Best Lawyers® unveiled its highly-anticipated 24th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© on Aug. 15, 2017, and for the first time in firm history the acclaimed Oklahoma law firm of Fry & Elder had two of its trial lawyers listed. Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. was selected for his prowess in family law for an eighth consecutive year, while fellow firm partner M. Shane Henry was selected for the first time for his excellence in family law and family mediation.
The listings are significant for numerous reasons: First and foremost because Best Lawyers® is considered to be the “oldest and most respected peer review publication in the legal profession.” Those attorneys selected by Best Lawyers® go through an intense peer review process in which fellow attorneys confidentially evaluate their colleagues.
As Best Lawyers® states on its website, “if the votes for an attorney are positive enough for recognition in Best Lawyers, that attorney must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain in each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be recognized by Best Lawyers®.”
“I am very honored to be selected by Best Lawyers,” Henry said. “This award is recognition of the achievements, accomplishments and talent of our entire team here at Fry & Elder. Each day, I get to work with true professionals that constantly strive to improve as trial lawyers and advocates for our clients. We are a team here at Fry & Elder.”
That philosophy has served Henry and Fry & Elder well over the years. The iconic Oklahoma law firm has experienced unprecedented growth and expansion since he joined Fry & Elder in 2010, growing from three attorneys in 2010 to its current lineup of 14 full-time practicing trial lawyers.
Henry also is largely responsible for Fry & Elder opening Oklahoma City offices earlier this year and expanding its legal practice areas into immigration law, criminal law and personal injury law.
That said Fry & Elder’s calling card remains family law, including divorce and child custody, and Henry has reinforced this notion over the years. He was named the 2016 Family Law Attorney of the Year by the Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section and is one of three Fry & Elder trial lawyers to serve as the Chair of the Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section in the past four years.
Additionally, Henry is an AV-rated trial lawyer and has been named to Super Lawyers® Rising Stars list the past four years.
“Best Lawyers is a very big deal,” fellow Fry & Elder partner Aaron D. Bundy said. “This is big for Shane and the firm. It’s certainly well deserved. He works as hard as any attorney out there.”
While Henry embodies Fry & Elder’s continued excellence in family law, Fry Jr. defines it. He is considered by many to be the Best Tulsa Divorce lawyer, and he has the credentials to back that claim up.
Fry was named the Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year for Family Law in Tulsa 2016 and is one of only 19 attorneys in the state to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. His eighth consecutive Best Lawyers’ listing also concludes what can only be described as a memorable and remarkable summer for the long-time trial lawyer.
Fry joined the likes of John Wayne Brad Pitt, David Letterman and a host of other well-known celebrities, professionals and athletes when he was given the Significant Sig Award by the Sigma Chi Fraternity this past June.
“It’s been a very enjoyable and memorable year,” said Fry, who is nearing his 50th year of practicing law, but still going strong. “Honors like these are greatly appreciated and are never taken for granted. A Best Lawyers listing is significant because it is how your professional peers view you as an attorney. It is a tremendous compliment, and it is very satisfying to have Shane make Best Lawyers. I anticipate that there will be other Fry & Elder attorneys on the list in the very near future. Our firm is in great, great shape.”
With Fry and Henry leading the way, Fry & Elder has made the U.S. News & World Report’s elite Best Law Firms list from 2014-2017 and is in prime position to make the list for a fifth consecutive year. The list will be unveiled on Nov. 1.
Contact Fry & Elder Tulsa or Fry & Elder Oklahoma City to set up a personal consultation with Fry, Henry or another experienced Oklahoma trial lawyer.