The Oklahoma Bar Journal March 2023

B ench & B ar B riefs

ON THE MOVE

the regulation of utilities, petro leum storage tanks and regional transmission. Judge Khristan Strubhar has been sworn in as Canadian County’s first female district judge. After graduating from law school, she worked as an Oklahoma County assistant district attorney. She became a managing attorney for the Garfield County office, eventu ally opening her own office in the same building where her father, Richard Strubhar, practiced before her. Judge Strubhar was appointed as a Canadian County special judge and served for four years before being elected as a dis trict judge in 2022. In 1984, her mother, Reta Strubhar, became Canadian County’s first female associate judge. Sam Roberts has joined the Oklahoma City office of McAfee & Taft as a member of the Business Transactions and Finance and Securities practice groups. Mr. Roberts practices in the areas of business transactions and financing, corporate and securities law, and corporate governance and compliance matters. He received his J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. During law school, he served as staff editor of the Texas Journal of Oil, Gas, and Energy Law. After graduation, he worked as a corpo rate associate in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

disputes. Additionally, she dedi cates a substantial portion of her employment practice to educating, training and counseling clients on litigation avoidance strategies and compliance with state and federal laws and regulations affecting the workplace. Ms. Deckard received her J.D. with honors from the TU College of Law. T. Michael Blake, Justin Jackson and Nathan L. Whatley have been appointed new practice group leaders at McAfee & Taft by the Board of Directors. Mr. Blake, who focuses on tax and transaction planning and implementation, has been renamed leader of the firm’s Tax and Family Wealth Group. Mr. Jackson, the long-time leader of the Securities Group, has been named co-leader of the firm’s Business Transactions and Finance Group. He primarily works on mergers and acquisitions, dives titures, securities and corporate governance and compliance. Mr. Whatley returns as the leader of the firm’s Labor and Employment Group. He represents management in all phases of litigation before both state and federal courts, regulatory and administrative agencies and arbitration panels. Dana L. Murphy has been named of counsel at the Oklahoma City law firm of Goodwin/Lewis. She was elected three times as the Oklahoma Corporation commis sioner, serving 14 years in the position. Ms. Murphy has over 30 years of experience in oil and gas title, transactional and regu latory work including 14 years of experience in energy law including

The Oklahoma City law firm of DeBee Clark PLLC has changed its name to DeBee, Clark & Weber PLLC. Partners include H. Edward Debee , Michael Clark and Hope Weber . Christina Wolfram and Michael D. Carter have been named partners at the Oklahoma City office of Hall Booth Smith. Ms. Wolfram practices medical malpractice and other personal injury matters. She received her J.D. from the OU College of Law. Mr. Carter practices in the area of asbestos, talc and sil ica defense, labor and employment, products liability and workers’ compensation. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law. Alex Sokolosky has returned to the Tulsa office of Crowe & Dunlevy as an associate attorney. He is a member of the firm’s Banking & Financial Institutions, Bankruptcy & Creditor’s Rights and Litigation & Trial practice groups. Mr. Sokolosky represents clients in a wide range of commercial disputes in both federal and state courts, with a focus on bankruptcy, breach of contract, collection and foreclosure matters. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors of First Bank of Owasso. Kari A. Deckard has joined the Tulsa office of Doerner, Saunders, Daniel & Anderson as a part ner. She practices in the area of employment law, including defense of claims of discrimination and harassment, wrongful and retal iatory discharge, breach of con tract, enforcement of employment, noncompetition and confidentiality agreements and wage and hour

68 | MARCH 2023

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL