Fry & Elder

Tulsa Family Law Firm Focusing on Divorce, Child Custody & Litigation

Tulsa, OK Law Firm
918.585.1107

Fry & Elder’s “Tulsa Super Lawyers” Continue to Shine

Tulsa Super Lawyers are in abundance at 1630 S. Main Street.

Tulsa Super Lawyers

The highly-reputable legal publication Super Lawyers® unveiled its list of 2018 honorees, and Fry & Elder was again well represented.

Fry & Elder’s Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr., Aaron D. Bundy, Lorena Rivas and T. Luke Barteaux were each selected for inclusion.

This year marks the 12th consecutive year Fry has designated as Super Lawyer for family law, while Bundy (2013-18), Barteaux (2014-18) and Rivas (2018) were each selected as Super Lawyers Rising Stars.

“Very, very pleased with how well our firm is represented,” Fry said. “Each are extremely accomplished and very deserving. I’m particularly thrilled for Lorena. She’s been a vital part to our firm’s success these past few years and has been worthy of recognition since she joined Fry & Elder (in 2015).

Super Lawyers Selection Further Validates Big Year, Stellar Career for Rivas

For Rivas, 2018 marks her first year to garner Super Lawyers accolades, but as Fry alluded to, Rivas has distinguished herself as one of Tulsa’s top immigration attorneys for quite some time.

She was the recipient of the 2018 Fern Holland Award which is annually given to a lawyer who advocates for human rights or the empowerment of women, and Rivas has traveled to Washington D.C. multiple times to meet with legislators to discuss immigration law reform and improved policies.

Rivas was additionally recognized in 2016 by the Tulsa Business & Legal News as being one of the city’s most accomplished professional women with their annual Women of Distinction Awards.

On multiple occasions, the prominent Tulsa immigration attorney has shared her powerful testimony on what led her into immigration law on multiple occasions and continues to looked at as an authority figure in immigration law.

“Super Lawyers is one of the most esteemed publications in our profession so I am very thrilled to be selected,” Rivas said. “It’s always an honor to receive recognition – be it from a client, colleague or publication such as Super Lawyers.”

Tulsa Super Lawyers

Super Lawyers Selection Process Second to None

What helps set Super Lawyers apart from other legal publications is its highly-regarded selection process. Only the best 5 percent of attorneys in a specific practice area are selected as Super Lawyers, while 2.5 percent of lawyers in a given practice area are chosen as Rising Stars.

The Super Lawyers website says the selection process is as follows:

“Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented multiphase selection process. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis.

“The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for attorneys and consumers searching for legal counsel. Since Super Lawyers is intended to be used as an aid in selecting a lawyer, we limit the lawyer.” ratings to those who can be hired and retained by the public, i.e., lawyers in private practice and Legal Aid attorneys.”

Tulsa Super Lawyers

Fry & Elder Tulsa Super Lawyers to Continue Momentum

The honors and accolades for Fry & Elder do not figure to stop any time soon in 2018. The prestigious Oklahoma law firm is vying to make the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms List for a sixth consecutive year.

The U.S. News & World Report will unveil its list on Nov. 1.

Fry, meanwhile, continues to be recognized for his 50th year of practicing law. He was recently recognized by the Tulsa County Bar Association during its Annual Awards Banquet in August for 50 years of membership with the TCBA.

“It always feels great to be recognized by your peers and colleagues,” Fry said. “Honors and awards such as these are never taken for granted. The firm and myself are very appreciative.”

Contact Fry & Elder to set up a personal consultation with a team of Tulsa Super Lawyers.

Bundy, Rivas Among Seminole County Las Vegas CLE Headliners

Seminole County has found a home away from home in Clark County.

For the 12th consecutive year, the Seminole County Bar Association held its annual and highly-regarded Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Aaron Bundy Las Vegas CLE presentation

And just as he has the previous two years, Fry & Elder trial lawyer Aaron D. Bundy made the journey out to the desert. This time around, the prominent Tulsa attorney was joined by Fry & Elder immigration law attorney Lorena Rivas at the Seminole County Bar Association’s 12th Annual Las Vegas CLE.

