Hall Estill

Mike E. Smith practices in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Energy & Natural Resources, Environmental, Class Action Litigation and Oil & Gas. In addition, he has experience as a mediator and arbitrator.  He previously served on the firm’s Executive Committee and is a Senior Member of the firm's Board of Directors.

Mike has had an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell for over 30 years and previously served on the Oklahoma Hall of Fame board of directors.

Highlights of Mike's legal career include:

  • Lead counsel in many multi-million dollar oil and gas related cases
  • Lead counsel representing many oil and gas clients in oil field pollution cases
  • Lead counsel in natural gas storage condemnation case and other matters for interstate pipeline company

In addition, Mike has served as Counsel of record in the following reported cases:

  • Blair v. Natural Gas Anadarko Co., 406 P.3d 580 (Okla. Civ. App., 2016)
  • Natural Gas Anadarko Co. v. Venable, 368 P.3d 3 (Okla. Civ. App., 2015)
  • Chaparral Energy, LLC v. Samson Resources Company, 2015 OK CIV APP 44,  ___ P.3d ___
  • Kimzey v. Flamingo Seismic Solutions Inc. 696 F.3d 1045 (10th Cir. 2012)
  • Samson Resources Co. v. Newfield Exploration Mid-Continent, Inc., 2012 OK 68. 281 P.3d 1278
  • JMA Energy Company, LLC v. State ex rel. Dept. of Transportation, 2012 OK CIV APP; 278  P.3d 1053
  • Plano Petroleum, LLC v. GHK Exploration, L.P., 2011 OK 18, 250 P.3d 328
  • 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)

Education

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

Admissions

  • 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
  • 1969-1975  Infantry Officer, U.S. Army
  • Recognized as the Best Lawyers' Oklahoma City Lawyer of the Year in Litigation-Environmental in 2014 and 2024
  • Recognized as an Oklahoma Super Lawyer in Energy & Natural Resources Law
  • Recognized as a Band 1 attorney in Energy & Natural Resources Law
  • Recognized as a Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation
  • Recognized as a Best Lawyer in America in Litigation-Environmental
  • Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Former Member, Board of Directors
  • Member, American Arbitration Association Consumer Panel
  • Oklahoma Bar Association, Professional Responsibility Tribunal 2013 - 2020
  • 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
  • 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."
  • 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.

 

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