consequences of things.”

Fry & Elder’s Best Oklahoma Immigration Law Attorneys Available to Assist

It’s been a busy year for Rivas to put it mildly. She visited Capitol Hill in April where she met with Oklahoma lawmakers and attended the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s National Day of Action. Rivas also was in Kansas City this past September for the 2017 HNBA (Hispanic National Bar Association) Latina Leadership Academy.

If that were not enough, Rivas brought in fellow immigration law attorney Ruth Calvillo to further bolster Fry & Elder’s high-regarded immigration law staff. Calvillo recently delivered a passionate speech to TU College of Law students this past August in which she challenged them to give at least one hour back to the Tulsa community per week.

Best Oklahoma Immigration Law Attorneys

Rivas and Calvillo, along with Fry & Elder’s other immigration law personnel, provide the following immigration law services:

Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to set up a personal consultation with one of the best Oklahoma immigration law attorneys.

Dividing Retirement Plans Requires Skilled Divorce Attorney

It’s easy to think of “property” in terms of real estate, cars, furniture, and even bank accounts. But what about retirement plans? If you are going through or potentially will be going through a divorce, it is important to know that during divorce proceedings, all property accumulated during the marriage gets divided by the end of the process, either by agreement of the parties or after a trial.

Dividing retirement plans

Simply put: Dividing retirement plans can get complicated and tricky, and not all attorneys have the experience or desire to prepare a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO), or other orders to divide retirement accounts. At Fry & Elder, our attorneys are happy to review your final decree and prepare your QDRO. Accomplished child support and family law attorney Amy Page recently completed an advanced family law seminar through the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and has provided some additional information you will want to know about dividing retirement plans.

The process and importance of dividing retirement plans

If your spouse or you worked during your marriage and contributed to a retirement or pension plan, your attorney will need to know some facts about those plans. Some questions to expect would be:

  • When and for how long did you or your spouse work for that employer?
  • Are you or your spouse still employed there?
  • What are the provisions of the plan regarding time periods for vesting?
  • Are there any outstanding loans against the plan?

Retirement plans can be valuable bargaining chips when negotiating a property settlement. There are certain tax advantages and ramifications based on how those assets are divided. Any property settlement that includes retirement benefits should fully explore the tax ramifications for the person paying or receiving retirement benefits as part of the agreement. It’s often advantageous for a party to give up other, more easily transferable assets and keep his or her retirement account intact. This is definitely a discussion to have with an experienced divorce attorney. If your case goes to trial, the tax treatment of divided retirement benefits can support your attorney’s theory of why the benefits should be awarded in a specific way.

Dividing retirement plans

Why the division of retirement benefits should include a QDRO

The final decree for a divorce including division of retirement benefits should include specific provisions about that retirement plan. It should provide for the time period of retirement benefits that accumulated during the marriage, as well as provide for how any gains or losses on the benefits will be handled in the time period between the final decree and the time the account is actually divided by the Plan Administrator. Finally, the decree should provide for the preparation and entry of a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, or QDRO, which is an order that tells the Plan Administrator to divide the account according to the decree. The QDRO provision in the decree should include a plan for who is going to prepare the QDRO and who will pay the expenses involved with the Plan Administrator’s review of the QDRO.

Dividing retirement plans can be especially complicated in cases where the retirement plan is provided by a state agency or the federal government or military. Special documents and language are required that meet the agency’s requirements. For military retirement benefits, a Military Retired Pay Division Order must be completed, filed in the trial court, and forwarded to the appropriate authorities. Similarly, to divide a federal employee retirement account (FERS), a Court Order Acceptable for Processing is required.

Experience the Fry & Elder Difference

For nearly 50 years, Fry & Elder has been a name synonymous with Oklahoma family law. The firm has been named to the U.S. News & World Report’s exclusive Best Law Firms list from 2014-2017 Our team of attorneys are some of the most decorated in the state and include:

Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to discuss dividing retirement plans with Amy Page or another accomplished Oklahoma family law attorney.

Collaborative Law Provides Family and Civil Dispute Options

Not every family or civil dispute needs to find its way into the litigation stage. Fry & Elder attorney Melissa Fell is setting out to prove this to be the case. The experienced Tulsa family law attorney recently attended the mandatory 2-day Collaborative Law training for the International Academy of Collaborative Lawyers in Chicago Illinois.  This training, along with her previous certification in Family and Divorce Mediation, now qualifies her to start practicing in this growing field of conflict resolution.

