McAfee & Taft

07/22/2024

Congratulations to McAfee & Taft appellate, trial and immigration lawyer Kate Dodoo on her election to serve a three-year term as a member at large on the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Board of Governors! Read more » https://mt.law/obabog

07/19/2024

Congratulations to healthcare lawyer Patricia Rogers for her appointment as leader of McAfee & Taft’s top-ranked Healthcare Group. Read more » https://mt.law/hcg24

07/18/2024

Congratulations to McAfee & Taft’s Tax & Family Wealth Group and attorney Susan Shields, recognized as top-ranked in Oklahoma in the just-released 2024 edition of Chambers High Net Worth (HNW) Guide. Read more » https://mt.law/HNW24

07/18/2024

Are contracts actually binding? Attorneys: “It depends.”

In today’s The Journal Record, McAfee & Taft trial lawyer Cole McLanahan explains why attorneys so frequently give that answer when asked that question. Practically speaking, a lot of variables impact whether a contract is actually binding. Read more » https://mt.law/8b2f5

07/17/2024

While Title VII does not require employers to train their workforces on the law, attorney Courtney Bru explains that the EEOC makes it pretty clear that conducting training is a Hobson’s choice: do it or likely forfeit your effective legal defenses. Read her article » https://mt.law/txnfn

07/16/2024

Congratulations to McAfee & Taft’s very own Jennifer Callahan — lawyer, business owner, and long-time champion of agriculture‚ for being unanimously approved to serve on the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents.

McAfee & Taft attorney and director Jennifer Callahan was unanimously approved by the Oklahoma State Senate to serve an eight-year term on the Board of Regents of the Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical Colleges, effective immediately. Founded in 1944, the nine-member board is responsible for managin...

07/15/2024

McAfee & Taft celebrates the work anniversaries of our dedicated attorneys and staff who started with the firm in July — from one year ago to 28 years ago. Congratulations and thank you to all for their contributions to the success of our firm! This month’s honorees include Kevin Kirksey (28 years), Terri Factor (24 years), Nancy Marshall (16 years), Julie Banes (16 years), Bonner Gonzalez (16 years), Andre Williams (16 years), Carolyn Eldridge (15 years), Kathy Neal (15 years), Pamela Fries (14 years), Lloyd Hardin (14 years), Dana Von Tungeln (13 years), Rina Pearce (10 years), Stewart Snider (9 years), Kristin Kaul (3 years), Logan Blackmore (2 years), Shawn Hester (2 years), Pamela Barrett (1 year), and Chris Craig (1 year).

07/11/2024

McAfee & Taft is pleased to welcome paralegal Elizabeth Frisk as the newest member of the firm’s worldwide aviation practice.

07/11/2024

McAfee & Taft is pleased to welcome paralegal Elizabeth Frisk as the newest member of the firm’s worldwide aviation practice!

07/10/2024

Cori Loomis, the newest member of McAfee & Taft’s Healthcare Group, reviews noteworthy healthcare-related budget appropriations and legislative news coming out of this year’s 2024 Oklahoma legislative session. Read the HealthcareLINC update here » https://mt.law/hc24c

07/09/2024

McAfee & Taft remembers and celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Stringer, a giant in the legal and business community — “a man of incredible vision and influence.”

Watch video tribute »

Nicholas Martin Stringer, a giant in the legal and business community and a partner with McAfee & Taft, passed away on May 5, 2024, at the age of 83 following a heroic battle with cancer. Born in England in 1940, “Nicky” Stringer moved to Ada, Oklahoma, with his mother several…

07/08/2024

With less than two months to go before the FTC’s nationwide ban on noncompetes is set to go into effect, two federal courts are currently reviewing lawsuits filed by employers opposing the ban. Attorney Charlie Plumb explains how those challenges might affect employers nationwide.

By Charlie Plumb Earlier this spring, in an article titled “FTC announces nationwide ban on noncompetes in the workplace,” we alerted employers to the Federal Trade Commission’s approval of a final rule implementing a nationwide ban on noncompete clauses in new employment agreements. The rule ...

07/08/2024

Labor and employment attorney Nathan Whatley takes the podium at the Sooner Human Resources Society on July 9th at The Center in Norman to provide an update on recent agency actions from the EEOC, Department of Labor, and Federal Trade Commission. Click the link to register!

https://lnkd.in/g2nxUcEG

07/03/2024

McAfee & Taft’s Family Law Group is pleased to welcome Chandler Westfall, a legal professional with 10 years of experience, as a paralegal in the firm’s Tulsa office.

07/02/2024

McAfee & Taft is pleased to welcome Cori Loomis, one of the region’s most experienced and well-respected healthcare attorneys, to its top-ranked Healthcare Group.

Cori H. Loomis, a highly experienced healthcare attorney with 30 years of experience in both private practice and public service, has joined the top-ranked Healthcare Group at McAfee & Taft, the state’s largest law firm. Her practice is focused on representing and counseling hospitals and health s...

07/01/2024

New DOL overtime rule takes effect for millions! Attorneys Paige Good and Kristin Simpsen explain who is impacted and what this change means for employers. Read the full article here:

by Paige Good and Kristin Simpsen As we reported earlier this spring in the article, “Millions more U.S. workers to be eligible for overtime under final DOL rule,” the U.S. Department of Labor’s final rule raising the salary threshold for white collar workers went into effect today, affecting ...

