Current Employment Position(s)

Associate

Lawyer Overview

Chad J. Kutmas received his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Arkansas in 1999 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2002. While in law school, Mr. Kutmas served as Articles Research Editor for the Tulsa Law Review.

Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Kutmas served for two years as law clerk to the Honorable Terrence L. Michael, Judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. After completing his federal judicial clerkship in 2004, Mr. Kutmas joined the Firm. Mr. Kutmas focuses his practice in the areas of Bankruptcy and Civil Litigation.

Mr. Kutmas has provided various bankruptcy-related services for companies seeking to reorganize its business affairs and maximize the value of its assets or official committees appointed in such cases. In addition, he has provided various bankruptcy-related services for creditors seeking to protect their interests in bankruptcy. Mr. Kutmas also has experience prosecuting and defending bankruptcy appeals.

 The following are representative bankruptcy matters that Mr. Kutmas has been engaged:

• Representation of a telecommunications company in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma;
• Representation of a 26 store grocery chain in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, which resulted in a $24 million sale of the company's assets;
• Representation of the unsecured creditors' committee of a regional food distribution company in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, which resulted in the confirmation of a plan of liquidation by the unsecured creditors' committee;
• Representation of a large warehouse facility in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, which resulted in a confirmed plan of reorganization;
• Representation of a natural gas gathering company in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, which resulted in an out-of-court sale of the company's assets;
• Representation of an Oklahoma municipality in a pending Chapter 9 case in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma;
• Representation of multiple oil and gas producers owed over $60 million in the aggregate in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wyoming in large oil and gas purchase bankruptcy pending in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware;
• Representation of the pre-petition service lender owing $34 million in an oil and gas producers bankruptcy case pending in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma; and
• Representation of the DIP lender in an oil and gas producers bankruptcy case pending in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

With respect to civil litigation, Mr. Kutmas has experience representing clients in a wide spectrum of matters. The following are representative civil matters that Mr. Kutmas has been engaged:

• Defended a mental health service provider against charges of discrimination by a former independent contractor in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, which resulted in summary judgment in favor of the company;
• Defended a Fortune 500 flooring manufacturing company against dangerous product allegations in Oklahoma state court, which was dismissed with prejudice;
• Defended a national rent-to-own company in a jury trial against charges of willful misconduct in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma;
• Prosecuted claims against multiple banking institutions in a check cashing scheme in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, which resulted in a favorable out-of-court monetary settlement;
• Prosecuting claims against major oil claims on behalf of oil and gas producers in OK, TX, KS, NM, and WY in federal and state court in Texas and Oklahoma.

Through his bankruptcy and civil litigation cases, Mr. Kutmas has experience in the following industries and commercial activities:

(1) Oil and gas, including production, exploration, gathering and transportation;

(2) Manufacturing;

(3) Wholesale distribution operations, including food distribution;

(4) Retail operations;

(5) Healthcare; and

(6) Banking

Areas of Practice

• Bankruptcy
• Civil Litigation

West Practice Categories

Bankruptcy Law, Estate Planning, Family Law, Litigation & Appeals, Real Estate Law

Bar Admissions

• Oklahoma
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Oklahoma
• U.S. District Court Western District of Oklahoma
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Oklahoma
• U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Tulsa County Bar Association (Member)
• Oklahoma Bar Association (Member)
• American Bar Association (Member)

Past Employment Positions

• Hon. Terrence L. Michael, Judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Law Clerk, 2002 - 2004

Education

• University of Tulsa College of Law, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2002
  Juris Doctor
  
  Law Review: Tulsa Law Review, Articles Research Editor, 2001 - 2002
• University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 1999
  B.A.
  Major: Psychology
  Minor: Philosophy

Accepts Credit Cards

Published Works

• Comment, Piercing Sovereign Immunity in Bankruptcy: Myth or Reality?, 37 Tulsa Law Review 457, 2001

Address

320 South Boston Avenue
Suite 500
Tulsa, OK 74103-3725

Phones

(918) 582-1211

Faxes

(918) 925-5331

Emails

ckutmas@dsda.com

Websites

http://www.dsda.com