March 31, 2026 | GableGotwals recently advised Boardwalk Pipelines, LP, in its acquisition of Spire Marketing Inc., a gas marketing business unit, from Spire Inc. The acquisition marks a significant step in advancing Boardwalk’s long-term growth strategy by expanding its presence across the natural gas value chain, enhancing marketing capabilities and customer reach, and increasing flexibility and connectivity for customers while supporting the evolving demands of America’s energy market. Click here to read the full press release.

The transactional team consisted of Stephen W. Lake, Douglas J. May, Jeffrey D. Hassell, James M. Scears (who provided tax advice), and Bailey Barnes.

About Boardwalk Pipelines, LP

Boardwalk Pipelines, LP (“Boardwalk”) delivers reliable energy by connecting natural gas supply with the markets and communities that depend on it. Through an integrated network of interstate and intrastate pipelines and underground storage assets, Boardwalk supports energy reliability, market connectivity, and long-term value creation across the United States, including the Gulf Coast, Midwest, and Southeast. Boardwalk is committed to operating‑safely, reliably, and responsibly while evolving its capabilities to better serve customers in a dynamic and increasingly complex energy market. Learn more at bwpipelines.com.

About GableGotwals

GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

March 3, 2026 | GableGotwals attorneys Adam Doverspike and Chris Shrock assisted Crossover Preparatory Academy (CPA) in securing membership in the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA), allowing the school to compete as an OSSAA member.

CPA is a Christian, college-preparatory secondary school that provides hope and opportunity to students in north Tulsa. Rooted in a mission of faith, reconciliation, and love, CPA is dedicated to empowering and equipping young men to thrive academically, spiritually, and socially.

Since opening its doors in 2017, Crossover Prep has developed a broad athletics program across multiple sports as part of its commitment to supporting student growth both on and off the field. Following OSSAA approval in 2025, the school began competing as a member in cross country, basketball, tennis, and track through OSSAA competition. This membership marks a significant milestone for the school, expanding competitive opportunities for student-athletes and complementing its first-class facilities, close-knit community, and faith-based mission serving north Tulsa.

“We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity this creates for our students,” said Philip Abode, Executive Director of Crossover Preparatory Academy. “OSSAA membership represents an exciting next chapter in the growth of our athletics program. It allows our student-athletes to further develop teamwork, discipline, and confidence as they compete and represent their school and community in the state’s primary high school sports association.”

We look forward to cheering on the Lions as they compete alongside other OSSAA member schools.

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

March 20, 2026 | Plaintiffs tried to unwind our arbitration win in federal court. It didn’t work.

GableGotwals recently secured a significant victory in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, where the court refused to vacate an employment arbitrator’s orders and dismissed the challenge with prejudice.

Here’s why this matters beyond a single case:

Our top-ranked employment law and litigation team has been working with a multi-state employer to strengthen and operationalize its mandatory employment arbitration program as part of a broader strategy to reduce the risk, cost, and disruption of employment claims. That strategy has been paying off, including in a recent arbitration of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) claims, where the arbitrator ordered the matter to remain strictly confidential.

An aggressive plaintiffs’ firm from Ohio then filed in federal court to attack that confidentiality order, arguing it violated the FLSA and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The court rejected the attempt to undo the arbitrator’s rulings and closed the case for good.

Key takeaway: When thoughtfully designed and properly implemented, employment arbitration programs can be a powerful risk-management tool helping employers resolve disputes more efficiently. Arbitration can control costs and reduce the collateral business disruption that often comes with public litigation. And you can often maximize confidentiality of the dispute, thus averting PR nightmares.

Kudos to Chris Thrutchley, SHRM-SCP, Justin Lollman, and Amy Fogleman for their outstanding work securing this result.

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

March 10, 2026 |The Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Houston affirmed a trial court order confirming an arbitration award in favor of Appellee Cord Largo.  Significantly, the court of appeals recognized in its opinion that the mandatory venue clause in Section 171.096(c) of the Texas Arbitration Act applies equally to confirmation proceedings from arbitrations that are otherwise subject to the Federal Arbitration Act.  The court of appeals also concluded that even though Appellant Martin Phipps was not a signatory to the applicable arbitration clause, he voluntarily participated in the arbitration and therefore was subject to the 3-month statute of limitations under the Federal Arbitration Act for challenging an arbitration award.

Congratulations to the team – Ross Sears and Cyndi Rusnack of Sears Crawford, and Byron Keeling of GableGotwals – on this outstanding result!

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

February 2, 2026 | GableGotwals is pleased to announce that Terry Ragsdale has joined the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) as an Administrative Law Judge.

