The Oklahoma Bar Journal January 2026

M eet Y our B ar A ssociation Tulsa Lawyer Takes Charge Amber Peckio To Focus on Leadership and Service in 2026 By Lori Rasmussen

A MBER PECKIO DECIDED in elementary school that she would be a lawyer one day. Her family’s jobs kept them on the move, and she grew up in a variety of small towns, primarily in rural southeastern Oklahoma, rarely staying in a school for more than one school year, learning to make friends fast. As a child, she was inspired by her family’s attorney, Cecil Drummond, who died in early 2025. “He was a formidable lawyer who could get things done, and that’s the life I decided I wanted for myself,” Ms. Peckio said. “To be the kind of lawyer who fights for justice and always stands up for the underdog.” Ms. Peckio graduated from high school in Savanna, just a few miles south of McAlester. She served as valedictorian of her high school class of around 45, noting early on the valuable role of volunteer lead ership in small communities. “I played several sports and served on the academic team. I was active in every committee you can imagine. I learned never to under estimate the amount of stuff you can get done with a small group of committed people,” she said. After high school, she decided to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, choos ing to stay close to home to remain a resource for her family rather

gaining valuable practical experi ence and legal skills through the licensed legal internship program. She credits her mentor, Pat Layden of McAlester, with helping her distinguish herself as a law stu dent through meaningful oppor tunities with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System docket, where she was able to assist dis advantaged clients. Through those programs, she learned that she loved being in court and decided to focus her career on litigation. She also fell in love with Tulsa, the city she has now called home for 25 years. “I’m always amazed at the possibilities Tulsa brings me: sports, entertainment, the ability to connect with a large network of legal professionals. I love the life I have built here,” she said. But even as she loves her life in Tulsa, her personal experiences also drive her understanding of the value of rural practice. For the first several years after passing the bar, she completed a nearly two hour daily round-trip commute to her law practice, the Garrett Law Office in Muskogee, which was the family law firm with her then-husband, Mitchell Garrett. “I love the camaraderie of small town practitioners,” Ms. Peckio said. “You learn to truly value the relationships you form – being

than attend one of the state’s major universities. While working full time as a hostess, server and bar tender in the food service industry to put herself through college, she bonded with other students who came from similar backgrounds. “We all had something to prove,” she said. “We knew the value of hard work, and we knew that where we came from did not define us.” Despite the workload, she describes her college days as some of the best of her life, serving as the youngest president of her sorority in its history while double-majoring in political science and economics. Her work in student government introduced her to civic leaders and govern ment officials who solidified her desire to go to law school. “I would not be where I am today without the support of the administration at Southeastern. I took advantage of every leadership and learning opportunity they threw at me. Those experiences built my character, and I learned to be tenacious despite not being handed things,” Ms. Peckio said. LAW SCHOOL AND BEYOND Her impressive college resume earned her a full scholarship to attend the TU College of Law, where she studied law abroad for one term and continued to serve as a student leader, all while

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL