February 25, 2025 | Shareholder Adam Doverspike was reappointed by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) to the Oklahoma State Advisory Committee for a four-year term. This will be Adam’s third term serving on the committee.

There are 56 Advisory Committees the USCCR maintains, one in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories. These bipartisan committees, maintained by Congress, conduct studies on civil rights issues within their geographic jurisdictions.

Advisory Committees released reports over the past year on a wide range of topics, including housing discrimination, disparities in pediatric healthcare, artificial intelligence in K12 education, access to legal counsel, barriers to services for students with disabilities, teacher shortages, fair housing practices, the child welfare system’s impact on Black families, mental health care in juvenile justice systems, and accessibility challenges for individuals with disabilities. These reports often contribute to policy changes at the national, state, and local levels.

“I am honored to be reappointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for Oklahoma’s State Advisory Committee. I am excited to continue contributing to the Commission’s important work addressing civil rights issues. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow committee members to study issues within Oklahoma,” says Adam Doverspike.

Adam focuses his practice on complex civil litigation, state and local government affairs, administrative law, and appellate matters. Adam has represented a wide variety of clients, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, governmental entities and public trusts, universities, construction companies, and energy corporations.

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with nearly 100 attorneys and more than 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

January 15, 2025 | GableGotwals Shareholder Adam Doverspike was appointed to the Task Force for the Study of Business Courts, which was created by Senate Bill 473 to study, evaluate, and provide recommendations regarding the potential creation of business courts in Oklahoma.

The Task Force consists of 11 members with diverse legal expertise in the judicial, legislative, and private sectors. Adam was appointed to the Task Force by Senate President Pro Temp Greg Treat. He serves alongside Task Force members former Rep. Jon Echols, Rep. Terry O’Donnell, Judge Don Andrews, Judge Tracy Priddy, Jeff Starling, Lane Wilson, Dennis Cameron, Gary Derrick, Brandon Watson, and Spencer Pittman. After months of deliberation, the Task Force recently submitted its Preliminary Report and recommendations regarding jurisdiction, judicial selection, and procedures for business courts to the legislature.

Currently, more than 25 states have adopted some form of business courts, including Texas. GableGotwals Shareholder John Sullivan testified before a Texas House of Representatives committee in April last year in support of Texas HB 19 and SB 27, which established a specialized business court system in Texas.

“By implementing business courts in Oklahoma, we can help businesses facing complex litigation resolve disputes more efficiently,” says Adam Doverspike. “The advantages of a specialized division for business cases include judges with specific experience in business law, streamlined procedures, quicker resolution, and reduced disruptions to businesses.”

Adam focuses his practice on complex civil litigation, state and local government affairs, administrative law, and appellate matters. He has represented a wide variety of clients, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, governmental entities and public trusts, universities, construction companies, and energy corporations. His complex and business litigation work includes False Claims Act defense, partnership dissolution issues, class action matters, employment discrimination claims, trade secret protection, construction payment disputes, and breach of warranty actions. Adam has handled arbitrations, jury trials in state and federal court, and negotiated favorable settlements for his clients.

GableGotwals provides full-service representation for individual and corporate clients alike, helping clients to navigate federal, state and municipal administrative and regulatory processes with one goal in mind—creating a seamless and more profitable relationship with the federal, state, and local governmental and regulatory agencies to achieve our clients’ objectives.

Our attorneys have worked with and inside many different governmental agencies or departments and can help clients navigate the complexities of federal, state, and local government and their many agencies, boards, and commissions. For more information, visit the Firm’s Governmental Relations and Administrative & Regulatory Law Practice.

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with nearly 100 attorneys and more than 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

Successfully represented a local developer in a civil lawsuit protesting the legal sufficiency of the Referendum Petition related to Jenks Ordinance No. 1617.

November 30, 2023 | GableGotwals Shareholder, Adam Doverspike, and Associate, Cole McDaniel, successfully represented a local developer in a civil lawsuit protesting the legal sufficiency of the Referendum Petition related to Jenks Ordinance No. 1617.

In June 2023, the developer requested a land use change to obtain a Planned Unit Development (PUD) to create an outdoor entertainment venue at 106^th and Elm in Jenks to host little league baseball tournaments and to provide parkland for the public. The conceptual plan for the space included more than 72 acres of green space and 10 baseball fields with public walking trails and play areas.

The Jenks Planning Commission, the Jenks City Council, and the Jenks Mayor all approved the PUD. In July 2023, a group called “Jenks Coalition for Smart Growth” brought a Referendum Petition to the city clerk asking for a public vote on the ordinance. Though the petition received an adequate number of signatures, it misleadingly suggested the entire property had been rezoned to commercial zoning, stated that the entire 116 acres would be a commercial enterprise, and omitted that 50% of the property would be reserved green space and public walking trails.

The developer, represented by GableGotwals, challenged the “gist” of the petition as misleading. On November 22, 2023, the court agreed and ruled that the ‘gist’ of the petition was misleading under the appropriate legal standards and did not provide the potential signatory with sufficient information to make an informed decision. The court found that:

This gist similarly misleading because it states that agricultural zoning is no longer applied to the property, that it allows the “operation of a large 116 acre commercial enterprise,” and omits any information or reference in the PUD including reservation of 50% plus of the property as green space and newly-accessible walking trails. While the court has great respect for citizen-led initiatives and direct democracy, these three issues were misleading and/or incorrect, and justify striking the ballot under the above legal standards.

The court ruled in favor of the developer and ordered that the ballot be struck.

GableGotwals’ Municipal Law and Initiative Petition teams are available to advise petitioners and respondents in initiative petitions, referendums, and municipal referendums to ensure Oklahoma’s citizen-led direct democracy is properly practiced according to the law.

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with nearly 100 attorneys and more than 70 other professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

November 20, 2023 | GableGotwals congratulates Shareholder Adam C. Doverspike on being appointed by Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kane to serve on the state’s Dispute Resolution Advisory Board. He was recently sworn in at the Oklahoma Judicial Center on November 17.

The board is mandated by the Oklahoma Dispute Resolution Act and calls for a 15-member Advisory Board to assist the Director of the Courts and Statewide Director with issues related to the nationally recognized Oklahoma Early Settlement Mediation Program.

Adam’s practice at GableGotwals focuses on complex civil litigation, state and local government affairs, administrative law, and appellate matters. He serves as an Adjunct Settlement Judge for the US District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. He has been recognized for his practice as a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” and Best Lawyers “One to Watch.”

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with nearly 100 attorneys and more than 70 other professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.