The OCC is a state regulatory agency with jurisdiction over oil and gas conservation, public utilities, petroleum storage tanks, and transportation matters. Administrative Law Judges conduct proceedings, examine witnesses, receive evidence, and issue reports and recommendations to the Commission.

Terry began his career at GableGotwals in 1990, representing major energy organizations in significant litigation and transactional matters, including complex contract disputes and royalty owner class actions. He played a key role in building the Firm’s energy litigation practice and served as a long-time member of the Board of Directors. Before practicing law, he worked for several years as a petroleum engineer.

Terry has been active in leadership within the energy and legal communities, having served as Chair of the Energy Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association, President of the Mineral Law Section of the Tulsa County Bar Association, and President of the Petroleum Club of Tulsa. He has authored numerous articles on energy law topics and is a co-author of a chapter in the internationally recognized Energy Law and Transactions Treatise.

“We are grateful for Terry’s more than 30 years of service and leadership to the Firm,” said John Dale, CEO of GableGotwals. “We appreciate his many contributions to our energy litigation practice and wish him continued success as he transitions to public service.”

Terry joins former Shareholder Tammy Barrett, who also serves as an Administrative Law Judge with the OCC.

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

January 8, 2026 | GableGotwals is pleased to announce that Byron C. Keeling has joined the Firm’s Houston office as Of Counsel.

Byron has more than 30 years of experience representing clients in litigation and appeals, including oil and gas, contract, and business disputes. He has argued cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Supreme Court of Texas, and numerous Texas courts of appeals.

In addition to his appellate practice, Byron is a commercial arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. He previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Sam D. Johnson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

“We are pleased to welcome Byron to the Firm. His impressive litigation experience, especially in appeals, is a great addition to our existing appellate team of three former federal appellate law clerks from the 7^th and the 10^th Circuits,” said John Sullivan, litigation Shareholder in Houston. Their experience further strengthens the Firm’s appellate practice and provides critical insight into how judges view and consider cases.

“Byron’s addition strengthens our appellate and litigation capabilities and supports the continued expansion of our Houston office. His experience contributes to our ability to serve clients in Texas as we continue building our local presence in the region,” said John Dale, CEO of GableGotwals.

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

January 5, 2026 | GableGotwals is pleased to announce that one associate and four Of Counsel have been promoted to Shareholder. Effective January 1, 2026, Brian Blackstock, Gerard D’Emilio, Zoe Butts Dowdell, Alex Telarik, and Brian Tully serve as Shareholders. In addition, David Herber has been promoted to Of Counsel.

“I would like to congratulate each of these attorneys on this well-deserved promotion,” said John Dale, CEO of GableGotwals. “They have consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to excellent client service and the values that define GableGotwals. Their leadership, experience, and dedication will continue to strengthen our Firm.”

Shareholders:

Brian Blackstock focuses his practice on defending corporate and individual clients in a variety of civil litigation matters in state and federal courts. He represents healthcare professionals during investigations and disciplinary proceedings before state licensure boards and regulatory agencies. He regularly counsels healthcare systems and insurance companies on an array of complex issues, including risk, compliance, and coverage. Brian also assists healthcare clients in negotiating and litigating employment, recruiting, and service contracts, as well as entity formation and reorganization.

Gerard D’Emilio focuses his practice on a wide range of litigation and appellate matters. Before joining GableGotwals as an attorney, he served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Jerome Holmes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the Honorable David L. Russell of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. He also served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Robert E. Bacharach of the Tenth Circuit. Gerard has been recognized by Best Lawyers as part of its Ones to Watch list for Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation and as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers for General Litigation.

Zoe Butts Dowdell represents clients in a variety of general healthcare matters. With a strong background in healthcare litigation, she works closely with clients through the litigation process. Her practice includes matters in both state and federal courts, including handling litigation matters from the date of filing through trial and appellate matters. Zoe currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma County Bar Association and is a member of the William J. Holloway Inn of Court. She has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers for Business Litigation and named to 405 Magazine’s Top Lawyers list for Medical Malpractice Defense.

Alex Telarik advises clients across the economic spectrum, with a particular focus on Oklahoma’s oil and gas industry. His clients range from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and individuals. His practice includes complex disputes involving environmental and remediation issues, royalty and title matters, the Oklahoma Surface Damages Act, shareholder and partnership disputes, trade secret misappropriation, and other business litigation matters. Alex has been recognized by Best Lawyers as part of its Ones to Watch list for Oil and Gas Law and Commercial Litigation, and as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers for Business Litigation. He currently serves on the Tulsa Resource Board for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma.

