News

For the third consecutive year, Conner & Winters has participated in The American Red Cross Stocking Stuffer Program.  Every member of the Oklahoma City office participated in a number of fund raising events, which took place over a 30-day period.  Events included a Silent Lunch Box Auction,  a chili/bean supper and a building-wide bake sale.  “It has been our privilege, and we enjoy giving back to the community through our continued partnership with The American Red Cross Stocking Stuffer Program each year,”  stated Conner & Winters’ partner Kiran Phansalkar.

The team dedicated approximately 150 non-work hours to the events and raised over $1,000.  They were able stuff 275 stockings for underprivileged children and children affected by tragedy.  The stockings included such items as stuffed animals, pencils, erasers, stickers, holiday bell necklaces, play-doh and doh cutting sets, chocolate candy and candy canes.  To view pictures of the event, click here.

On November 9, 2009, a large Texas pension fund received a favorable ruling from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, in a case in which the pension fund lost substantial money when the fund’s fiduciary invested some of the fund’s assets in a Bernard Madoff “feeder fund”.  Conner & Winters attorneys Doug Selwyn, Rich Love and Dallas Session have been battling since February of 2009 to keep the pension fund’s claims against the fiduciary in arbitration before the American Arbitration Association, but opposing counsel instituted declaratory relief proceedings in federal court in an effort to force an end to the arbitration.  On November 9, 2009, Federal District Court Judge Thomas P. Griesa in the Southern District of New York ruled from the bench that the fiduciary’s claims for declaratory relief in federal court were to be dismissed, and that the pension fund’s fiduciaries must arbitrate the entire dispute before the American Arbitration Association, as requested by the pension fund.  Due to the efforts of Conner & Winters attorneys from three offices (Dallas, Houston, and Tulsa), the pension fund’s claims can remain in arbitration, where proceedings should prove to be more expedient and less costly. The ruling allows the pension fund to avoid being consolidated with three massive securities fraud class action lawsuits.

Conner & Winters in partnership with the Giddens Foundation were Courage Sponsors at the “An Evening of Courage and Inspiration” dinner benefiting the Oklahoma Outreach Foundation.  The Oklahoma Outreach Foundation was established in 2000 as a non-profit organization supporting treatment and recovery for Oklahoma teens experiencing chemical dependency on alcohol and other drugs.  This organization offers adolescents and their families financial resources and support in their recovery.  From treatment to aftercare to offering a sober high school alternative, Oklahoma Outreach Foundation works with families to provide solutions.  The foundation is able to serve these families by providing financial aid to qualifying families for treatment, and/or scholarships to the sober high school.  For more information, please visit www.okoutreachfoundation.org.