Education
B.S., Oklahoma State University, 1980
J.D., University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1988
LL.M., New York University School of Law, 1989
About
Prior to his retirement from practicing law in January 2025, Joel Stafford served as a trusted tax advisor for nearly 45 years, initially as a Certified Public Accountant and later as a lawyer. He began his legal career at McAfee & Taft in 1989 and, for the nine years prior to rejoining McAfee & Taft in 2022, he served as Senior Tax Counsel at Devon Energy Corporation, a leading independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company based in Oklahoma City. Over the course of his career, Joel’s legal and tax experience was focused primarily on corporate and partnership transactional planning and on tax audit and controversy matters.
In addition to practicing law, Joel has served from time-to-time throughout his career as an adjunct professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Most recently, he taught Individual Income Taxation during the Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 semesters, Corporate Income Taxation during the Fall 2023 semester, Partnership Income Taxation during the Spring 2024 semester, and a Tax Policy Seminar during the Fall 2024 semester.
Additional Information
J.D.:
- Business Tax 6820
- Individual Income Tax 5463
- Partnership Tax 6100
The Best Lawyers in America (tax law; tax litigation and controversy) during 2024.
New York University School of Law, LL.M
- Harry J. Rudick Award (outstanding student in LL.M graduating class)
- Highest academic average in LL.M graduating class
- Gerald Wallace Scholarship (one of six merit-based scholarships awarded)
- Graduate Editor, Tax Law Review
University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D.
- Nathan Scarritt Prize (highest academic average in graduating class)
- Order of the Coif
- Chief Note Editor, Oklahoma Law Review