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Lawyers.com > Find a Lawyer > Kerr, Irvine, Rhodes & Ables, A Professional Corporation
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Address
201 Robert S. Kerr Avenue, Suite 600
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102-4267 (Canadian, Cleveland, Oklahoma & Pottawatomie Cos.)
Average Client Review Rating
Rating not available
Average Peer Review Rating
5.0
out of 5
(Main Office) History: The firm was founded in 1955 as Kerr, Conn & Davis by Aubrey Kerr, Jack Conn and Jack Davis. Initially its practice was general with emphasis in the fields of oil and gas, banking, and business organizations and transactions. During its early years, the lawyers who joined the firm were for the most part experienced in their respective fields. In 1955, Robert S. Kerr, Jr., joined the firm. In 1981, Robert S. Kerr, Jr., Francis S. Irvine, who had been with the firm since 1957, and Horace G. Rhodes, who joined the firm in 1972, joined together to form the current firm. Since then the firm has expanded primarily through employment of laterally experienced lawyers with talents and specialties. The firm has added attorneys with significant experience in insurance transactions and regulatory matters, insurance litigation, administrative law and employment law. Most recently, the firm has employed lawyers with exceptional skills and experience in the areas of agricultural, environmental and water law. Areas of Practice: For many years Kerr, Irvine, Rhodes & Ables has provided a full range of legal services to its clients. Primary areas of expertise are still considered to be insurance regulatory, administrative, real estate and litigation, along with business organizations and transactions. While litigation spans virtually every field of law, the focus continues to be in the insurance, environmental and water law areas. Client Base: The firm is general counsel for numerous public companies in insurance and insurance related industries. The firm also administers, and serves as counsel to, the Oklahoma Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association, the Oklahoma Association of Life Insurance Companies and the Environmental Federation of Oklahoma. In addition, the firm represents many individuals and entities in connection with general litigation, mergers, acquisitions and various regulatory matters. The firm also offers many services to its individual clients in the areas of trust and estate law, oil and gas, real estate, environmental law, and negligence. Kerr, Irvine, Rhodes & Ables is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in the areas of Corporate Law, Administrative Law, Insurance Defense, Civil Trial Practice, Environmental Law, Labor and Employment Law and General Practice. Statement of PracticeGeneral Civil Practice in all State and Federal Courts. Corporation, Probate, Insurance, Banking, Administrative, Employment, Water, Environmental, Oil and Gas, Agricultural Law, Commercial Litigation, and Insurance Law. Year Established: 1945
Firm Size: 8
Representative Clients:Allstate Insurance Company
Association of Oklahoma Life Insurance Companies.
Oklahoma Life and Health Guaranty Assn.
American Fidelity Corp.
American Fidelity Assurance Co.
Occidental Life Insurance Company of North Carolina
Service Master Industries Inc.
Midland Mortgage Co.
Delta Dental Plan of Oklahoma
Oklahoma National Life Insurance Co.
Bankers Preferred Life Insurance Co.
Mission Life Insurance Co.
Protective Life Insurance Co.
Pre-Paid Legal, Inc.
Services, Inc.
Savings Life Group
Financial Security Assurance, Inc. (New York)
Property and Casualty Insurance Association of America
Fansteel, Inc.
Anthem, Inc.
Alleghany Corporation
ANR Pipeline Co.
Colorado Interstate Gas Co.
Washington National Insurance Co.
Great West Life Assurance
Kerr-McGee Corp.
Monumental General Life Insurance Co.
Jordan-Delaurenti, Inc.
J.D.B. Construction Co.
Mega Life & Health Insurance Company
Mid-West Life Insurance Company
Groundwater Technology
Okla. Gas & Electric Co.
Pig Improvement Co.
Seaboard Farms
Sequoyah Fuels
City of Ada
City of Ponca City
City of Kingfisher
City of Perry
City of Crescent
City of Chickasha
City of El Reno
Conseco, Inc.
National Organization of Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association
Variable Annuity Life Insurance Co.
USG Annuity Life Co.
The Franklin Insurance Co.
