Behind the scenes of the nationally-renowned law firm Fry & Elder resides arguably the best Oklahoma legal personnel team in the state. Not only does the staff stay on top of scheduling and appointments for Fry & Elder trial lawyers, many of them help ensure that the firm’s attorneys are organized and prepared for anything they might see before and during trial.
“They are outstanding,” Fry & Elder partner Lorena Rivas said of the team. “Any success we have as trial lawyers and as a firm is directly related to them. They are absolutely a very important and integral part of the team we have here in place at Fry & Elder.”
At the very core of the best Oklahoma legal personnel team is the firm’s financial paralegal Joyce Caldwell, longtime legal paralegal Judy Willits and immigration law legal assistants Esther Salas and Rosie Renteria.
Stability and experience are the hallmarks of any elite team, and Fry & Elder’s legal personnel team has nearly a combined 100 years of experience working with the prestigious Oklahoma law firm. Caldwell and Willits account for over 80 of those years.
“It’s been a great experience,” said Caldwell, who began working for the firm under the late C. Lawrence Elder. “There is always something going on and every day is different. It’s still very rewarding and fulfilling for me to assist individuals who need legal assistance.”
Willits, who serves as Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr.’s paralegal, said it’s still a rush for her to go to court and that family law provides a different dynamic than other realms of law.
“When I came here 35 years ago, it was a real eye opener,” Willits said. “This type of law brings out a lot of emotion and is heavy in litigation. I like it because I’m kind of the shoulder to cry on for a lot of our clients.”
Caldwell and Willit’s loyalty has remained so steadfast to Fry & Elder that the duo was the recent subject of a feature story by the Tulsa World.
Salas and Renteria help round out immigration law attorney Lorena Rivas’ talented staff.
“Much of the growth we have had over the past couple of years is a direct result of their hard work,” Rivas said. “They are absolutely great assistants.”
“I have tremendous respect and admiration for what each one does to help the firm and myself out,” Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. said of Fry & Elder’s elite Oklahoma legal personnel team. “They thrive and excel in handling a number of different demands and situations that are thrown at them. They’re irreplaceable and we are very happy to have them here at Fry & Elder.”