The two decorated Fry & Elder trial lawyers combined to present for 3 of the 7 hours of the CLE credit offered during the yearly seminar held at the Golden Nugget Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

“Judge Tim Olsen and the Seminole County Bar Association absolutely run a first-class event,” Bundy said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to be asked to present the past three years, and the conference just gets better and better every year. It’s an absolute honor to be invited to present. I always look forward to the opportunity to attend their CLE event.”

The Intersection of Immigration Law with Family Law & Criminal Law Highlights Las Vegas CLE

It is not surprising that Bundy continues to be recruited to present at the event. Over the years, Bundy has established himself as one of the most sought-after speakers in Oklahoma on a variety of CLE topics.

Bundy whose practice at Fry & Elder is focused on family law, criminal defense and personal injury, was the co-recipient of the 2017 Earl Sneed Award for his significant and outstanding continuing legal education contributions.

The AV-rated and Super Lawyers® decorated attorney presentation was titled: “The Intersection of Immigration Law and Family Law.”

“Family law matters often intersect with a number of different legal practice areas, including criminal law and immigration law,” Bundy said. “Immigration law is a hot-topic issue right now which affects a lot of families.”

Lorena Las Vegas CLE presentation

Also a highly-regarded speaker, Rivas picked an excellent year to attend her first Seminole County Bar Association Las Vegas CLE.

As Bundy alluded to, immigration law practices are a major issue of discussion and Rivas is widely considered to be an authority figure in Oklahoma immigration law.

Four of the five seminar sessions offered at the Las Vegas CLE conference focused on immigration law, including Rivas’ seminar titled: “An Overview of the Immigration Affirmative Process – What Every Practitioner Should Know.”

Rivas, the 2018 Fern Holland Award Winner, also presented on “The Intersection of Immigration Law and Criminal Law.” All total, the accomplished Tulsa immigration attorney presented for two hours at the event.

“Aaron has always spoken so highly of this event and how good a job Judge Olsen and the Seminole County Bar Association do with it,” Rivas said. “It was a fantastic seminar and a great opportunity for me discuss immigration law with some very respected and distinguished legal minds. I am very thankful for the opportunity to present.”

Judge Olsen was pleased to have both Bundy and Rivas on board this year in Las Vegas.

“Our CLE had an immigration law theme this year, and Lorena’s presentation was very informative for the general practitioner,” Judge Olsen said. “She is obviously well versed in the subject area and is excellent at presenting it in a way that is easy to understand.

“Aaron focused on immigration and family law issues. As always, he was very prepared and presented the materials in a professional and entertaining manner.”

Experience the Fry & Elder Difference

Bundy and Rivas are just two of many decorated attorneys with Fry & Elder. The firm has been named to the U.S. News & World Report’s elite Best Law Firms list each of the past five years and its team of attorneys include:

Contact Fry & Elder today to set up a personal consultation with a skilled and experienced Oklahoma trial lawyer.

Highly-Regarded Tulsa Immigration Attorney Weighs in on Child Separation

Highly-regarded Tulsa immigration attorney

California immigration attorney Angeline Chen was torn between what action to initially take when she recently volunteered at the border in Tijuana, Mexico to help a 150-person caravan of immigrants from Central America with the U.S. asylum process.

As reported in a July story by Today.com, the potential scene of children being separated from their parents was one which haunted Chen.

“It is so overwhelming, Chen said. “Do you give the children teddy bears and blankets or do we give them attorneys?”

While immigration law has been a constant hot-topic legal issue for decades, Fry & Elder immigration attorney Lorena Rivas says immigration law policies reached a boiling point this past May when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that those caught illegally crossing the border would face criminal prosecution.

The decision prompted the separation of 2,342 migrant children from their parents between early May and June 19 as reported in this NPR article.

Though President Donald Trump has since modified his stance on family separation to keep families intact even though a zero-tolerance policy will remain in place, Rivas believes the repercussions of the initial separations continue to be impactful and far reaching.