Brian Tully has more than 20 years of experience in business litigation and appellate matters, representing clients in state and federal courts across a broad range of disputes, including breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, negligence, professional negligence, and fraud. He has authored and contributed to multiple legal publications on energy, accounting, and commercial law topics and has successfully represented energy companies in significant trial and appellate matters, including securing favorable rulings and key appellate victories in complex insurance and oilfield disputes. Brian previously served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Nathan L. Hecht of the Supreme Court of Texas.

Of Counsel:

David Herber focuses his practice on administrative and regulatory law, energy and environmental law, bankruptcy, insurance, and various other commercial disputes. Prior to joining the Firm, David served as Deputy General Counsel in the Executive Office of Governor J. Kevin Stitt, where he advised the Governor and his Office on various issues related to administrative law, state ethics rules, elections, and criminal law. He also served as a Judicial Extern to Chief Judge Joe Heaton in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and as a Summer Law Clerk in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma.

About GableGotwals

GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

December 15, 2025 | GableGotwals has been named a 2025 Top Workplace in Oklahoma by The Oklahoman for the seventh consecutive year.

This list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage, LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and its component themes, including employees feeling Respected & Supported, Enabled to Grow, and Empowered to Execute.

“Our ongoing recognition as a Top Workplace reflects our commitment to maintaining a positive and respectful environment and acknowledging the important contributions each team member makes,” said John Dale, CEO of GableGotwals. “Our core values of integrity, excellence, collaboration, and support remain central to our Firm and our culture.”

In addition, GableGotwals was recognized as a 2025 Top Workplace USA and received 2025 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Awards for Compensation & Benefits, Employee Appreciation, Employee Well-Being, Professional Development, and Purpose & Values.

For information on current openings and career opportunities at GableGotwals, please visit our Careers page.

About GableGotwals

GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

About Energage

Making the world a better place to work together.^TM

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 18 years of culture research and the results from 27 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

December 2, 2025 | GableGotwals is pleased to announce that Nathan A. Miramontes has joined the Firm’s Tulsa office as a litigation Associate. His experience includes representing healthcare providers, insurers, and public entities in complex medical malpractice, insurance defense, and civil rights litigation.

Prior to joining the Firm, Nathan served as an Associate at a Tulsa law firm, handling all phases of litigation. He also brings experience from judicial internships with the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the Tulsa County District Court, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, as well as an internship with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma while attending The University of Tulsa College of Law.

Nathan graduated with honors and was inducted into the Order of the Barristers. He received a CALI Excellence Award for Secured Transactions, was a quarterfinalist in the Brigadier General Wayne E. Alley 2023 Military Law Moot Court Competition, and was selected for the American Association for Justice Mock Trial Team. He also served as a staff editor for the ABA Environment, Energy, and Resources Law: The Year in Review and as Vice President of the Tulsa Law Board of Advocates.

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

November 25, 2025 | Crossover Scholarship Fund honored Chris Thrutchley with the Sam Rader Service Award at its 10th Annual “Restoring Our Community Banquet,” held on November 20. The annual banquet raises money for scholarships to help students attend Crossover Preparatory Academy and highlights the broader work of Crossover Community Impact in north Tulsa through various programs, such as Crossover Health Services.

Chris was the second annual recipient of the Sam Rader Service Award, which is presented to individuals who model exemplary service and go above and beyond to support Crossover’s mission, which is to restore north Tulsa through reconciliation, love, and justice. In recognition of his longstanding service to the organization, the award was first presented to and named after Sam Rader of the Coldwell Banker Rader Group following his retirement from the board of directors.

“Crossover does not accomplish what it’s accomplished in our community without people like Chris Thrutchley,” said Philip Abode, Executive Director of Crossover Preparatory Academy. “His sacrificial giving, his tireless advocacy, and his willingness to offer his legal expertise in service of Crossover’s mission to restore north Tulsa have made him an ideal board member and partner in this work. We will forever be thankful for Chris and all that he has helped Crossover accomplish.”

The event featured guest speakers, music, and dinner, bringing together supporters to highlight Crossover’s impact in areas such as education, housing, and community development. GableGotwals former intern, Reese Robinson, introduced the evening’s guest speaker. Reese previously worked part time at the Firm while attending Crossover Prep and is now completing his first semester at the University of Oklahoma. He plans to pursue medical school and return to north Tulsa through the new medical residency program supported by a recent $17 million city grant.

Chris Thrutchley is a Director and Shareholder at GableGotwals where he leads the firm’s employment and labor law practice group. Chris and his wife, Shannon, have supported Crossover since its inception in 2012. He serves on Crossover’s Board of Directors and has been actively involved in advancing its mission for more than a decade.

About GableGotwals

GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.