Stephen “Steve” W. Ray
Managing Partner
Steve Ray serves as Hall Estill's President/Managing Partner. He practices primarily in the Corporate/Commercial arena, specifically dealing in Securities, Business Transactions, Commercial Finance, Healthcare, Executive Compensation and Mergers and Acquisitions. He served for 10 years as Corporate Secretary for an NYSE-listed company, and has expertise in governance and compliance issues.
Steve has an individual AV-rating through Martindale-Hubbell. Further, Steve served as lead company counsel on an IPO for a new NYSE-listed company and served as lead company counsel in large securitized financings of receivables and revenue earning assets.
Practice Areas
- Antitrust
- Auto Dealer Law
- Banking & Financial Services
- Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Creditor's Rights
- Corporate & Business Services
- Estate Planning & Trusts
- Estate Planning & Administration
- Franchising
- Healthcare
- Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures
- Municipal & Public Authority
- Real Estate
- Securities Regulation & Compliance
- Tax
Education & Admissions
Education
- University of Oklahoma College of Law (J.D., 1982)
- University of Oklahoma (B.B.A. in Accounting, 1979)
Admissions
- Oklahoma (1982)
- Oklahoma Supreme Court and all Judicial Districts of Oklahoma
- U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Oklahoma
- United States Tax Court
Experience
- 1992 - Present Hall Estill
- 1984 - 1992 Jones, Givens
- 1982 - 1984 Sneed, Lang
Community & Professional Involvement
- Past President and Council Attorney, Indian Nations Council, BSA
- Member, Executive Board, Indian Nations Council, BSA
- Member, Committee of 100
- Personnel Chair, Ministry Leadership Team, Harvard Avenue Christian Church
- Former Member, University of Oklahoma President's Associates Council
- Tulsa Area United Way, Former Campaign Cabinet Committee Member
- Oklahoma Bar Association
- Tulsa County Bar Association
- Society for Corporate Governance
Honors & Awards
- Recognized as Best Lawyers' Tulsa Lawyer of the Year in Corporate Governance Law and Corporate Governance Law in 2025
- Recipient of a 2024 National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award
- Recipient of the 2019 Silver Beaver Award from Indian Nations Council, Boy Scouts of America, which is the council level distinguished service award of Boy Scouts of America and is considered the highest award a Boy Scout Council can bestow upon a volunteer Scouter.
- Recognized as Best Lawyers' Tulsa Lawyer of the Year in Corporate Governance Law in 2018, 2021 and 2023
- Recognized as Best Lawyers' Tulsa Lawyer of the Year in Corporate Compliance Law in 2015 and 2022
- Recognized as Best Lawyers' Tulsa Lawyer of the Year in Securities Regulation in 2020
- Recognized as Best Lawyers' Tulsa Lawyer of the Year in Corporate Law in 2014
- Recognized as Best Lawyers' Tulsa Lawyer of the Year in Securities/Capital Markets Law in 2011
- Recognized as a Super Lawyer in Oklahoma in Business/Corporate Law
- Recognized as a Best Lawyer in America in Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Compliance Law. Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law and Securities Regulation
- Recognized in Corporate/Commercial Law by Chambers USA
- Recognized as a highly regarded attorney in Mergers & Acquisitions Law in the IFLR 1000 rankings