Randall J. YatesDirector
Bringing a wealth of civil and appellate litigation experience, Randall Yates assists clients with complex legal issues involving constitutional, administrative, and federal Indian law. He is a director in the firm’s Tulsa office and a member of the Appellate, Litigation & Trial, and Indian Law & Gaming Practice Groups. Randall is also the past chair of the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Group.
Before joining the firm, Randall served as Assistant Solicitor General for the State of Oklahoma where he represented Oklahoma in state and federal court on a broad range of civil and appellate legal matters including taxation, administrative and regulatory issues, and federal Indian law. He also advised state officials, including the Attorney General, on emerging legal issues regarding medical cannabis, tribal jurisdiction, initiative petitions, and civil rights.
Randall holds degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and Oregon State University studying abroad at the Aarhus School of Business in Denmark. During law school, he clerked for the Solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C., and before law school, tutored students from rural Alaskan villages preparing for college.
- Warehouse Market, Inc. v. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 2021 OK 6, 481 P.3d 250 (successfully appealed interpleader case involving complex issues of tax, administrative, and federal Indian law)
- Treat v. Stitt, 2020 OK 64, 473 P.3d 43 (upon invitation of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, expressed the Attorney General’s views on the Governor’s authority to unilaterally enter into certain tribal gaming compacts, which were ultimately adopted)
- In re Initiative Petition No. 425, State Question No. 809, 2020 OK 58, 470 P.3d 284 (upon invitation of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, expressed the Attorney General’s views on the sufficiency of the initiative petition to amend Oklahoma’s firearm laws, which were ultimately adopted)
- Castanon v. Cathey, 976 F. 3d 1136 (10th Cir. 2020) (successfully defended against challenge to horseracing commission’s decision to scratch a horse from Oklahoma’s biggest race
- Original Investments, LLC v. State of Oklahoma et al., Case No. 20-CV-820-F (W.D. Okla.) (successfully defended against commerce clause challenge to Oklahoma’s medical marijuana laws)
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Berkeley, CA
J.D., 2010
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR
B.S., 2004
- Oklahoma, 2010
- U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 2017
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Oklahoma, 2017
- U.S. District Court Western District of Oklahoma, 2017
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Oklahoma, 2018
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Appellate Practice Section, Chair (2021)