Frederic Dorwart, Lawyers PLLC

Frederic Dorwart

Mr. Dorwart is the founding member of Frederic Dorwart, Lawyers PLLC.  With extensive experience in both litigation and transactional work, he currently focuses his practice on structuring corporate and non-profit organizations, advising clients on the legal aspects of business matters, and coordinating teams of attorneys handling complex corporate litigation.

Biography

Mr. Dorwart has practiced law since 1966. He has experience in both litigation and transactional law, principally oil and gas, securities, and banking law. He currently focuses his practice on structuring commercial transactions, advising clients on the legal aspects of business matters, and coordinating teams of attorneys handling complex commercial and corporate litigation.

 

Before forming Frederic Dorwart, Lawyers PLLC in 1994, Mr. Dorwart was the managing partner of Holliman, Langholz, Runnels & Dorwart.  From 1969 to 1989, Mr. Dorwart was a stockholder, director and officer of various manufacturing concerns. He was Co-founder of the International Society of the Energy Advocates and a principal draftsman of the 1995 Oklahoma Tort Reform Act.  Mr. Dorwart was General Counsel of BOK Financial Corporation (1991-2021) and Kaiser-Francis Oil and Gas Company (1967-2011).


Mr. Dorwart is President and Trustee of the George Kaiser Family Foundation; Trustee Emeritus, Board of Trustees of The University of Tulsa (Chair of the Board 2017-2019); Director, Tulsa Educare, Inc.; and General Counsel, Tulsa Stadium Trust, and Tulsa River Parks Authority.


Mr. Dorwart organized the Tulsa Stadium Trust Improvement District (2008) and developed the structure and organization for Tulsa’s Gathering Place (2014).  He was an Organizing Trustee of the Tulsa Community Foundation (1999); Commissioner of the Tulsa Housing Authority (1990-2007); President (1976-1977) and Director (1971-1977) of Family & Children’s Services of Tulsa; Director and Chairman of the Board (1982-1986), Operation Aware of Oklahoma; President of the Parish Council of Holy Family Cathedral (1978-1980); Director, Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce (2008-2014); Director, Tulsa Opera, Inc. (2016-2018); Director, Oklahoma Hall of Fame; Co-Founder and Member (1974 to Present), International Society of the Energy Advocates; and Oklahoma Chairman of the Harvard Law School Fund Campaign (multiple years).


Mr. Dorwart was Honoree, Fred Dorwart Day in the City of Tulsa (November 13, 2006); Honoree, Frederic Dorwart Chair in Energy Law, University of Tulsa School of Law (2009); Tulsa Regional Chamber Volunteer of the Year (2009); Hall of Fame Honoree, Tulsa Historical Society (2015); Hall of Fame Honoree, The University of Tulsa School of Law (2015); Hall of Fame Honoree as Outstanding Business Leader, Collins College of Business, The University of Tulsa (2017); and LION of the Bar, Awarded (2022).


Mr. Dorwart was pro-bono co-lead counsel in DG v. Yarbrough, USDC NDOK which obtained a settlement mandating fundamental reform of the Oklahoma foster care system and nationally recognized as a model for foster reform.


In 2020, Mr. Dorwart was recognized as a Lawyer of Distinction for Corporate and Transaction Law and, in 2021, designated Lawyer of the Year-Corporate Law, Oklahoma, by Best Lawyers®.


Mr. Dorwart received his L.L.B., Cum Laude, from Harvard Law School in 1966. There he also received the Best Brief and Best Oralist Awards in the moot court competition. He received a B.S. in Engineering with Distinction in 1959 from the U.S. Naval Academy. Before law school, Mr. Dorwart served as Chief Engines Officer in U.S.S. Newport News, as Chief Operations Officer in U.S.S. Turner, and as an Instructor in Naval Tactics at the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School, Newport, Rhode Island.

Representative Recent Engagements

  • Mr. Dorwart was pro-bono co-lead counsel in DG v Yarbrough, USDC NDOK which obtained a settlement mandating fundamental reform of the Oklahoma foster care system.

Undergraduate:

U. S. Naval Academy (B.S. with Distinction, 1959)

 

Law:

Harvard Law School (L.L.B., Cum Laude 1966)

1966, Oklahoma

Co-founder of the International Society of the Energy Advocates and a principal draftsman of the 1995 Oklahoma Tort Reform Act. General Counsel of BOK Financial Corporation (1991-2021) and Kaiser-Francis Oil and Gas Company (1967-2011). President and Trustee of the George Kaiser Family Foundation; Member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of The University of Tulsa (Chair, 2017-2019); Director, Tulsa Educare, Inc.; and General Counsel, Tulsa Stadium Trust, and Tulsa River Parks Authority. Organized Tulsa Stadium Trust Improvement District (2008) and developed the structure and organization for Tulsa’s Gathering Place (2014). He was an Organizing Trustee of the Tulsa Community Foundation (1999); Commissioner of the Tulsa Housing Authority (1990-2007); President (1976-1977) and Director (1971-1977) of Family & Children’s Services of Tulsa; Director and Chairman of the Board (1982-1986) of Operation Aware of Oklahoma; President of the Parish Council of Holy Family Cathedral (1978-1980); Director, Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce (2008-2014); Director, Tulsa Opera, Inc.; Director, Oklahoma Hall of Fame; Co-Founder and Member (1974 to Present), International Society of the Energy Advocates; and Oklahoma Chairman of the Harvard Law School Fund Campaign (multiple years). Honoree, Fred Dorwart Day in Tulsa, Oklahoma (November 13, 2006); Honoree, Frederic Dorwart Chair in Energy Law, University of Tulsa School of Law (2009); Tulsa Regional Chamber Volunteer of the Year (2009); Hall of Fame Honoree, Tulsa Historical Society (2015); Hall of Fame Honoree, The University of Tulsa School of Law (2015); Hall of Fame Honoree as Outstanding Business Leader, Collins College of Business, The University of Tulsa (2017).

Tonya Tripp

ttripp@fdlaw.com