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Oklahoma Matrimonial Law

Managing Partner David W. Echols

David W. Echols | Managing Attorney | Echols & Associates

David W. Echols is the co-founder of Echols & Associates and has 39 years of experience in the legal field. David is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and he has been an AV rated attorney by Martindale Hubbell for twenty (20) years.

David is a former Chair of the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Family Law Section.

Prior to starting his law practice, David received a JD from Oklahoma City University, with high honors. He also received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma, with distinction. He has been inducted into Worldwide Registry and also maintains affiliations with the American Bar Association, the Oklahoma Bar Association, the Cleveland County Bar Association, the Oklahoma County Bar Association, and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. David currently is an Adjunct Law Professor at Oklahoma City University School of Law where he instructs Family Law, and the University of Central Oklahoma where he teaches the undergraduate and graduate course – “Family Law and Public Policy.” He frequently teaches and lectures on the topic of Family Law to Oklahoma lawyers.

Education:

  • BACHELOR OF ARTS WITH DISTINCTION, University of Oklahoma, 1972
  • PHI BETA KAPPA, University of Oklahoma, 1972
  • FACULTY HONOR ROLL, Oklahoma City University School of Law, Fall Semester, 1977, and Spring Semester, 1978
  • JURIS DOCTORATE, Oklahoma City University, December 1978, (Graduated in the top 15% of class)

Admissions:

  • 1979, Oklahoma
  • 1980, U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma

Graduate and Undergraduate Teaching:

  • Adjunct Professor, Oklahoma City University Law School, “Family Law,” 2015 to present (three-hour course)
  • Adjunct Professor, Graduate and Undergraduate, University of Central Oklahoma, “Family Law and Public Policy,” 1999-present (three-hour course)
  • Adjunct Professor, Oklahoma City University Law School, Mediation and Employment Discrimination, Summer 1999 (one-hour course)
  • Adjunct Professor, with M. Eileen Echols, Oklahoma City University Law School, “Family Law,” 1998 (four-hour course)

Memberships:

  • American Academy of Matrimonial Trial Lawyers, (Fellow) since March 4, 1995
  • American Bar Association (Member, Family Law Section)
  • Oklahoma Bar Association
  • Family Law Section
  • Chairman of the Section, 1994;
  • Budget Officer, 1991-1992 and 2007-2008,
  • Cleveland County Bar Association (Member)
  • Oklahoma County Bar Association (Member, Board of Directors, 1995-1998).

Publications:

