Nick Merkley

Trent Shores

GableGotwals, one of the region’s premier law firms, is proud to announce the creation of Managing Shareholder roles in its Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Houston offices. This strategic leadership expansion reflects the Firm’s continued growth and commitment to its values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, and support.

In response to its expanding footprint and to ensure strong local office leadership, GableGotwals is pleased to announce that Nick Merkley and Trent Shores have been appointed as the first Managing Shareholders for the Oklahoma City and Tulsa offices, respectively. In addition to the Firm’s Chairman and CEO, John Dale, these roles provide localized leadership, promote continuity, support efficient decision-making, and ensure adequate representation at the Board of Directors across the Firm’s offices.

“This leadership expansion reflects our commitment to thoughtful growth and representation at every level, including being positioned to fill the designated Managing Shareholder and Board of Directors seat for our Houston office in the near future,” said John Dale, Chairman and CEO. “By elevating our local office leadership, we are strengthening our culture of collaboration and reinforcing the standard of excellent client service that defines our Firm.”

GableGotwals represents a diverse client base in litigation, transactional, and regulatory matters. The Firm has earned top-tier recognition from Chambers and Partners, Benchmark Litigation, and IFLR1000.

March 11, 2025 | Trent Shores has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. The induction ceremony, at which Trent became a Fellow, took place on March 8 at the Spring Meeting in Maui, Hawaii.

Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only, following a careful investigation of those experienced trial lawyers from diverse backgrounds who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility, and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of 15 years of trial experience before being considered for Fellowship.

Membership in the College cannot exceed 1% of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are currently approximately 5,500 members, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction), and Honorary Fellows. The College maintains and seeks to improve the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice through education and public statements on independence of the judiciary, trial by jury, respect for the rule of law, access to justice, and fair and just representation of all parties to legal proceedings. Thus, the College is able to speak with a balanced voice on important issues affecting the legal profession and the administration of justice.

Trent is a Shareholder at GableGotwals, where he advises clients regarding complex litigation, Native American law and policy, cybersecurity, and high-stakes government and corporate investigations. He represents clients in state, federal, and tribal courts at all stages in the litigation process, including at trial and on appeal. Trent serves on the Firm’s Board of Directors and is Co-chair of the Native American Law and Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Practices. Prior to joining GableGotwals, he spent nearly 18 years in public service at the United States Department of Justice, most recently as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

“This is such a prestigious honor, and it is only for the best of the best. “The College,” as it is known in legal circles, is by invitation only. This achievement is a testament to the excellent legal services we provide. We are proud that Trent Shores is now a Fellow of the College. He joins a distinguished and talented list of GableGotwals trial lawyers who are also members of this elite organization – Jennifer Annis, David Bryant, Sid Dunagan, and Robert McCampbell,” said John Dale, CEO of GableGotwals.

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.

Trent Shores, a member of GableGotwals’ Sports, Media, and Entertainment Practice, served as the Legal Technician on the production of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” vetting the courtroom and interrogation scenes in the film for accuracy. In his role, Trent had the opportunity to write a scene and edit other portions of the script, working closely with the director, Martin Scorsese, and the actors.

A citizen of Choctaw Nation and a former United States Attorney, Trent advises clients regarding complex litigation, Native American law and policy, cybersecurity, and high-stakes government and corporate investigations. He represents clients in state, federal, and tribal courts at all stages in the litigation process, including at trial and on appeal.

About the Sports, Media, and Entertainment Practice
For more than 35 years, GableGotwals attorneys have been advising clients in the sports, media, and entertainment sectors. The team’s broad experience provides unique market insights to advise digital, media, and production companies, entertainment venues, professional and collegiate athletes, musicians, actors, filmmakers, celebrities, licensors/rights holders, investors, and financiers. Click here to read more about GableGotwals’ Sports, Media, and Entertainment Practice.

December 7, 2023 | For more than 35 years, GableGotwals attorneys have been advising clients in the sports, media, and entertainment sectors. The team’s unique market insights inform our advice to digital, media, and production companies, entertainment venues, professional and collegiate athletes, musicians, actors, filmmakers, celebrities, licensors/rights holders, investors, financiers, and business owners.

Recent experience includes:

• Representing clients in entertainment-related agreements such as SAG employment contracts for movies and television commercials and contracts for appearances in nationally-broadcast talent competitions
• Representing a private investment fund in controlling investment in an Oklahoma-based film and television production company
• Representation of a lender in a loan to a multi-state radio broadcasting company
• Representing a country music entertainment website in connection with media production, promotion agreements with musicians and concert promoters, social media influencer agreements, and other general matters
• Representing bands, artists, managers, and record labels in agreements
• Representing athletes in various investments and ventures
• Advising a professional athlete regarding a sports agent agreement
• Negotiating a Name, Image, and Likeness agreement for a student athlete
• Negotiating an endorsement and appearance agreement with a professional athlete
• Representing clients in trademark and copyright disputes
• Representing clients in sports trademark protection and enforcement

“With the recent influx of film production in Oklahoma, the rising prominence of Name, Image, and Likeness’ (NIL) arrangements with collegiate and high school athletes, and our existing experience in advising clients regarding film, music and media rights, business investments, endorsements, and appearances, we decided this is a perfect time to formalize our Sports, Media and Entertainment Practice and share with the community all the interesting and exciting projects we have completed,” said Jeffrey Hassell, Shareholder at GableGotwals and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Sports, Media, and Entertainment Practice.

As a full-service firm, GableGotwals is well poised to advise clients who desire to protect and enforce rights and claims to their creations, capitalize on their notoriety, or create value with their name, image, and likeness, and for those who help make that possible by marketing, providing capital, or hosting social media or event platforms at venues. Click here to read more about GableGotwals’ Sports, Media, and Entertainment Practice.

Cybersecurity and data privacy are crucial to the daily operations of governmental and business entities. GableGotwals is well-positioned to help organizations in this area, tailoring our legal services and work product to each client’s particular circumstances and objectives.

Learn more about the intersection of cybersecurity and the law and what GableGotwals can do for your organization here.