“It’s a very tragic and unfortunate mess,” Rivas said. “For the children and parents who have been separated from one another, it’s not a simple quick fix to locate one another. Many immigrants may be undocumented and those with documentation may have had their documents lost in the shuffle. It becomes further complicated for those with a solid claim for asylum, as they are simply trying to escape violent, life-threatening situations from their home countries.”

Fiancé Visa

What can be Done to Help?

First and foremost, Rivas believes there needs to greater awareness brought to the legal issues and uncertainty surrounding the southern border; but the highly-regarded Tulsa immigration attorney also said additional attention needs to be given to the organizations and programs available which people can donate to and support.

These include the following:

ACLU

This well-known organization is currently raising money to “defend asylum-seeking parents forcibly separated from their children.”

NPR recently reported how a federal judge in Washington D.C. ordered the return of an asylum-seeker from El Salvador.

Judge Emmet Sullivan “threatened to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt because the government had spirited the woman away while her case was still pending.”

The ACLU has publicly stated that “separating families is inhumane.”

Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project

The ASAP provides an abundant amount of support for refugee families who come to the U.S. because of “unspeakable violence” in their home countries.

The organization has recently sued U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to further fight family separation and human rights violations.

The Texas Civil Rights Project

Closer to home, the TCRP continues to be proactive in its quest to assist asylum-seeking families.

The organization recently denounced the Trump administration’s plan to vacate the Flores Settlement Agreement, which has shaped detention standards for underage migrants since 1997, and expand family detention capabilities.

The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration will increase the size of a tent camp for migrant children outside El Paso from 1,200 beds to as many as 3,800.

The TCRP issues the following statement in response:

“The Trump administration has found a new low in the family separation crisis: seeking indefinite imprisonment of children. Any attempt to withdraw from the Flores Settlement Agreement in order to circumvent previous court orders and expand family detention is wholly unacceptable.

“For months, we watched in horror as children were ripped from their parents, but the remedy for family separation is not, and never will be, indefinitely locking up whole families in immigration prisons.”

Leading Tulsa immigration attorney

A Highly-Regarded Tulsa Immigration Attorney Who Cares

A native of Mutual, Oklahoma, Rivas is a first-generation American who takes great pride in being able to represent the Oklahoma Latino community as a highly-regarded Tulsa immigration attorney.

“I’m a Mexican-American,” Lorena 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 done just that, and continues to make an impact as a highly-regarded Tulsa immigration attorney. She has traveled multiple times to Capital Hill to meet with legislators to advocate for immigration law reform and improved policies.

Rivas also is the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Fern Holland Award. As a respected professional in the Tulsa community, she was selected to take part in the Leadership Tulsa Class 60 for 2018-2019.

Her immigration law practice areas at Fry & Elder include the following:

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

Oklahoma Cyberbullying Attorney Discusses Cyberbullying Effects

Technological advancements have increased the opportunities for students of all ages to be successful. Unfortunately, the same advancements have given some pre-teen and teenagers an arena to further facilitate their bullying and abusive tactics around the clock.

Tulsa school bullying attorney Katie Egan

Kathleen M. Egan

Cyberbullying has become more commonplace in Oklahoma and throughout the United States, as it affects many students and young adults. Some reports claim that “more than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.”

Fry & Elder Oklahoma cyberbullying attorney Katie Egan believes cyberbullying presents a real problem for many of today’s youths, particularly those enrolled in middle school, high school and college.

The accomplished trial attorney, who is licensed to practice in Connecticut and New York, in addition to Oklahoma, wishes to provide the following insight into Oklahoma cyberbullying tactics, their effects and what you can do to protect yourself or your child from cyberbullying.

Understanding Oklahoma Cyberbullying

Unlike physical, face-to-face bullying, cyberbullying does not end once the initial encounter is over.

Because cyberbullying occurs through digital technology mediums like email, text messaging and social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, cyberbullying incidents frequently operate on 24-hour per day cycle, making it all the more difficult for the victim to escape from the acts of intimidation, harassment and embarrassment.

Cyberbullying becomes even more difficult to monitor and trace because the attacker can easily hide behind a keyboard anonymously and post the offensive messages to a wide audience. Once those messages and posts are sent they are often difficult to delete.

