Our Lawyers
Since founding the firm in 1973, Reece Morrel has had one single goal - "negotiate a deal that is fair for all parties involved." His work ethic was founded by the hardships of growing up in rural Oklahoma during the 1940's. Shortly after graduating from college, he joined the Internal Revenue Service. His success as a Revenue Agent and his desire to learn lead him to the University of Tulsa's College of Law night school program.
Mr. Morrel's early legal career took off as has reputation for being a highly-respected Tax and Transactional Real Estate lawyer grew. Working on behalf of his clients, his career has taken him all over the country and the world - including the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, China, Switzerland and Belize. His clientele includes companies in a variety of industries such as taxation, gambling, oil and gas, real estate, manufacturing, engineering and professional firms, wholesale nurseries, wineries, software development and computer gaming to name a few.
Today, Mr. Morrel resides in Tulsa with his wife of 51 years. And as always, he is looking forward to the next challenge.
James R. Hicks joined the Firm in May, 1987 in response to the growing demand for Courtroom experience from among the Firm’s clients. The increasing needs for dispute resolution, litigation strategy and trial management were needed by the Firm’s increasing corporate and business clients. He has represented clients in a broad range of disputes and full trials in both State and Federal Courts. His excellent drafting and negotiation skills have benefited various clients ranging from securities class action matters to settlement of multimillion dollar disputes.
Mr. Hicks has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Oklahoma Bar Association and in numerous capacities with the Tulsa County, Oklahoma and American Bar Associations.
Mr. Hicks works principally in the areas of commercial and business litigation and increasingly, in the areas of workers’ compensation and business acquisitions.
John G. Barnhart joined the Firm effective April 1, 2006. Mr. Barnhart received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 1989 where he served as Note Editor of Oklahoma Law Review.
He was admitted to the bar in 1989 in Texas and 1993 in Oklahoma. He is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern Districts of Texas and Oklahoma. His practice focuses on workers’ compensation defense, insurance defense and commercial litigation.
Reece B. Morrel, Jr. joined the firm in 1992. Mr. Morrel works primarily with tax planning and controversies, real estate transactions, workers’ compensation, corporate formation, and estate planning and probate.
Mr. Morrel is the author of the "Lady Luck Gambling Diary: Slot Machine Edition" - the only gambling diary that is compliant with IRS Revenue Procedure 77-29.
Mr. Finlayson’s practice emphasizes commercial litigation, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy law.
He is nationally recognized for his expertise in the defense of guarantors of student loans in adversary proceedings seeking to discharge those student loans in bankruptcy.
Mr. Finlayson is one of only three “triple-certified” attorneys in the United States in Creditors’ Rights Law, Business and Consumer Bankruptcy Law.
Tracy Beeson has been engaged in private practice since 2006, with areas of concentration in estate planning, probate, estate administration, guardianship and corporate law. Tracy Beeson spent eight years pre-admission legal experience under the mentorship of James L. Sneed, concentrating on estate tax, estate planning and corporate law.
Ronald J. Saffa joined the Firm’s tax law staff in 1984, following 8 years of service with the Internal Revenue Service as an Internal Revenue Agent. Mr. Saffa has handled many complex controversies and difficult planning issues during his tenure with the Firm. Mr. Saffa has enjoyed success reducing, and in many cases, eliminating disputed tax assessments involving tens of millions of dollars. Mr. Saffa works principally in tax and business transactions, probate and estate planning.