July 2011 – December 2012     Arkansas Circuit Court Judge

19th Judicial District West - Division II - Benton County, Arkansas

Appointed by the Governor of Arkansas to complete the term of a retiring judge.  Served as general jurisdiction trial judge handling one of the state’s heaviest felony criminal dockets, with charges ranging from property crimes to capital murder.  The docket also included substantial civil litigation with the subject matter ranging from contract and employment disputes to personal injury and wrongful death claims. 

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1994 – June 2011        Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. In-House Legal Counsel

Served in multiple senior roles within Wal-Mart’s Legal Department.  Began Wal-Mart’s first in-house civil litigation group as Senior Litigation Counsel, which for 10 years was responsible for first-chair litigation of selected complex commercial and employment litigation at the national level.  Primary emphasis was is federal litigation and federal appellate practice; in this capacity, was the lead attorney for cases before multiple Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals across the country.  For the last several years, served as Senior Associate General Counsel offering primary legal support to Wal-Mart’s Privacy Office and Information Systems Security Office, including the Company’s eDiscovery processes intended to streamline civil litigation. 

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1976 – 1994        Private General Litigation Practice, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Professional Rating - AV Preeminent Rating - 20 years - Martindale Hubbell/Lexis Nexis. For nearly twenty (20) years, was engaged in a general state and federal litigation practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  The range of experience includes criminal defense, commercial, contract, employment (both employer and employee), civil rights (plaintiff and defense), and negligence litigation (inclusive of wrongful death) (plaintiff and defense).