Michael E. Smith

Mr. Smith has been practicing in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Energy & Natural Resources, Environmental, Class Action Litigation and Oil & Gas for more than 30 years. He serves on the firm’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. In addition, he is an AV-rated attorney through Martindale-Hubbell, was recognized as an Oklahoma Super Lawyer in Energy & Natural Resources, is listed by Chambers USA in Energy & Natural Resources Law, has been named a local litigation star by Benchmark Litigation and was named a Best Lawyer in America in Litigation-Environmental. Mike sits on the Oklahoma Heritage Association board of directors.

Highlights of Mr. Smith’s legal career include:

• Lead counsel in several multi-million dollar natural gas contract and natural gas plant cases
• Lead counsel representing many oil and gas clients in oil field pollution cases
• Worked with D.C. firm to successfully defeat class action certification against Internet provider

 In addition, Mr. Smith is a frequent speaker and author on legal issues, including: 

• Author "Survey on State Class Action Law-Oklahoma," ABA, Litigation Section, Class Action Committee since 1999. This annual survey is now published as a yearly supplement to Newberg on Class Actions.
• Counsel of record for amici curiae Independent Petroleum Association of America and National Mining Association in Oxy USA, Inc. v. Babbitt, 268 F.3d 1001 (10th Cir. 2002), a significant opinion dealing with statute of limitations applicable to government's collection of oil and gas royalties.
• Co-Author "Joint Operating Agreements Exhibits: A Survey" published at 47 Rocky Mt. Min.L.Inst.14 (2001).
• Speaker/Author, Featured speaker at the RMML Special Institute on Oil and Gas Agreements: Joint Operations, May 2007, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Authored paper, "Joint Operating Agreements Exhibits: An Overview." 

• Shareholder

• Litigation
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Complex Commercial Litigation
• Oil & Gas
• Environmental Services
• Class Action Defense
• Appellate
• Insurance
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Intellectual Property & Information Technology

• "Mike E. Smith was invited to join the Oklahoma Heritage Association board of directors."

• University of Oklahoma College of Law (J.D., 1975)
• U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y (B.S. in Engineering, 1969)

• District of Hawaii
• Hawaii, 1976
• Oklahoma, 1975
• U.S. District Court of the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Oklahoma
• United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
• United States Court of Military Appeals
• United States Supreme Court

• 1999 - Present Hall Estill
• 1994 - 1999 Barnes, Smith, Lewis & McCutcheon
• 1981 - 1994 McKnight & Gasaway, Enid, Oklahoma
• 1975 - 1981 Trial Attorney, U.S. Army

• American Bar Association-Litigation Section; Class Action Committee
• American Bar Foundation
• Oklahoma County Bar Association
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• American Inns of Court - Master
• Oklahoma Bar Association, Member, Professional Responsibility Commission Member 2005 - 2010, Chairman 2007, 2009

• Class Action Litigation

• Co-Author "Joint Operating Agreements Exhibits: A Survey" published at 47 Rocky Mt. Min.L.Inst.14 (2001).
• Speaker/Author, Featured speaker at the RMML Special Institute on Oil and Gas Agreements: Joint Operations, May 2007, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Authored paper, "Joint Operating Agreements Exhibits: An Overview."

• Oklahoma Heritage Association board of directors

Counsel of record in following reported cases:

Plano Petroleum, LLC v. GHK Exploration, L.P., 2011 OK 18, 250 P.3d 328Plano Petroleum, LLC v. GHK Exploration, L.P., 2011 OK 18, ___ P.3d ___

Chaparral Energy, L.L.C. v. Pioneer Exploration, LTD, 2010 OK CIV APP 126, 241 P.3d 126

EOG Resources Marketing, Inc. v. Oklahoma State Board of Equalization and Oklahoma Tax Commission, 2008 OK 95, 196 P.3d 511

Conoco, Inc. v. Agrico Chemical Company, 2004 OK 83, 115 P.3d 829

Ward Petroleum Corporation v. Stewart, 2003 OK 11, 64 P.3d 1113

Major v. Microsoft Corporation, 2002 OK CIV APP 120, 60 P.3d 511

OXY USA v. Babbitt, 268 F.3d 1001 (10th Cir. 2001)

Samson Resources Co. v. Amerada Hess Corp., 2002 OK CIV APP 32, 41 P.3d 1055

In re Oneok Field Services Gathering LLC, 2001 OK 116, 38 P.3d 900

Okland Oil Co. v. Conoco Inc., 149 F.3d 1191 (10th Cir. 1998)

Okland Oil Co. v. Conoco Inc., 144 F.3d 1308 (10th Cir. 1998)

Bethesda Boys Ranch v. Atlantic Richfield Company, 208 B.R.980
(N.D. Okla. 1997)

Lockhart v. Loosen, 1997 OK 103, 943 P.2d 1074

Mustang Fuel Corp. v. Hatch, 890 F.Supp. 995 (W.D. Okla. 1995)

Wagner & Brown v. Ward Petroleum Corp., 876 F.Supp. 255 (W.D. Okla. 1994)

N.C. Corff Partnership, Ltd. V. OXY USA, Inc., 1996 OK CIV APP 92, 929 P.2d 288

Saner v. Healthcare Computer Corp., 879 F.Supp. 1116 (W.D. Okla. 1994)

Texaco, Inc. v. Berry Petroleum Corp., et al., 869 F.Supp. 1523 (W. D. Okla. 1994)

Eastwood v. National Bank of Commerce, Altus, Okl., 673 F.Supp. 1068 (W.D. Okla. 1987)

Wever v. State ex rel. Dept. of Human Services, Enid State School, 839 P.2d (Okla. App. 1990)

Mullins v. Ward, 712 P.2d 55 (Okla. 1985)

Michael E. Smith

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