Collaborative Law

“I am very excited to bring this new family law practice area to Fry & Elder,” Fell said. “We now have the ability to offer our family law and other clients additional options when it comes to representing them in family and civil disputes.  One of my greatest strengths is the ability to negotiate difficult disputes, often helping our clients find creative or “out of the box” solutions that they may not have thought of before. This utilizes the skill sets I have attained from my training as a Certified Mediator as well as those I have developed as a Certified Life Coach.”

Collaborative Law Defined

Collaborative Law allows the clients to resolve conflicts without having to go into the courtroom.  It is designed to create an atmosphere of cooperation and teamwork.  Each party is represented by a trained collaborative law attorney, and issues are addressed in meetings between the parties and lawyers along with a collaboratively trained therapist, child specialist (if there are children involved) and financial expert.  The coaches act as neutrals on an as needed basis to guide and assist the parties in assembling and assimilating information to use throughout the problem-solving process.

“I found in my training, as I have in my litigation practice, that involving experts in their specific fields to create a team approach provides the best opportunity for an outcome that works for the parties, and the whole family unit,” Fell said.

Having mental health and financial coaches as a part of the process from the start neutralizes often strong emotions in ways that traditional litigation just cannot do.  The coach is there to redirect the parties during meetings to focus on their needs and interests so that they may come to a resolution that they can agree to.

Collaborative law

The Benefits of Collaborative Law

Collaborative Law is an ideal method for all types of cases, including those where the parties do not want their personal lives published in court documents online.  More and more people are finding that their personal information is used for fishing, or by people snooping into their private life.  With collaborative law, only the necessary documents are filed, and disputes between the parties and confidential information can be kept far more private than in traditional litigation.  The parties own the process and are able to make agreements that work for them and their families at their own pace.

“It gives ownership of the whole process and the outcome to the parties,” Fell said. “I have spent a great deal of time getting to know some of the collaborative professionals in our area, and I am convinced that the professionals in this group are all as invested as I am to revolutionize the practice of law.”

Another important benefit is the potential for cost savings to the parties.  By directly involving the coaches in the process from the beginning, issues are processed by the team members and the parties on a more timely basis than waiting for the court process and experts to be appointed, as well as the parties being able to share in the cost of the services that the experts provide.

The most important aspect of collaborative law is the impact that it has on the parties and their families and loved ones.  By focusing the process on mutual cooperation to find agreements, participants are far less likely to involve their children or to feel the stress of the process when drawn out through combative litigation.

Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to set up a consultation with Melissa Fell and find out more about how Collaborative Law can be the right choice for you at Fry & Elder.

Rivas Attends Hispanic National Bar Association Latina Leadership Academy

No matter the venue or platform, Fry & Elder immigration law attorney Lorena Rivas embraces the opportunity to passionately fight and advocate for immigrants’ rights. With that in mind, it was not at all surprising that the esteemed and experienced immigration law attorney was in Kansas City Wednesday for the 2017 HNBA (Hispanic National Bar Association) Latina Leadership Academy.

Experienced Immigration Law Attorney

The day-long seminar could not have a come at a more crucial or compelling time for Rivas and other immigration law attorneys following President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of his intention to eliminate DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) – a program which sought to shield young undocumented immigrants from deportation.

“His proposal is obviously something that potentially could have a major life-changing impact on a number of people,” Rivas said. “It was definitely a big talking point among the participants at this year’s Leadership Academy, as were many other things which are presently going on in immigration law. Immigrants need a voice now more than ever.”

Rivas has effectively been a voice many immigrants have relied upon throughout her accomplished legal career. She attended the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s National Day of Action in Washington D.C. earlier this year in which she met with a number of high-ranking Oklahoma politicians and had personal meeting with U.S. Representative Tom Cole to advocate for necessary reforms to America’s immigration system and to prevent policies that would hurt Oklahoma like mass deportations.

Rivas followed up her appearance in Capital Hill at the Tulsa County Bar Association’s 27th Annual Free CLE Seminar in April. She was one of the featured speakers and her presentation titled: “Mythbusters: Dispelling the Myths in Immigration Law” was well attended.

Wednesday in Kansas City, Rivas attended two different breakout sessions – one of which was a leadership program that provided insight on some of the major issues Latina and immigration law attorneys encounter.

The experienced immigration law attorney is just one of many Fry & Elder trial lawyers who actively seeks out professional development, leadership and CLE opportunities. Fry & Elder partner and accomplished trial attorney Aaron D. Bundy attended an advanced deposition skills training seminar this past August in Kansas City. Attorneys from the prestigious firm have also traveled to the following locales for leadership and professional development opportunities this year alone:

Oklahoma immigration law attorney

A Committed and Experienced Immigration Law Attorney

Rivas and her immigration law staff at Fry & Elder, which also includes firm attorney Ruth Calvillo, continue to advocate and fight for those affected by immigration law in Oklahoma and throughout the Southwestern part of the U.S., as well as in other pockets of the world. Rivas provides litigation and legal services in all of the following realms of immigration law:

Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to set up a personal consultation with Rivas or another accomplished Oklahoma trial lawyer.

Oklahoma Child Support Lawyer Page Attends AAML Program

Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. gained additional company when fellow Fry & Elder partner M. Shane Henry joined him as a 2018 Best Lawyers® Selection earlier this month. The acclaimed Tulsa divorce lawyer may one day soon gain another Fry & Elder attorney in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers™, as Oklahoma Child support lawyer Amy Page took a necessary step toward acquiring membership in the elite organization after completing the AAML 2017 Institute for Family Law Associates in Chicago this past June.

Oklahoma child support lawyer

The prestigious legal organization’s mission is “promoting membership excellent in the practice of family law.” Fry is one of only 19 members of the AAML in the state of Oklahoma.

“It was an honor to attend this program,” Page said. “It certainly was not a beginner program. It covered advance family law issues, especially financial and property issues. Some of the program’s courses included preparing a QDRO and other instruments to divide retirement assets, deciphering tax returns, business valuation methods and principles and same sex issues in custody cases.”

The AAML program and its courses were designed to train associates to begin handling complex family law litigation in conjunction with the AAML fellow in their firm.

Oklahoma Child Support Lawyer Amy Page has Extensive State Agency Experience

While Page is less than six months into her tenure at Fry & Elder, she is a highly-regarded and experienced Oklahoma child support lawyer and has enhanced the firm’s appellate-litigation and child-support enforcement practices.

Before arriving at Fry & Elder in March of 2017, Page spent 17 years with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS). She stated in a May, 2017 Tulsa Business & Legal News article, which spotlighted her Fry & Elder arrival, that her reasoning to join a private practice was because of the following:

“I liked the sense of teamwork and the desire to continue learning about the law. I also felt that I would have someone to go to if I needed advice. I bring a wealth of knowledge of child support law and how to work with state agencies to the firm. Most of all, I like being part of a family that will take care of you.”

In addition to completing the esteemed AAML Institute for Law Associates, Page was named the 2009 Outstanding Family Law Attorney by the OBA Family Law Section and also received the 2014 and 2016 Chair Award by the OBA Family Law Section.

She falls in line with a long list of Fry & Elder attorneys who actively seek out CLE and professional development opportunities. Fry & Elder trial lawyers have traveled to London, Atlanta, New Orleans, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Washington D.C., Fort Lauderdale and Miami for CLE and professional developments conferences and seminars this year.

Oklahoma child support lawyer

Why Experience the Fry & Elder Difference?

Page is one of many elite family law attorneys at Fry & Elder – an arena of law which the firm has excelled in for nearly 50 years. The firm has been named to the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firm’s list from 2014-2017. The firm’s vaunted lineup of attorneys includes:

Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to set up a consultation with Page or another accomplished Oklahoma family law attorney.

Fry & Elder Immigration Law Attorney Calvillo Gives Back, Issues Challenge

The opportunity to give back has always been the driving force behind Ruth Calvillo’s decision to get into law. Thursday afternoon at her alma mater, the University of Tulsa College of Law, the Fry & Elder immigration law attorney continued to give back and issued a challenge directly to TU’s incoming class of law students.

Fry & Elder immigration law attorney

“I shared with the students how my own background and upbringing had led me to want to pursue a career and field of work where I could provide people and children with access to justice,” Calvillo said. “I explained to the students how lucky and privileged they were to attend an institution like TU law; that their upcoming years at TU law would give them a wonderful education and life-long memories and, thus, they had a duty to give back to the community where TU is located.

“I challenged those students to give at least an hour a week of their time to the surrounding community whether it’s in a legal capacity or otherwise.”

Less than six months into her tenure at Fry & Elder, Calvillo has only strengthened what already was a proven and highly-decorated staff of attorneys. Not only is she licensed to practice in both Oklahoma and California, Calvillo was accepted earlier this month into the Oklahoma Bar Association Leadership Academy shortly after completing the OBA FLS Trial Advocacy Institute.

