Firm History Timeline

Attorney Kenneth McAfee registers the nation’s first drilling fund for Blackwood & Nichols Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Richard G. Taft (right) joins Kenneth McAfee in practice.

The law firm of McAfee & Taft is officially founded. The firm’s offices are located at 1316 Liberty Bank Building.

[Photograph taken in October 1951 of the Ramsey Tower in Downtown Oklahoma City, also known as the Liberty National Bank Building, the first home of the McAfee & Taft law offices. Credit: Meyers Photo Shop; Courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society]

Firm renamed McAfee, Taft & Cates.

Offices relocated to 2020 First National Building.

Eugene Oscar Kuntz joins firm.

Firm renamed McAfee, Taft, Cates & Kuntz.

Firm renamed McAfee, Taft, Cates, Kuntz & Mark.

Kuntz, A Treatise on the Law of Oil and Gas is published. The multi-volume treatise, authored by Eugene O. Kuntz, provides an exhaustive survey of oil & gas conveyancing and operations and continues to this day to be widely cited by courts and lawyers alike.

Firm renamed McAfee, Dudley, Taft, Cates, Kuntz & Mark.

After Eugene Kuntz leaves to become dean of OU Law, firm is renamed McAfee, Dudley, Taft, Cates & Mark.

Jerry A. Warren hired as first associate out of law school.

Firm renamed McAfee, Taft, Cates, Mark, Bond & Rucks after merger with Fowler, Rucks, Baker, Jopling, Gramlich & Mee, a successor to the Richardson, Shartel & Cochran firm.

Also that year, Eugene Kuntz re-joins the firm as of counsel.

McAfee, Taft, Cates, Mark, Bond & Rucks relocates offices to fifth floor of 100 Park Avenue Building.

Terry R. Barrett and Dewey D. Dobson hired as first clerks.

Firm announces change of its name to McAfee, Taft, Mark, Bond, Rucks & Woodruff.

Becky Marshall and Connie Gore are first female attorneys to be hired at the firm.

Articles of incorporation amended February 29, 1980; Firm renamed McAfee & Taft A Professional Corporation.

Firm moves into newly opened Leadership Square in downtown Oklahoma City, initially occupying the 8th, 9th and 10th Floors.

McAfee & Taft establishes global Aviation practice to assist clients with aircraft title, registration, finance, and regulatory matters.

In January, McAfee & Taft significantly expands its labor and employment practice with the addition of nine lawyers from Lytle, Soule & Curlee. The next month, McAfee & Taft establishes an intellectual property law practice by merging with Dougherty & Hessin, a boutique IP firm.

Firm surpasses 115 lawyers, becoming the state’s largest law firm.

McAfee & Taft opens Tulsa office located in ONEOK Building in downtown Tulsa.

McAfee & Taft merges with Joyce & Paul, PLLC, continuing to add to the depth and expertise in the firm’s Tulsa office.

Renovation of Oklahoma City offices completed, occupying five floors of the Two Leadership Square. The $4 million construction project was performed in 18 phases over 20 months.

Tulsa office moves to MAPCO Building (8th, 9th and 10th Floors) at 1717 S. Boulder on the southside of Downtown Tulsa.

McAfee & Taft merges with Eldridge Cooper Steichen & Leach, PLLC, a boutique litigation firm specializing in high-profile product liability defense.

Firm moves its Tulsa office to Williams Center Tower II (11th and 12th Floors).

Firm opens office in Springfield, Missouri, its first office outside of Oklahoma.

Firm completes renovation of its Oklahoma City offices.

Firm further expands Tulsa office to include all of the 12^th floor of the Williams Tower II building.

In August, more than 500 colleagues, family and friends gathered at the new Omni Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City to formally celebrate McAfee & Taft’s 70th anniversary. Attendees included current, retired and former attorneys and staff, their “plus-ones,” and relatives of the firm’s founders and early partners. Stories were retold, the departed commemorated, legacies honored, achievements lauded, a rich history celebrated, and new memories created.