The Potential Effects of Cyberbullying

The effects of cyberbullying can have very serious consequences for both the victim and the perpetrator. These could include any of the following.

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Insomnia
  • Drug and alcohol use
  • Health problems
  • Low self-esteem
  • Suicidal thoughts or actions

Those who instigate the cyberbullying attacks may not initially realize the repercussion of their actions, but they can lead to a host of problems down the road which could include losing employment and education opportunities and potentially facing criminal charges.

If a cyberbullying incident was sexual in nature – such as sexting or sending and posting sexual pictures – the offender could be registered as a sex offender.

Oklahoma Cyberbullying Laws in Place

Oklahoma HB 1661 was signed into law in 2013. Known as the School Safety and Bullying Prevention Act, the bill addresses bullying in general, but it gives schools greater authority to specifically address cyberbullying acts.

As stated in a 2017 TeenSafe.com article,

“With the new law, schools can use law enforcement to intervene. It allows schools to maintain internal records of cyberbullying for police investigation. It ultimately relieves Oklahoma schools from having to address it themselves when their hands are often tied from any meaningful ramification. It moves the punishment from a school consequence to legal matter.”

Oklahoma cyberbullying attorney

Why the Need for an Experienced Oklahoma Cyberbullying Attorney?

Though the passing of Oklahoma HB 1661 was a move in the right direction for Oklahoma schools, students and educators, cyberbullying incidents often feature many gray and murky areas, making it all the more important to contact an experienced Oklahoma cyberbullying attorney.

Whether you have been a victim of cyberbullying or are being accused of committing cyberbullying attack, an experienced Oklahoma cyberbullying attorney will keep your best interests in mind and help you efficiently navigate through the process to provide you with the best outcome.

Fry & Elder Oklahoma cyberbullying attorney Katie Egan is knowledgeable and well-versed in the many different forms of bullying – physical and cyberbullying – which take place in out of school.

Egan is a member of a firm which has been named to the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms List every year since 2014, and a team of trial lawyers who are some of the most distinguished in the state and include:

If you feel your child or someone close to you is a victim of a cyberbullying attach or is being falsely accused of cyberbullying, we encourage you to contact Fry & Elder Tulsa today to set up a personal consultation with an experienced Oklahoma cyberbullying attorney.

Leading Tulsa Divorce Attorney Fry Makes Best Lawyers List

Speeding around the Go-Kart track at Andy B’s Tulsa with his youngest grandson Clarke riding shotgun, Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. looked far removed from his day-to-day job as a leading Tulsa divorce attorney.

Leading Tulsa divorce attorney

Yes, Fry looked at ease zipping around the track and lapping the field which also included his son and youngest daughter. But when a pile up stopped the action, Fry couldn’t resist the urge to revert back to his true professional calling.

With his Go-Kart stopped in the middle of the track, Fry calmly reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone … to call a client back.

To those who know Fry, both personally and professionally, the move was hardly surprising.

For 50 years and counting, Fry has gone the extra mile, and the leading Tulsa divorce attorney continues to be handsomely rewarded for his hard work and dedication.

Best Lawyers® publicly unveiled its 2019 listings on Aug. 15 and for the ninth consecutive year, Fry was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers© in America in the field of family law.

“It is a very big honor,” said Fry, who was named Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year for Family Law in Oklahoma 2016. “To be recognized by my peers and colleagues, particularly at this stage in my career, is very humbling and satisfying. Honors such as this are never taken lightly or for granted, and Best Lawyers® is as good of a legal publication as we have in our industry.”

Best Lawyers® Selection Process Among the Most Rigorous

That Fry has been listed by The Best Lawyers in America© every year since 2011 is no small feat. The publication is widely viewed as the oldest and most respected peer review publication in the legal profession.

Much of this has to do with the rigorous selection process Best Lawyers® employs. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be recognized by Best Lawyers. As the website states:

“Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

“Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.”

Leading Tulsa Divorce Attorney Fry Continues to Thrive

Because of Fry’s stature and longevity as a prominent Tulsa family law attorney, he has attained no shortage of accolades during a sparkling career.

