Prior to opening his law firm, he served as Sr. Counsel at two Fortune 500 companies and at a large research university. He has over 500 court appearances in matters including constitutional claims, international business disputes, design and construction matters, public-private-partnerships, tribal law and sovereignty, estate planning, real estate, and others.
He also has deep expertise in international commercial ventures, alternative energy development, Federal Acquisition Regs (FAR), Corp of Engineers contracts, transportation contracting and claims, military and space launch deliverables, US Export Controls, visa sponsorship, threat analysis, and export licensing. He has taught courses in contracts law and construction risk mitigation to architects, engineers, and construction managers in Oklahoma, Texas, Massachusetts, and Colorado.
His case theory on the Red River Compact, written and published while a law student (LSU Oil, Gas, and Energy Quarterly, 2010), was later adopted by the U.S. Supreme Court as the new law governing interstate water agreements (Tarrant v. Herrmann, 569 U.S. 613 (2013)).
Wayne is also an engineer. Prior to becoming an attorney, he served as design and construction operations manager for projects totaling over $1 Billion in construction cost. Projects included freeways, casinos, hotels, wetlands mitigation, nuclear waste remediation, environmental assessments and mitigation, flood control systems, and complex construction operations.
Wayne is also a professional artist winning many awards at juried art shows. His paintings are on display throughout the region and at the Chickasaw Supreme Court and Headquarters. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, church activities, is a Category 3 bicycle racer, and fly fisherman.
Education
- JD, Oklahoma City University School of Law, 2009, Managing Editor of Law Review, Cum Laude
- MBA, (Economics and Management Emphasis), University of Texas at Arlington, 2002, Dean’s List
- BS, Mechanical Engineering, (Aerospace Emphasis), University of Oklahoma, 1993, Dean’s List
Licenses and Certifications
- Attorney (Oklahoma, Texas, OK Federal and Tribal courts)
- Licensed Professional Engineer Oklahoma and Texas (retired)
- Certified Export Compliance Official for Export Admin. and International Traffic in Arms
- Certified Facility Security Officer (FSO) and Insider Threat Official (ITPSO)
Publications and Honors
- Invasion or Commerce, Interstate Water Transfers from Oklahoma (LSU Oil, Gas, and Energy Quarterly, 2010)
- OKCU Law Review, Managing Editor 2008-2009
- OKCU Law Review, 2007-2008
- FBI Challenge Coin, 2019
- National Board, Association of University Export Control Officials (2018-2019)
- Wilkinson Award for Excellence in Native American Law
- OCU Law Merit Scholar, and PDP Legal Honors Society
- National Value Engineering Award Team, NSPE
- Salt and Light Award, FBC Dallas
Public Service and Pro Bono
- Speaker, Law for Engineers, Texas and Oklahoma Engineering Conferences 2019, 2020, 2021
- Speaker, Law for Architects, Texas and Oklahoma Architects Conferences 2019, 2021
- Speaker, Tribal Law and Importance of Tribal History, Chickasaw Nation Bar Association
- Speaker, Disability Claims, Cleveland County Bar Association
- Court Advocate, Cleveland Co. Deprived Abused Children Program
- Delegate, Symposium on Threats to U.S. Science, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago
- 4X Delegate, National Conference of Security Export Officials
- 3X Delegate, National Society of Industry Security Professionals
- Court Appointed Advocate, Deprived Children and Mentally Incapacitated
- Chairman, Dallas TxDOT Young Engineers
- Trustee, Goddard Youth Foundation
- Intern, OCU Native American Legal Resource Clinic, Apache, Caddo, Kiowa, Cheyenne-Arapaho, and Comanche Tribes
- Director of Young Married and Visitor Ministries, First Baptist Church Dallas, TX
- Certified Trainer and Counselor, Billy Graham Evangelistic Assoc.
- Volunteer, SBC home and home construction, Matamoros, Mexico; EMI School Footbridge, Nairobi, Kenya
- Volunteer, FB Dallas inner city services,