“We are extremely proud of Ruth and all that she has accomplished here in a short time,” Fry & Elder partner M. Shane Henry said. “Immigration law is a rapidly growing practice area of ours, and she is really doing great work for her clients and us.”

Fry & Elder immigration law attorney

Fry & Elder Immigration Law Attorney has a Powerful Story

Calvillo was exposed to a lot as a first-generation American growing up in Los Angeles. She realized at a young age that immigrants were in need of a voice who would advocate and fight for them, especially sexual assault and domestic violence victims.

“I grew up in a low-income community so for me to have the ability to be able to give back is something that I feel very passionate about,” Calvillo said. “I know how important it is for immigrants to have an advocate – someone who will fight for them. I am very passionate about working with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. It is important to empower these people and show them that they don’t have to stay in an abusive relationship.”

Calvillo, along with her mentor and fellow Fry & Elder immigration law attorney Lorena Rivas, are continually advocating for immigrants throughout Oklahoma and the Southwestern part of the United States. She left law school students at TU with this powerful and compelling example of the type of clients Fry & Elder immigration law attorneys fight for on a day-to-day basis.

“I talked about how even though I was now at a private law firm, I was fortunate enough to work for a supervisor who also believes in helping others who most need it,” Calvillo said. “Because of that, we (Lorena and I) currently represent four siblings who are in DHS custody. My work as an immigration law attorney has been humbling, challenging and incredibly rewarding.”

Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to set up a consultation with Calvillo, Rivas or another accomplished Oklahoma trial lawyer.

Melissa Fell Takes Fry & Elder Name Across International Waters

The acclaimed Oklahoma law firm of Fry & Elder successfully navigated its way through international waters this summer after firm attorney Melissa Fell crossed the Atlantic to visit the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in London.

Melissa Fell

Fell, who has been with Fry & Elder since 2015, is a Hudson-Hall-Wheaton American Inn of Court member which enabled her access to the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. Accompanied by her son Tobin, Fell met with the esteemed Barrister Dr. Giuseppe Calá during her tour. The meeting opens the door for Fry & Elder to better operate and advocate for clients on the international level.

“It was a great experience and opportunity,” Fell said. The contact with Dr. Calá forges a new international relationship for our firm so we have resources beyond our borders to assist clients should the need arise.  We are a resource for international child custody, adoption, guardianship and other family law matters that clients may need.

“While our world becomes increasingly smaller through advanced communication ability through internet and email, nothing can replace the connections that are made by personally visiting with others in distant locations and building relationships with those beyond our borders.  We can always benefit from exposure to other systems, cultures and ways of approaching our profession.  I look forward to building on my new relationships and not only learning more about the legal systems abroad but also making myself available to other members of our profession, as well as clients, from other countries, as well.”

Fell’s meeting with Dr. Cala and visit of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple was spotlighted in an article written by Tulsa County District Judge Caroline Wall, who also serves as the President for Tulsa’s Hudson-Hall-Wheaton Chapter of the American Inn of Court.

The Hudson-Hall-Wheaton official website defines the American Inns of Court as:

“An association of lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals from all levels and backgrounds who share a passion for professional excellence. Through regular meetings, members are able to build and strengthen professional relationships; discuss fundamental concerns about professionalism and pressing legal issues of the day; share experiences and advice; exhort the utmost passion and dedication for the law; provide mentoring opportunities; and advance the highest levels of integrity, ethics, and civility.”

Melissa Fell

The experienced Tulsa family law attorney credited her childhood friend Wall for introducing her to the American Inns of Court and insisting that she join the Hudson-Hall-Wheaton Chapter.

“She made a special effort at the recent leadership summit she attended in Boston to reach out to the appropriate person in the organization to help me make the arrangements for my visit,” Fell said. “Her efforts made my visit not only possible but ensured that I was treated as an honored guest at lunch at the Middle Temple.  My son Tobin and I were escorted into the magnificent main dining hall of the Temple, and for a moment I felt as if I had entered the setting of the Harry Potter movies.  But I soon realized that this was in fact the real deal and where movies and fiction gather their inspiration from.”

That a Fry & Elder attorney took part in an international professional development and continuing legal education opportunity should come as no surprise. Perhaps no other Oklahoma firm embraces CLE and professional development opportunities like Fry & Elder.