Midlands Management Corporation
Bethany-Warr Acres Public Works Authority
United Teacher Association Insurance Company
Medical Research of Mid-Oklahoma, L.L.C.
Home Depot USA, Inc.
Lugert Altos Irrigation District
Vall Inc.
Land O Lakes
Fort James Corp.
Hanor Co., Inc.
Directers Life Assurance
Homeshield Insurance Co.
Community Care HMO
Republic Insurance Companies
Leaders Life Insurance Company
New York Life
Farmers Insurance Company
Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants
Public Service of Oklahoma, Inc.
Universal Fidelity Life Ins. Co.
Top Flight Insurance Company
HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.
Life Assurance Company, Inc.
Harbor Insurance Company.
Rate InformationFixed Hourly Rates
Fixed Fees Available
Address201 Robert S. Kerr Avenue, Suite 600
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-4267, (Canadian, Cleveland, Oklahoma & Pottawatomie Cos.)
PhonePhone: 405-272-9221
Fax: 405-236-3121
Website
http://www.kiralaw.com
Office HoursMonday: 08:30 AM - 05:00 PM
Tuesday: 08:30 AM - 05:00 PM
Wednesday: 08:30 AM - 05:00 PM
Thursday: 08:30 AM - 05:00 PM
Friday: 08:30 AM - 05:00 PM
Robert S. Kerr, Jr. (1926-2004).
Horace G. Rhodes (Member) born Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, November 24, 1927; admitted to bar, 1955, Oklahoma, U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Oklahoma (B.S., 1950; J.D., 1955). Phi Delta Phi. Deputy Insurance Commissioner and General Counsel to the Insurance Commissioner, State of Oklahoma, 1955-1958. Counsel to Special Joint Legislative Committee to Recodify Oklahoma Insurance Code, 1955-1957. Senior Counsel Oklahoma Life Insurance Guaranty Association. Member: Interamerican Federation of Lawyers; Federation of Regulatory Counsel. Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Insurance Law; Corporate Law; International Law.Email: Horace G. Rhodes
J. Angela Ables (Member) born Ada, Oklahoma, January 23, 1950; admitted to bar, 1976, Oklahoma and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Oklahoma; 1978, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit; 1981, U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma; 1984, U.S. Supreme Court; 1998, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma. Education: East Central Oklahoma State University (B.A., with honors, 1972); Oklahoma City University (J.D., 1975). Recipient, Distinguished Alumnus Award, East Central University 1983. Assistant Attorney General, Oklahoma, 1976-1978. Deputy Insurance Commissioner, Oklahoma, 1980-1985. Member, Director, 1987-1999 and Chairman of the Board, 1999, Federation of Regulatory Counsel, 1987-2000. Vice-Chairman, State of Oklahoma Election Board, 1985-1989. Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2007 and 2008. Arbitrator, U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma. Early Neutral Evaluator, U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma. General Counsel and Executive Vice-President, Association of Oklahoma Life Insurance Companies, 2001. Board of Directors: Oklahoma Attorneys Mutual Insurance Company; Chi omega House Corp., University of Oklahoma. Chairman, East Central University Foundation, 2008-2009. Member: Oklahoma County (Co-Chairman, Legislative Committee, 1990-1991; Member, Community Services Committee, 2001; Member, Fee Grievance & Ethics Committee), Oklahoma (Chairman, 1999-2001 and Vice Chair, 2001-2002, Insurance Committee; Chairman, 2002) and American (Member, Torts and Insurance Practice Section) Bar Associations; Oklahoma Association of Defense Counsel. Reported Cases: Turpen, State exrel. v. Oklahoma State Bd. for Property and Cas. Rates, 731 P.2d 394 (Okl. 1986); Pacificare of Oklahoma, Health Maintenance Organization, & Community Care Organization, Inc. v. Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board et al., 2001 OK Civ. App. 73. Practice Areas: Insurance Law; Corporate Law; Appellate Practice; Administrative Law.Email: J. Angela Ables
