John J. Carwile

Mr. Carwile has practiced law in Tulsa for 33 years. He has significant and broad experience and first-chair jury and non-jury trial experience in different federal and state courts and in complex litigation and arbitration proceedings. He also has served as a mediator and arbitrator.

Areas of Practice

A wide variety of commercial contract and business tort disputes and litigation, to include:

  • Oil and gas litigation and disputes relating to Exploration and development agreements, gas purchase contracts, disputes between operators and gas working interest owners, joint ventures, and pipeline operations

  • Trade and competition litigation, to include trade secrets, non-competition agreements, non-solicitation provisions, proprietary and confidential data litigation, and unfair competition.

  • Corporate, partnership and limited liability company disputes and litigation, to include both plaintiff and defendant representation related to corporate officer and director duties, fiduciary duties, accountings, transfers of assets, receiverships, dissolution, and derivative lawsuits in a wide variety of businesses. These include law firms, private industrial and private oil companies, pipeline companies, retail companies, and medical practices.

  • Commercial construction litigation and arbitration, to include gas processing and co-generation facilities, oil refineries, power plants, and oil and gas pipelines.

  • Commercial real estate disputes in both trial and arbitration contexts.

  • Anti-trust claims, including cases in the aerospace, medical and construction industries

  • Trust litigation, including representing plaintiffs and defendants in trust fiduciary litigation, banking trust litigation and securities fraud contexts.

Selected Significant Cases

Mr. Carwile has successfully represented plaintiffs and defendants in a number of Tulsa County jury and non-jury trials, the most significant of which include:

  1. Tulsa County Plaintiffs’ non-jury verdict in excess of $30 million for oil and gas working interest/owner claims, including breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and breach of exploration development agreements.
  2. Successfully defended Tulsa County jury trial claims for misappropriation of proprietary and confidential data, and trade secrets.
  3. Successfully defended and obtained rescission of a Tulsa building sales contract on the grounds of fraud, for a property valued at $1.4 million.
  4. Successfully defended Tulsa County jury trial claims for rescission and fraud in the drilling of oil wells.
  5. Tulsa County plaintiff’s verdict suit for fraud in connection with sale of bank holding company stock.
  6. Successful trial defense of claim for temporary injunction in oil and gas company case asserting claims for misappropriation of proprietary and confidential data and trade secrets.
  7. Successful defense of derivative actions by members of closely held oil and gas limited liability company asserting claims for breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duties, and receivership.
  8. Tulsa County plaintiff’s jury verdict and bench trial judgment in law firm dissolution, accounting and breach of contract.
  9. Tulsa County oil and gas refinery construction jury trial plaintiff’s verdict in excess of $1 million.

Education

  • B.S., United States Naval Academy, 1976, with highest honors
  • J.D., Harvard Law School, 1984, cum laude
  • Active duty line officer, U.S. Navy (1976-1981)
  • Law Clerk to the Honorable Stephanie K. Seymour, United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (1984-1985)

Memberships & Awards

  • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (inducted in 2010)
  • Oklahoma Super Lawyers (2006-2018)
  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America
  • Member, Oklahoma Bar Association
  • Admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern, Western and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and various other Courts on an as needed basis.