Born in Oklahoma City, Rusty is a civil litigation attorney who specializes in the defense of healthcare providers in medical malpractice litigation. He graduated with a B.S. Degree from Oklahoma State University in 1981 and with his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1984. He joined Pierce Couch in 1984 and became a Partner in 1991.

Rusty has tried numerous lawsuits in the defense of physicians and other healthcare providers. He has been selected by his peers as an Oklahoma Super Lawyer 13 times since it’s inception in 2006. He also has been rated by his peers as an AV Preeminent Lawyer every year since 1994. In 2020, Rusty received membership in America’s Top 100 Attorneys (for Oklahoma) and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives in Edmond with Kathy, his wife of 35 years. They have 3 sons, Jeffrey, Will, and Greg.

Education:

• Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 1981, B.S.

• University of Oklahoma College of Law, Norman, Oklahoma, 1984 - J.D.
  Honors:Phi Delta Phi
  Honors: American Jurisprudence Award, Contracts II
  Law Review: Oklahoma Law Review, Editor, 1982 – 1984

Bar Admissions:

• Oklahoma, 1984

• U.S. District Court Northern District of Oklahoma

• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Oklahoma, 1985

• U.S. District Court Western District of Oklahoma, 1985

• U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1994

Published Works:

• Workers’ Compensation Subrogation: Does the Insurance Carrier’s Right Exist Independent of the Workers’ Compensation Statute?, 36 Oklahoma Law Review, Issue 4, 1983

• Physician’s Liability: Don’t Be Responsible for the Negligence of Others, Professional Medical Monitor, December, 1991

Representative Cases:

• Juvenal v. Okeene Public Schools, P.2d 1026 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma 1994)

• Mott v. Carlson, 786 P.2d 1247 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma 1990)

• DeLaughter v. Gutierrez, 47 P.3d 462 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma 2001)

Classes/Seminars Taught:

• Medical Malpractice Law in the 1990’s, Oklahoma City University School of Law, November 3, 1995

• Defending Breast Cancer Litigation, Oklahoma County Medical Association, September 28, 2004

• Anatomy of a Lawsuit, Oklahoma County Medical Association, September 14, 2006

• Behaving Badly Is For Toddlers – Bringing Civility Back Into Civil Litigation, The Oklahoma Association for Justice and The Oklahoma Association For Defense Counsel, December 12, 2016.

• All Counsel Seminar – Legislative and Judicial Updates, OU Physicians, May 4, 2017.

Honors and Awards:

• AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell, 1994 – Present

• Outstanding Service Award, Oklahoma Association of Defense Counsel, 2002 and 2003

• Selected for inclusion in Oklahoma Super Lawyers, 2006 – Present, 13 times)

• America’s Top 100 Attorneys (Oklahoma) –Lifetime Achievement Award – 2020

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• Oklahoma Bar Association, 1984 – Present
  Member

• The Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, 1996 – Present
  Member

• The Oklahoma Association of Defense Counsel, 2000 – 2005
  Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman of the Legislative Committee

• The Oklahoma Association of Defense Counsel, 2001 – 2004
  Board member

• The Oklahoma Association of Defense Counsel, 1984 – Present
  Member

• Defense Research Institute, 1984 – Present
  Member

• Robert J. Turner American Inn of Court, 1999 – 2001
  Master

Pro Bono Activities:

• Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma, 1984 – 1994