James W. Rhodes (Member) born Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, June 11, 1958; admitted to bar, 1984, Oklahoma, U.S. District Court, Western and Northern Districts of Oklahoma, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Wesleyan University (B.A., 1980); University of Oklahoma (J.D., 1984). Chairman, National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Legal Seminar, 1993-1996. General Counsel, Oklahoma Life and Health Guaranty Association, 1988. Associate General Counsel, Association of Oklahoma Life Insurance Companies, 1987-1988. Chairman: National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations Task Force for Summit National Life Insurance Company, 1994; National American Insurance Co., 1995. Member: Universe Life & Trust Insurance Company, 1998; National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Legal and Assessment Data Base Committees, 1993. Editor in Chief, Annotated Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Model Act, 1995. Reported Cases: Grimes v. Crown Life Ins. W., 857 F2 699; Cockrell v. Grimes, 740 P. 2d 746; Oklahoma Life & Health Insurance Guar. Ass'n v. Hilti Retirement Sav. Plan, 939 P. 2d 1110 (Okla., Mar 11, 1997) (NO. 82,447); State ex rel. John P. Crawford, Insurance Commissioner as receiver for American Standard Life and Accident Insurance Company, Oklahoma Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association v. Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, 954 P. 2d 1235 (Ok. 1998) (NO. 84,563); Claborn v. Washington National Ins. Co., 910 P. 2d 1046 (Okla., Jan 23, 1996) (NO. 78,682); Bank of Oklahoma, N.A. v. Continental Cas. Co., 849 P. 2d 1091 (Okla. App., Oct 13, 1992) (NO. 78,103); Testerman v. First Family Life Ins. Co., 808 P. 2d 703 (Okla. App., Dec 04, 1990) (NO. 70,798); Bane v. Anderson, Bryant & Co., 786 P. 2d 1230, Blue Sky L. Rep. P 73,036 (Okla., Oct 24, 1989) (NO. 68,048); Cockrell v. Grimes, 740 P. 2d 746 (Okla. App., Apr 07, 1987) (NO. 65,046); Grimes v. Crown Life Ins. Co., 857 F. 2d 699 (10th Cir. (Okla.), Sep 16, 1988) (NO. 86,1905); Unisys Corp v. Cal. Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association, 74 Cal Rptr 2d 106 (Cal. App 1998). Practice Areas: Insurance Insolvency Law; Insurance Administrative Law; Appellate Law.Email: James W. Rhodes
James R. Barnett (Member) born Ada, Oklahoma, September 6, 1942; admitted to bar, 1967, Oklahoma; 1971, U.S. District, Western District of Oklahoma; 1973, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit; 1975, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Oklahoma (B.A., 1964; J.D., 1967). Phi Alpha Delta. Member and Chairman, 1987-1988, Interstate Council on Water Policy. Member, National Water Resources Association and American Water Resources Association. Assistant Attorney General, 1972-1977. Executive Director, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, 1977-1991. Chief of Law Reform, Legal Aid Society, 1970-1972. President and General Counsel, Environmental Federation of Oklahoma, 1991. Member: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma (Member, Sections on: Environmental Law, Government, Administrative Law Practice) and American (Member, Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law Section) Bar Associations. [U.S. Army, 1st Lieutenant M.I., 1967-1970]. Reported Cases: City of Nicols Hills v. Peggy Richardson, Okl. CCA, 939 P 2d. 17 (1997); State ex rel. Pollution Control Coordinating Board v. Kerr-McGee Corp., et al, Okl. S.C., 619 P. 2d 858 (1980); Hodges v. Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Okl. S.C., 580 P. 2d 980 (1978); Lowery v. Hodges, Okl. S.C., 555 P. 2d 1016 (1976). Practice Areas: Water Law; Environmental Law; Administrative Law; Natural Resources Law.Email: James R. Barnett