In addition to being listed by Best Lawyers®, Fry is an 11-time Super Lawyers honoree, an AV-rated attorney by Martindal-Hubbell®, a 2018 Significant Sig Award Winner and he is one of only 19 attorneys in the state to be a Fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

“He has had a remarkable career and continues to operate at an amazing level,” Fry & Elder immigration attorney Lorena Rivas said. “He’s seen it all and done it all. Myself and all the other trial lawyers here at Fry & Elder have learned and continue to learn so much from him on a day-to-day basis.”

While Fry was the only Fry & Elder attorney selected for inclusion in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers©, he believes it is only a matter of time before other attorneys join him on the list from Fry & Elder.

The firm has been named U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms List each of the past five years and features an energetic and decorated team of attorneys which also include:

“We have a really talented team in place, and we work well together,” Fry said. “Each attorney brings a unique skillset to the firm which has only enhanced our profile and breadth of services. Many of them have already done some great things, and I only see them getting better down the road. The awards will come, no doubt about it.”

And with those words, Fry reached into his pocket to retrieve his cell phone and whisked away.

He had a client’s call to return.

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

Divorcing a Control Freak in Oklahoma Requires Strategy

It has been well documented that divorcing a narcissist can be a very difficult obstacle to overcome. With that said, divorcing a control freak in Oklahoma presents a whole new bag of issues and challenges for many individuals, as a “my way or the highway” attitude is the calling card of many control freaks.

Divorcing a control freak in Oklahoma

Simply put: this is not the type of mindset any party should be subjected to in what is supposed to be a shared and committed relationship.

If you or someone close to you is trying to end a relationship with a control freak, our experienced and accomplished team of Tulsa divorce attorneys at Fry & Elder empathize with the challenges you are facing and wish to offer some strategies to incorporate when divorcing a control freak in Oklahoma.

Self-Preservation is a Must

If you have been involved in a serious relationship with a control freak, chances are your self-esteem has taken a hit. This, however, should not be the case.

By seeking to end the toxic relationship, you have taken arguably the biggest step in reclaiming your life.

Keep moving forward.

Seek out friends and family to interact with and lean on, particularly during rough times. Think about trying out different activities such as taking up CrossFit, a cooking class or attending a Meetup group which will allow you to further showcase your individualism and newfound independence.

Tulsa immigration law

Document Everything

Whether you are divorcing a narcissist or a control freak, it is important that you keep records of all correspondence, including text messages, emails, voicemails and social media messaging/posts. This will help you further validate and reinforce your ex’s controlling patterns.

Documentation could also be particularly useful to your attorney when he or she advocates for you in court or in mediation.

Establish Boundaries

This likely won’t be easy, but establishing boundaries will be vital in your quest to terminate a relationship with a control freak.

One boundary you could establish would be to limit correspondence to only one communication channel (email) to correspond with your ex. You may even want to take it a step further and limit communication with your ex to just one day per week.

If you have children, another boundary you likely would want to implement would be to have a neutral pickup and drop-off location that’s open to the public so that you have witnesses should your ex act hostile toward you.

Annual Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Conference

Understand the Core Issue Behind a Controlling Personality

In establishing boundaries and limitations, it is important to understand that at the root of most control freaks are deeply-rooted issues with anxiety.

As Psychology Today pointed out in a 2015 article:

“While there are some out there who are controlling because they are into power or feel entitled and expect the world to go their way, for most controlling people it’s all about anxiety. Control is a bad solution—but it’s not the problem.

“Often such people grew up in chaotic environments, or with anxious or even abusive parents. As children they walked on eggshells, looking over their shoulders. To cope, they became hypervigilant—always on alert, always anticipating problems.”

Why the Need for an Experienced Attorney When Divorcing a Control Freak in Oklahoma

Divorcing a control freak in Oklahoma or anywhere else presents a difficult set of challenges, making it all the more imperative to consult with an experienced Tulsa divorce attorney as soon as possible.

Fry & Elder’s team of family law attorneys are some of the most decorated in the state and include the following:

Fry & Elder has also been named to the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms List each of the past five years.

Contact Fry & Elder today to set up a personal consultation with an established and experienced Tulsa divorce attorney.

