Carr & Carr Attorneys

Raymond Allred has been a practicing attorney for over twenty years. Born in El Paso, Texas, and blessed with a keen sense of competition, Raymond excelled in sports at Odessa High School, lettering in football and golf. He was also Student Body President and member of the National Honor Society. In college at McMurry University, he served as an officer in his fraternity and was consistently on the Dean’s Honor Roll. During law school, Raymond served on the Law Review, was Vice President of the Student Council, and won the prestigious American Jurisprudence Award in Torts, Evidence, and Civil Procedure.

In private practice, Raymond has tried a number of large successful cases with other notable attorneys in Oklahoma and Texas, both as lead and co-counsel. Raymond specializes in litigation as a plaintiff’s attorney. Raymond is married and has two children in school in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he makes his home. Mr Allred, is an avid golfer and plays in many charity tournaments. He and his family are members of Boston Avenue Methodist Church.

Office Location:

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Education:

• 1983 – Bachelor of Science, Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences, McMurry University, Abilene, Texas.


• 1986 – Doctor of Jurisprudence, O.W. Coburn, School of Law, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Professional Associations:

• Iota Eta Rho, Legal Fraternity


• Oklahoma Bar Association


• Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association


• Tulsa Trial Lawyers Association


• Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Laurie Koller is a trial attorney based in Carr & Carr’s Tulsa office. However, she is licensed in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri with responsibility for some matters in all three states. Laurie has been the primary trial attorney for over 50 jury trials in the state and federal courts. Her practice now focuses on complex litigation, including class actions, bad faith, and product liability.

Laurie is also an adjunct professor at Tulsa Community College in the Legal Assistant degree program where she teaches Torts, Civil Procedure, and Advanced Research & Writing.

Education:

• 1988 – Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, (Cum laude, with Distinction), Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.


• 1991 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Professional Associations:

• Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association


• Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association


• American Trial Lawyers Association


• Oklahoma, Missouri & Arkansas Bar Associations


• Tulsa County Bar Association


• National Association of Consumer Advocates

Patrick E. Carr co-founded the firm with his father, Eugene Carr, in 1973. He has been the principal attorney in the firm since his father’s passing in 1992. His practice is concentrated in cases involving brain injury, wrongful death and insurance bad faith. He has tried and argued cases in every United States Federal District Court in Oklahoma, the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit and numerous Oklahoma District Courts.

Pat is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. He has successfully represented the firm’s clients in a number of states. He has served as a Judge on the Oklahoma Temporary Court of Appeals, as a member of the Rules of Professional Conduct Committee of the Oklahoma Bar Association, on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association as well as its Vice-President (2001) and President (2002). He has also authored numerous articles in the area of tort law and has lectured and taught for both the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association and the Oklahoma Bar Association. He has been involved in a number of published legal opinions.

He served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard, as an enlisted man, an infantry platoon leader and a station commander. He also served in the United States Army Reserves as an officer in a Civil Affairs unit. He has coached little league baseball, is interested in distance running and swimming, he plays the violin and studies biographies and history. Pat and his wife married in 1975 and have three adult sons.

Education:

1970 – Bachelor of Arts, History, (Special Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, Top Ten Senior Men), College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
1973 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

Professional Associations:

• American Bar Association


• Oklahoma Bar Association


• American Trial Lawyers Association


• Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association
  
  
  
  • Vice-President (2001)
  
  
  • President (2002)
  
  
  
  


• Tulsa County Bar Association

Guy Thiessen manages the Tulsa office. He concentrates his practice in catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death, with emphasis in nursing home litigation, commercial trucking accidents, product liability and insurance bad faith. He primarily handles and manages litigation for the Tulsa office and has successfully concluded many cases by jury trial and settlement.

He has been licensed to practice law in the State of Oklahoma since 1989 and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, and all United States District and State Courts in Oklahoma.

He has been a speaker at several continuing legal education seminars in Oklahoma to teach other lawyers how to handle nursing home cases. He is a member of the Nursing Home Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice, formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

Education:

• 1985 – Bachelor of Science, Business Administration/Finance, School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.


• 1989 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Professional Associations:

Oklahoma Association for Justice, formerly Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association

President, 2008
Vice President, 2006
Board of Directors 1996 to present
Member since 1989
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Member since 1989

American Association for Justice, formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Significant Cases:

Mr. Thiessen has handled many cases resulting in significant settlement or through trial. He has litigated many nursing home negligence cases over the past several years with a total settlement value in excess of $5 million

Brent Berry joined the law firm of Carr & Carr in March of 2001. He was formerly associated with the law firm of Denney & Barrett, P.C. His practice is primarily focused on personal injury litigation. He is admitted to practice in the State of Oklahoma and in the Western District of Oklahoma. He has significant experience in cases involving injuries caused by defective products. In the past year he was co-counsel in cases in which settlements or jury verdicts were reached totaling in excess of ten million dollars.

Education:

1995 – Bachelor of Arts, History, College of Arts and Sciences, Southeastern State University, Durant, Oklahoma.
1998 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

Professional Associations:

• Oklahoma Bar Association


• Cleveland County Bar Association


• American Trial Lawyers Association


• Board of Directors, Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association


• Association for advancement of Modern Professionals

Significant Cases:

• Glass v. Cross Country Freight Services, Inc. Jury awarded $750,000 in a case involving a low speed rear-end-collision.


