Conner & Winters was founded in 1933 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Benjamin C. Conner and John M. Winters, Jr. The young firm was dealt a temporary setback when, on the day following formation of the partnership, President Franklin D. Roosevelt closed every bank in the nation by executive order, including the firm’s major client. The young lawyers persevered and today the bank’s successor continues to be a client. Tulsa, of course, was an integral part of the oil and gas industry at this time and as the city burst onto the national scene, Ben Conner and John Winters began to establish a law firm that was prepared to meet the needs of the business community evolving around it.
Conner & Winters attorneys are experienced in all aspects of estate planning and the administration of trusts and estates. We advise clients on estate planning, preparation of wills and trusts, durable powers of attorney and advance directives for health care, charitable planning, federal and state estate, gift and income taxation, probate, and trust administration, and personal and family asset planning. In addition, we work with succession planning with closely-held corporations owned by our clients and their families.
Conner & Winters has a long history of achievement in real estate practice. Our attorneys recognize that each real estate transaction is important to our clients. The deal might involve the purchase, sale, leasing or development of real property and we have represented various different clients, including Fortune 100 companies, industrial developers, real estate investment trusts, mortgage bankers and individual entrepreneurs. Our firm’s real estate team is experienced and comfortable in counseling and successfully guiding clients through any real estate transaction. For each client, our real estate lawyers maintain a single focus: we look for the best opportunities to help the client’s business succeed.
Conner & Winters labor and employment attorneys advise and represent employers in all aspects of personnel law, union-management relations, employment litigation, and employee benefits matters. The firm assists clients in navigating the ever-changing landscape of state and federal workplace laws. We combine our in-depth understanding of the client’s business and industry with our experience in handling virtually every kind of labor and employment issue that might arise.
Our labor and employment practice is nationwide — the attorneys in this practice area are based in several of our regional offices. Our lawyers represent clients before federal agencies, including the EEOC, OSHA, NLRB, Department of Labor, and Justice Department. We also represent employers in federal and state court proceedings and before state human rights and fair employment practices agencies. We represent both public and private employers. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and nonprofits.
Conner & Winters has long been committed to assisting clients in all areas of insurance law, and our attorneys possess many years of valuable experience in this practice area. We are skilled in insurance coverage analysis, traditional and complex insurance coverage and risk management advice, insurance coverage litigation, and providing solid and reliable insurance defense.
Conner & Winters has been practicing in the area of corporate and securities since its inception in 1933. Today, Conner & Winters has a large, sophisticated and broad corporate and securities law practice. This practice group serves public and private companies in all aspects of corporate and securities matters ranging from complex transactions to day-to-day counseling.
When a financial crisis looms, clients need knowledgeable guidance in making critical decisions quickly and intelligently. Conner & Winters appreciates the varied perspectives of the interested parties, including bankruptcy debtors, creditors, trustees, creditor committees, asset purchasers, financial institutions, and individuals. We understand the different windows of opportunity that arise for each, both before and during every aspect of complex reorganization proceedings, and we know how to help our varied clients preserve value.
Investigations
Conner & Winters attorneys regularly conduct investigations involving federal regulatory compliance, such as allegations of EPA, FERC, and HIPAA violations, executive improprieties, accounting fraud and irregularities, employee embezzlement, retaliation, whistleblower and hotline complaints, healthcare fraud, waste and abuse, and many others. The firm conducts thorough and discreet internal investigations to assess the risk of criminal or civil liability to the organization and counsels companies on corporate governance, compliance, and ethics issues. Our team includes a former United States Attorney, a former Assistant United States Attorney, and lawyers with broad experience in conducting high-profile investigations and in navigating the court system.