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.

Oklahoma immigration law practice

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.”

Leading Tulsa Immigration Attorney

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

Leading Tulsa immigration attorney

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:

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

Marianela Estrella Schwabe Took Unique Path to Fry & Elder

Marianela Estrella Schwabe’s journey into becoming the newest associate attorney at Fry & Elder is compelling to say the least.

Marianela Estrella Schwabe

Estrella Schwabe joined Fry & Elder in July and will work directly under highly-regarded Tulsa immigration law attorney Lorena Rivas.

“I am thrilled to be working for Lorena at Fry & Elder,” Marianela Estrella Schwabe said. “Lorena has been a fantastic immigration attorney for a number of years and has a great reputation, as does the Fry & Elder name. It’s a great opportunity for me.”

Of the seven attorneys now with Fry & Elder, Estrella Schwabe’s path to the elite Oklahoma law firm might be the most unique.

Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Estrella Schwabe did not spend an extended amount of time in the United States until she came to Tulsa in 1995-1996 as a high-school exchange student.

After graduating from Sapulpa High School in 1996, Estrella Schwabe returned to the Dominican Republic where she attended law school. She then ventured to Paris, France for two years (2001-2003) to attain her Masters in Civil Law.

Estralla Schwabe’s fascinating ride did not stop there. She went back to the Dominican Republic to briefly work at her mother’s firm before moving back to Tulsa in 2004 and then attending and graduating from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2014.

“I guess I did take a rather unique route to get here,” Marianela Estrella Schwabe said. “I don’t think we took classes together, but I actually met Lorena in law school, and I have been working with her off and on since 2012 – first as a legal intern and now as an associate.”

Fry & Elder offers the following immigration services which Estrella Schwabe will focus on.

Due to her background and personal experiences, immigration law was a natural fit for Estrella Schwabe.

“The main reason why I chose to get into immigration law is because of my experiences as an immigrant going through the immigration process – from tourist visa, student visa, work H1-B visa to permanent residence and citizenship process,” Marianela Estrella Schwabe said. “I understand what the process entails and there are a lot of people out there who need the help of an attorney, particularly right now.”

Estrella Schwabe, who recently gave birth to a baby son, will work for Fry & Elder on a part-time basis so that she can spend time with her newborn.

She will help take over for Ruth Calvillo, who recently left Fry & Elder to return to the Los Angeles area to be closer with her family and work at a nonprofit organization as a child advocate.

“Ruth did an amazing job for me,” Rivas said. “It was very tough to see her go, but Marianela is an extremely detailed and thoughtful individual who will be a great addition to the Fry & Elder team.”

If you or someone close to you needs immigration law assistance, contact Fry & Elder today.

Barteaux Named to Metro Christian Academy Foundation Board

Fry & Elder trial lawyer T. Luke Barteaux’s ascension up the professional ranks continues to trend up.

Nearly one year after Barteaux become the first Fry & Elder lawyer to be sworn in as a judge, the experienced Tulsa attorney was appointed to serve on the Metro Christian Academy Foundation Board.

Metro Christian Academy Foundation Board

Barteaux’s appointment as a Metro Christian Academy Foundation Board member is meaningful for multiple reasons, the primary one being that he is a high school graduate of Metro Christian Academy, which first opened its doors as a school in 1983 and presently educates over 1,000 Preschool through 12th Grade students.

“It’s quite an honor to be asked to be on the board,” Barteaux said. “Metro is a place that holds a lot of special memories to me. It’s a great school and embodies many of the core values I believe need to be passed down to future students and generations – my children included.”

The Metro Christian Academy Foundation Board is made up of the following members: Michael Junk, Andrea Harmon, Donna Briggs, Matt Pinnell, Tamara Cornell, Melody Dixon, Jake Schooley, Jay Condry and Ryan Griesemer, along with Barteaux.

Bonnie Polak, Metro’s Director of Advancement and Community Relations, wrote that the board’s mission statement is to “… provide resources to further the vision of Metro Christian Academy, through fundraising, community relations and sound advisement.”