In the past nine months alone, Fry & Elder trial lawyers have traveled to Las Vegas, New Orleans, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Miami and now London for CLE conferences and seminars

“Our firm and its attorneys realize the importance continuing legal education and gaining different insight and perspectives,” Fell said. “It’s one of the most dynamic aspects about working at Fry & Elder and alongside so many great and committed attorneys.”

Fell concluded her experience at the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in London saying this:

“The history of the Inn is ever present in the armorial shields hanging on the walls to the exquisite stained-glass windows. Just for context on how historic the Middle Temple is, the hallowed hall was the site of the first performance of The Twelfth Night on February 2, 1601 by Shakespeare’s own company. It has seen centuries of famous members of the legal profession pass through its halls.  Five members signed the Declaration of Independence and seven signed the United States Constitution.  We have much to be grateful for to the members of The Middle Temple.”

Why Experience the Fry & Elder Difference?

For over 50 years, Fry & Elder has been synonymous with Oklahoma family law excellence. The firm has been named to the U.S. News & World Report’s prestigious Best Law Firm’s list from 2014-2017. In addition to family law, Fry & Elder also offers immigration law, criminal law and personal injury legal services. Fry & Elder’s lineup of decorated attorneys include:

Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to set up a personal consultation with Melissa Fell or another acclaimed Oklahoma trial lawyer.

 

Fry Jr. Joins Exclusive, Elite Company With Significant Sig Award

Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr’s lifelong commitment to the Sigma Chi Fraternity in 1963 was fully recognized June 24, 2017 in Providence, Rhode Island.

Significant Sig Award

Site of the fraternity’s 81st Annual Grand Chapter, Fry joined elite and exclusive company when he was honored with the Significant Sig Award for his professional achievements and devotion to Sigma Chi since his initiation into the fraternity in 1963.

The Fry & Elder partner and Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year for Family Law in Tulsa 2016 is now a member of the same exclusive club that includes John Wayne, Brad Pitt, David Letterman, J. Willard Marriott Jr., Woody Harrelson and a host of other distinguished Sigma Chi’s who have garnered the Significant Sig Award over the years.

“I have been fortunate to be recognized with some very nice and heartfelt honors and awards over the years,” Fry (Gamma Psi 1964; Delta Omega 1967) said. “This one ranks way, way up there with any award I’ve ever received. You look at the people who have been recognized as Significant Sigs and just see how successful and well known they are – it’s pretty impressive.”

Sigma Chi began in 1855 and in 1935 the fraternity incorporated the Significant Sig Award as the well-known fraternity’s first major honor. Less than one-half of one percent of Sigma Chi initiates receive the Significant Sig Award.

Fry was accompanied at the Grand Chapter event by his youngest daughter Ashley Derdzinski, her husband Seth Derdzinski and friend Sharon Miller.

“It was a great event – they really did it up right,” Ashley Derdzinski said. “Growing up I always knew how much Sigma Chi and its values have meant to my dad. To see him receive such special recognition from his fraternity was a very special thing to be a part of and witness. His whole family and I are extremely proud of him.”

During a 2016 reunion trip back to his undergraduate (Gamma Psi) chapter at Michigan State University, Fry said the chapter’s undergraduates and some alums said they were going to nominate him for the honor.

“I told them that was fine, but I wasn’t going to be nominating myself,” Fry said. “I really didn’t think there was a chance I’d get it.”

Significant Sig Award

Fry was notified in early 2017 that he would in fact be receiving the honor in June. That Fry garnered the coveted Significant Sig Award really is not shocking. He has excelled in a number of different arenas throughout his life.

He was an Oklahoma high school state champion wrestler at Tulsa Edison Preparatory School before moving on to Michigan State and wrestling for the Spartans. After a successful college wrestling career, Fry then turned his focus to academics and graduated with his J.D. from the University of Tulsa College of Law.

Fry quickly established himself as a prestigious and elite Tulsa divorce and child custody attorney. He is one of only 19 attorneys in Oklahoma to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He also is AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® and has garnered Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyers® accolades since 2011 and 2007, respectively.

Fry, along with the Oklahoma law firm’s 11 other highly-decorated attorneys, have helped Fry & Elder establish itself as a nationally-recognized firm. The U.S. News & World Report named the iconic Oklahoma law firm to its Best Law Firm’s list from 2014-2017. Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City today to set up a personal consultation with Fry or another experienced and accomplished Oklahoma trial lawyer.

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