R. Thomas Lay (Member) born Nowata, Oklahoma, November 4, 1948; admitted to bar, 1973, Oklahoma and U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma; 1985, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Oklahoma State University (B.S., 1970); Oklahoma City University School of Law (J.D., 1973). Phi Delta Phi. Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award. Author: "Beneficial Use Requirements of Appropriative Water Right and Loss of Rights due to Nonuse," 37 Okla. L. Rev. 67 (1984); "Dam Failures, Common and Emerging Theories of Liability," 43 Okla. L. Rev. 103 (1990). Adjunct Professor, Oklahoma State University, Environmental Law, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1991. Assistant Municipal Counselor, Oklahoma City, 1973-1976. Assistant Attorney General, Oklahoma, 1976-1979. General Counsel, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, 1979-1985. Member: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma and American Bar Associations. Reported Cases: Ricks Exploration v. Oklahoma Water Resources Board, 695 P. 2d 498, Oklahoma Supreme Court, 1984; Oklahoma Water Resources Board v. Texas County Irr. and Water Resources Assn. Inc., 711 P. 2d 38, Oklahoma Supreme Court, 1984; Reherman v. Oklahoma Water Resources Board, 679 P. 2d 1296, Oklahoma Supreme Court, 1984; Field v. Oklahoma Water Resources Board, 645 P. 2d 511, Oklahoma Supreme Court, 1982; Oklahoma and Texas v. New Mexico, 107 S.Ct. 2279, 482 U.S. 124, 96 L. Ed. 2d 105 (1987). Practice Areas: Environmental Law; Water Law; Administrative Law; Agricultural Law.Email: R. Thomas Lay
——————————Jeff L. Hartmann (Associate) born Chicago, Illinois, July 6, 1942; admitted to bar, 1966, Oklahoma. Education: Oklahoma State University (1963); Oklahoma City University (1964); Oklahoma University (LL.B., 1966). Assistant Attorney General, 1966-1967. Associate, Andrews, Mosberg, Elan, Leggs & Kornfeld, 1970-1971. Assistant Attorney General, 1971-1973. With Shdeed & Hartmann, 1973-1999. Associate, Kerr, Irvine, Rhodes & Ables, 1999. Member: Oklahoma County and Oklahoma Bar Associations. [Capt., U.S.M.C., 1967-1970.]. Practice Areas: Litigation; General Defense.
Johnny Blassingame (Associate) born Abilene, Texas, February 26, 1980; admitted to bar, 2006, Oklahoma. Education: Texas Tech University (B.A., cum laude, 2002); Oklahoma University (J.D., 2006). Member: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma (Young Lawyers Division) and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Litigation; Insurance Regulation; Administrative Law.Email: Johnny Blassingame
OF COUNSELRobert A. Miller (Of Counsel) born Shawnee, Oklahoma, March 10, 1943; admitted to bar, 1968, Oklahoma and U.S. District Court, Eastern, Western and Nothern Districts of Oklahoma; U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit. Education: University of Oklahoma (B.B.A., 1965; J.D., 1968). Administrative Law Judge, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, 1968-1972. Assistant General Counsel, 1969, Assistant Conservation Attorney, 1970 and Trial Examiner, 1970-1973, Corporation Commission of Oklahoma. Member, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute. Member: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma (Member, Sections on: Mineral Law; Administrative Law) and American (Member, Sections on: Energy; Criminal Law; Litigation) Bar Associations; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Law; Energy Law; Environmental Law; Litigation; Personal Injury Law; Family Law.Email: Robert A. Miller
All Attorneys are Members of the Oklahoma County, Oklahoma and American Bar Associations.
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The following firm members have been rated by their peersDisclaimer: No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. The testimonial or endorsement does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. Any result that the endorsed lawyer or law firm may achieve on behalf of one client in one matter does not necessarily indicate that similar results can be obtained for other clients. Past success cannot be an assurance of future success because each case must be decided on its own merits. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Martindale-Hubbell® does not undertake to develop a Client Review Rating or Peer Review Rating for all firms and/or lawyers. Therefore, the fact that a firm or lawyer has not been reviewed should not be construed as unfavorable. Martindale-Hubbell accepts no responsibility for and will not be liable for the content and accuracy of the individual Reviews and the aggregated Reviews.
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