Polak added that the school encourages board members to play an active role, but that the group prides itself on supporting each other as a team with a belief that there are plentiful opportunities for board members to learn and grow with the organization.

Barteaux said he is excited to work alongside a committed and dedicated group.

“I know a few members on the board a little better than some of the others, but I am looking forward to getting to know the others and develop a strong working relationship with each member to further advance Metro Christian Academy, and its ideals,” Barteaux said. “The school has excellent resources and support which also includes the Foundation Board.”

Metro Christian Academy Foundation Board Members meet every other month.

Busy Year Continues for Experienced Tulsa Attorney Barteaux

To say 2018 has been an active year for Barteaux would be an understatement.

He was named to Super Lawyers® Rising Stars list for a fifth consecutive year and was reappointed as Cherokee Nation District Court Judge in February of 2018 through February of 2022.

“Luke has been doing very well for us,” Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. said. “I’ve had my eye on him for a while now and I really believe his career is taking off.”

Barteaux’s has helped Fry & Elder make the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms List every year since 2014.

Much of Barteaux’s practice at Fry & Elder focuses on family law, including divorce and child custody issues, adoptions and criminal defense.

Contact Fry & Elder today to set up a personal consultation with Barteaux.

Earl Sneed Winner Bundy Visits Nation’s Capital to Present

Aaron D. Bundy carried the Fry & Elder banner proudly and highly in our nation’s capital earlier this month.

The accomplished Oklahoma trial lawyer traveled to Washington D.C. to present at the 55th Annual Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Conference, which ran June 6-9.

Annual Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Conference

Bundy co-presented with highly-regarded forensic psychologist Dr. Sol Rapaport and former Fry & Elder attorney M. Shane Henry for a presentation titled “Preparing for and Conducting a Cross Examination of a Custody Evaluation.”

“The presentation went very well,” Bundy said. “There were nearly 200 people in attendance – half of them were mental health professionals and the other half were lawyers with one judge on hand.”

Bundy said the presentation fell into three parts.

  • Discussion about preparing to testify as a witness and preparing early to cross-examine an expert with an adverse conclusion.
  • Discussion about what constitutes a sound custody evaluation.
  • Final discussion about the goals and ways to cross-examine a mental health professional making a recommendation to the court.

“We had a lot of positive feedback from the audience immediately after the presentation,” Bundy said. “It really was the most I can remember in terms of the number of people approaching to thank us. It felt great and it was a wonderful event.”

55th Annual Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Conference a Big Deal

Being part of the presentation lineup at the AFCC Conference is quite an honor for both Bundy and the Tulsa legal community.

The AFCC was founded in 1963 and its members include all of the following:

  • Judges
  • Lawyers
  • Mediators
  • Psychologists
  • Researchers
  • Academics
  • Counselors
  • Court Commissioners
  • Custody Evaluators
  • Psychiatrists
  • Parenting Coordinators
  • Court Administrators
  • Social Workers
  • Parent Educators
  • Financial Professionals

Some of the most well-known and highly-regarded family law minds in the profession presented at the conference, including Bundy.

The conference featured keynote presentations by kidnapping victim Jayce Duggard, who authored the New York Times best seller “A Stolen Life,” along with iconic journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Woodward, who uncovered the Watergate scandal which led to President Richard Nixon’s impeachment.

Aaron D. Bundy an Accomplished Attorney and Presenter

That Bundy was invited to present as the event is hardly surprising. He was the co-winner of the 2017 Earl Sneed Award for significant and outstanding continuing legal education contributions.

Bundy has presented throughout Oklahoma to various bar associations and has traveled out of state to locales like San Diego, Las Vegas, Boston, Miami and New Orleans for CLE opportunities with many other Fry & Elder attorneys.

Additionally, Bundy has been named to Super Lawyers® Rising Stars™ every year since 2013 and has been recognized as an AV-rated attorney every year since 2014 — this year he claimed the 2018 Platinum Client Champion honor.

Bundy’s practice at Fry & Elder focuses on family law, criminal defense and personal injury law throughout Oklahoma.

Contact Fry & Elder today to set up a personal consultation with highly-regarded Oklahoma trial lawyer Aaron D. Bundy.