• Johnson v. Ford Motor Company. Jury awarded $5,000,000 in a case involving a torn seat belt.


• Sexton v. Ford Motor Company. Jury awarded $1,800,000 in a case involving a defective seat belt buckle.

Tye is the managing attorney for our Oklahoma City office. He concentrates his practice in personal injury, wrongful death and insurance bad faith litigation. Tye handles most of the jury trials for our clients in Oklahoma City and the remaining western half of Oklahoma. He has obtained significant jury verdicts in the central, western and southeastern areas of Oklahoma. He has persuaded major insurance carriers to change their claims-handling procedures through his pursuit of bad faith litigation.

In 1999, Tye obtained a ruling from the Oklahoma Supreme Court in Burch v. Allstate that was a major victory for clients seeking uninsured motorist benefits. This decision continues to cause an uproar in the insurance industry. In 1998, he sued Allstate for bad faith because of the company’s policy of requiring insured’s to sign a release in exchange for payment of undisputed benefits due under the insured’s uninsured motorist coverage. After obtaining a favorable ruling from the court on the issue, the case settled for a confidential amount. Immediately after the settlement, Allstate changed its claim-handling procedure on this issue.

When not practicing law and spending time with his family, Tye enjoys fishing in bass tournaments at the state and national level.

Education:

• 1989 – Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Carl Albert Political Studies Center, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.


• 1992 – Juris Doctor, (with Distinction), School of Law, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

Professional Associations:

• Oklahoma Bar Association


• American Association for Justice


• (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association)


• Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association, Past Member of Board of Directors and Past Co-chair of Public Education Committee


• Admitted to practice in the State of Oklahoma – Northern, Eastern & Western Federal District Courts of Oklahoma; and Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals – and the State of Missouri

Publications/Presentations:

Author of Torts Section in quarterly publication of Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association, the Advocate
Lecture: Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association’s Rising Stars CLE – Focus Groups, 2003
Lecture: Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association’s Annual Insurance Law Update CLE – Tort Law Update, 2003-Present

Lecture: Oklahoma Bar Association’s CLE Basics of The Automobile Accident Case – 2004
Lecture: Oklahoma Bar Association’s CLE Auto Accidents – Perspectives from Both Sides – Litigating the Case for the Plaintiff – 2007

Significant Cases:

Burch v. Allstate Ins. Co., 977 P.2d 1057, 1998 OK 129 (Okla., Dec. 22, 1998). This decision requires all uninsured motorist carriers in Oklahoma to pay their insured’s the full amount of their UM claim without allowing the insurance company to deduct the available liability coverage.

Nichols v. Allstate Ins. Co., CIV-98-22-M (U.S. Western District Oklahoma). Bad faith case resulting in Allstate changing claims handling procedure (see above).

Quiver v. Emerson, CJ-95-240 (Grady County District Court, Oklahoma). Jury trial resulting in significant damage award for man accidentally shot by ex-wife.

Phares v. Kelly, et al., C-95-400 (Pittsburg County District Court, Oklahoma). Persuaded court to allow case to proceed against motor carrier lessee despite truck being on personal mission of driver/owner at time of accident. Obtained directed verdict at trial on liability and significant jury award for damages.

Tatum & Underwood v. City of Oklahoma City, CJ-97-2621-63 (Oklahoma County District Court). Two motorcyclists riding on land owned by City of Oklahoma City were injured after falling off a cliff created by City. Overcame City’s claim of exemption under Tort Claims Act and Recreational Land Use Act in bench trial. Obtained significant jury verdict for clients at trial.

Madden v. Hughes County, CJ-94-106 (Hughes County District Court). Battled Hughes County for eight years through appeal and jury trial in case involving dangerously narrow hill crest where two cars hit head on. Sued County, alleging it should have widened road due to notice of dangerous condition at hill crest. Obtained what is believed to be the largest jury verdict in Hughes County.

Glass v. Cross Country Freight, et al., CJ-04-225 (Hughes County District Court). Obtained $750,000 verdict for client who suffered herniated disk in rear-end collision case involving minimal property damage.

Greg Smart joined the firm of Carr & Carr in 2006. Before joining the firm, he was associated with the law firm of Brady, Schaulat & Falsetti in Oklahoma City, where he concentrated his practice on personal injury and negligence litigation, which included semi and auto accidents, premises liability, products liability, nursing home negligence and insurance law disputes. He was responsible for all phases of civil pre-trial and trial preparation matters and has appealed to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Mr. Smart continues to focus on all types of personal injury and negligence litigation for Carr & Carr. He is licensed to practice in all state courts in Oklahoma and the United States Federal Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.

Greg is married with one child. Greg and his family reside in Oklahoma City.

Education:

• 1986 – Bachelor of Science, Organizational Business Administration – Bachelor of Science, Hotel and Restaurant Administration, William S. Speers School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.


• 1992 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Professional Associations:

• Oklahoma Bar Association


• Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association


• American Bar Association


• American Trial Lawyers Association