  • “Alimony: Spousal Support vs. Property Division – The Distinctions and Interplay.” Oklahoma County Bar Association. (February 2016)
  • “Divorce Litigation from Start to Finish”, CLE Presentation, National Business Institute (February 2013)
  • “Family Law From A to Z”, CLE Presentation, National Business Institute (September 2010)
  • “Skrapka v. Bonner, 2008 OK 30, 187 P.3d 202. Relative Involvement and Intervention in a DHS Placement in Juvenile Court; and Original Jurisdiction – WRIT OF MANDAMUS AND PROHIBITION in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.” Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section. (July 2008)
  • “Alimony: Spousal Support vs. Property Division – The Distinctions and Interplay.” Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section. (November 2007)
  • “A Primer on Family Law in Oklahoma – Property Division and Support Alimony.” Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section. (September 2007)
  • “Substantive Issues in Divorce: Custody and Visitation; Property Division ; and Support Alimony.” Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section. (November 2006)
  • “Statutory and Equitable Liens in Divorce Cases,” CLE presentation, Oklahoma Bar Center (November 2005)
  • “The How to Successfully Handling a Divorce Case From Start to Finish”, CLE presentation, “Substantive Issues in Divorce: Custody and Visitation; Property Division; and Support Alimony”, Oklahoma Bar Center (September 2001)
  • “Special Rules on Non-ERISA Plans”, presentation to Oklahoma Bar Association, Family Law Section Seminar, Oklahoma Bar Center (October 1998)
  • “Community Conference on Family and Divorce Mediation”, Conference Faculty, Oklahoma Bar Center, Presented Outline of Mediation v. Trial; Along with Proposed Rules of Mediation and Mediation Agreement. (April 1998)
  • “Support, Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement: The Cutting Edge”, Moderator, OBA CLE (September 1998)
  • “Child Custody – Original and Modification”, co-written and presented with M. Eileen Echols, OBA Basic Divorce Seminar (September 1997)
  • “Child Support: Establishment, Enforcement, UIFSA, and Defenses”, written and oral presentation, Family Law Melange, OBA Family Law Section (October 1997)
  • “Custody Modification Based Upon Relocation of Children and the Custodial Parent”, Guest Speaker, OBA Family Law Section (September 1997)
  • “What To Do When the Judge is Wrong” co-written with M. Eileen Echols, OBA Family Law Section, A Family Law Melange XII (April 1995)
  • “Bankruptcy Alert: New Rules in the Court’s of Broken Promises Concerning Dischargeability of Property Division Awards” CLE presented at the 1995 Advanced matrimonial Institute (December 1995)
  • “Recent Developments In Oklahoma Law (1994)”, CLE presented at the Oklahoma Bar Association Annual Meeting (November 1994)
  • “The Custody Evaluation” Co-Authored with Judge M. Eileen Echols, CLE presented by the OBA Family Law Section and the Health Providers Division of the Oklahoma Psychological Association (May 1994)
  • “Attorney Fees in Divorce” American Bar Association, Family Law Section, Fall CLE Conference, PALM Springs, Calif. (November 1993)
  • “Child Custody; Evaluation, Preparation and Presentation” OBA Family Law Section, Family Law Mélange IX (Spring 1993)
  • “The Love/Hate Relationship Between State Trial Courts and U.S. Bankruptcy Courts” written and oral presentation to the Oklahoma Judicial Conference (July 1991)
  • “Divorce and Bankruptcy: The Courts of Broken Promises” published in Vol. 5, No. 1, OBA Family Law Section Update (December 1990)

Professional Accomplishments:

  • Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
  • AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory for over 20 years
  • Chairman, Oklahoma Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1994
  • Adjunct Professor, Graduate and Undergraduate, University of Central Oklahoma, Family Law and Public Policy, 1999-Present
  • Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers and AV Rated Attorney, Lexis Nexis, 2009- present
  • Cambridge Who’s Who Professional of the Year, 2010
  • AV Preeminent Rating, Lexis Nexis, 2008, 2010
  • High Professional Legal Standards and Ethics, The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, 2006 and 2007
  • Strathmore’s Who’s Who, 2003-2004
  • Outstanding Lawyers of America 2003
  • American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Honored Professional, 2002
  • Board of Directors, Oklahoma Trial Lawyer’s Association, 1998-1999
  • Board of Directors, Oklahoma County Bar Association, 1995-1998
  • Oklahoma Bar Association, Speaker Annual Meeting, Family Law Section, 2006
  • Oklahoma Bar Association, Bar Committee Member, Annual Meeting, 2005
  • Oklahoma Bar Association, Speaker Annual Meeting, Family Law Section, 2005
  • Oklahoma Bar Association, Speaker Annual Meeting, Family Law Section, 2004
  • Delegate to Oklahoma Bar Association Annual Meeting, 1996-1997
  • Chairman, Oklahoma Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1994
  • Liaison between the ABA Family Law Section Council and the Oklahoma Family Law Section, 1992-1993
  • Budget Officer, Oklahoma Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1991-1992
  • Mediator, completed forty hour mediation training in Business, Family and Divorce Conflicts, May 1992

Community Service:

  • Member, South OKC Chamber of Commerce
  • Member, Specialty Coffee Association of America
  • Pro Bono work for Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma, Law Day, and Black Legal Fair of Oklahoma County
  • National Republican Congressional Committee, Congressional medal of Distinction
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