07/01/2024

McAfee & Taft is pleased to announce the election of tax and business attorneys Matt Hickey and Tony Mastin as its newest shareholders.

The shareholders of McAfee & Taft, Oklahoma’s largest law firm, have elected attorneys Matthew B. Hickey and Tony Mastin as fellow shareholders, effective July 1, 2024. The announcement was made by managing director Michael Lauderdale. Matt Hickey is a tax and business lawyer whose practice is pri...

06/28/2024

In today’s The Journal Record, guest columnist and McAfee & Taft labor and employment lawyer Harrison Kosmider reviews the EEOC’s final rule interpreting the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the expanded obligations of employers to accommodate pregnant employees.

by Harrison Kosmider Just last week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s final rule interpreting the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act went into effect. And while the law, which went into effect last June, and its regulations share some similar language with that of the Americans with Disabi...

06/26/2024

McAfee & Taft proudly congratulates paralegal Ginger Schones, a 21-year employee of the firm, for being named the recipient of the 2024 Betty Northcutt Employee of the Year Award.

McAfee & Taft proudly congratulates veteran paralegal Ginger Schones, a 21-year employee of the firm, for being named the recipient of the 2024 Betty Northcutt Employee of the Year Award. The presentation was made by Matt Bown, the firm’s chief operating officer, at an all-employee meeting on June...

06/24/2024

Following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, plaintiffs now need to show they suffered “some harm” – but not “significant harm” – resulting from a change to the terms or conditions of their employment to support a discrimination claim. Attorney Tony Puckett explains how this new standard was recently addressed by a New Mexico federal court.

06/21/2024

Black Walnut was the perfect place to connect with our M&T LSAT Prep Scholars, as well as special guests Judge Lewis of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals and Autumn Lockett, former dean of admissions at OU Law.

The two shared great stories and words of wisdom, and we all left reminded that the legal profession’s future is bright and is made so much better when we work together.

06/20/2024

McAfee & Taft remembers and celebrates the life and legacy of Joe Lewallen, a man who “represented the best in all of us.”

Watch video tribute »

Joe C. Lewallen, Jr., a brilliant real estate lawyer, mentor, partner, and director with McAfee & Taft, passed away on April 1, 2024, at the age of 63. As one of his closest colleagues said, “He represented the best in all of us.” Born and raised in Tulsa, OK, Joe…

06/19/2024

06/18/2024

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act’s final regs went into effect today, and as attorney Harrison Kosmider explains, they require more from employers in the way of workplace accommodations, including the potential obligation to temporarily suspend the essential job functions of a pregnant employee.

by Harrison Kosmider On April 19, 2024, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission published its final rule interpreting the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Today, the newly minted regulations went into effect. As a reminder, the PWFA is a law that went into effect in 2023 and was designed to furthe...

06/18/2024

Congratulations to McAfee & Taft trial lawyer Jessica Dickerson for being selected as an inaugural honoree in the newly ranked category of Insurance by the researchers at the prestigious Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

06/17/2024

Beginning August 29, 2024, grocery sales in Oklahoma will be exempt from the state’s 4.5% sales tax. But, as tax attorney Tony Mastin explains, not all foods and food ingredients will qualify for the exemption. Here’s what food sellers and consumers need to know.

by Tony Mastin Earlier this year, the Oklahoma Legislature enacted legislation to exempt the sale of groceries from the state sales tax. HB 1955 reduces the state sales tax rate for the sale of “food and food ingredients” from 4.5% to 0%, effective August 29, 2024. The sale of food…

06/14/2024

McAfee & Taft celebrates the work anniversaries of our dedicated attorneys and staff who started with the firm in June — from one year ago to 40 years ago. Congratulations and thank you to all for their contributions to the success of our firm! This month's honorees include Myrna Latham (40 years), Michael Blake (28 years), William Hall (24 years), Charles S. Plumb (16 years), Nicole Coston (13 years), Philip Bruce (12 years), Shelly Searcey (9 years), Kambree Godwin (3 years), Amy Poyner (3 years), Kim Foster (2 years), Karianne Lent (2 years), Jordan Murphy (2 years), Samantha Michael (1 year), and Margarita Piñon (1 year).

06/13/2024

Nationally ranked! Congratulations to McAfee & Taft’s trial lawyers for earning a national ranking in the field of Oil & Gas Litigation by the publishers of the exclusive 2024 Chambers USA Guide for America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Researchers noted the firm’s specific work in resolving royalty class actions, trespass cases, and contractual disputes.

06/12/2024

Are employers required to pay employees for time spent “on call,” but not actually performing any work? As labor and employment attorney Charlie Plumb explains, it depends on the specific facts and circumstances of the situation.

By Charlie Plumb Some employers may designate employees for on-call status, requiring them to be available to respond to after-hours service needs or emergencies. A recent Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals decision, which applies to employers in Oklahoma and five other states, offers direction on wheth...

06/11/2024

The 2024 Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business rankings are in, with McAfee & Taft earning its first national ranking in the field oil and gas litigation, nine Oklahoma Band 1 practice group rankings, and 34 individual attorney honors.

Read more » https://www.mcafeetaft.com/chambers2024