OU Law Announces Endowed Scholarships in Energy Law

Media Contact:  
Mackenzie A. Dilbeck
405) 325-2227
mdilbeck@ou.edu

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma College of Law is pleased to announce two endowed scholarships for students with a demonstrated interest in energy law. The Mahaffey & Gore Endowed Scholarship and the Owen L. Anderson Endowed Scholarship are both $100,000 or more and will each generate approximately $5,000 annually to be awarded to outstanding and deserving students.

With a gift of $105,000, Mahaffey & Gore, P.C., a full-service energy law firm in Oklahoma City, established the Mahaffey & Gore Endowed Scholarship. Mahaffey & Gore, P.C. holds a reputation as one of Oklahoma’s premier energy law firms. Attorneys at the firm, many of whom are OU Law graduates, specialize in energy law, petroleum exploration and development contracts and oil and gas litigation.

“As an OU Law graduate, I have enjoyed a successful and stimulating career in private practice, primarily in the area of oil and gas law,” said President of Mahaffey & Gore, P.C., Greg Mahaffey. “It is important to give back and recognize those who have contributed to your success. I believe OU Law is well-equipped to train future top-ranked lawyers, and as such, I am proud and delighted to endow the Mahaffey & Gore Endowed Scholarship to assist OU Law students interested in pursuing a law career in oil and gas, natural resources or energy.”

Following an initial gift of $50,000 in 2014 to establish the Owen L. Anderson Endowed Scholarship, an anonymous donor provided an additional $50,000 to increase the endowment to $100,000. The scholarship honors former OU Law professor and Eugene Kuntz Chair of Law in Oil, Gas and Natural Resources, Owen L. Anderson, who taught at the school from 1992 to 2015.

In addition to holding the Kuntz Chair, Anderson served as the director of the John B. Turner LL.M. Program and was a George Lynn Cross Research Professor. He assumed emeritus status in December 2015 upon his retirement and will serve as a founding member of the new advisory board for OU Law’s various programs in oil and gas, natural resources and energy law.

“These significant gifts serve as an immense contribution to our mission of making legal education affordable to the most talented students, while also continuing to extend our national and international reputations for excellence in oil and gas, natural resources and energy law,” said OU Law Dean Joseph Harroz Jr. “Both scholarships uniquely advance our work: the first, created by one of Oklahoma’s top energy law firms, emphasizes our commitment to partnering with the best legal minds in energy law; the second honors the legacy of a dearly loved and respected professor, Owen Anderson, and his many contributions to our energy program. We are grateful to our donors for their support of OU Law.”

OU Law is an international leader in oil and gas, natural resources and energy law. The school offers a Master of Laws degree in energy and natural resources through its John B. Turner LL.M. Program, along with certificates in both areas as well. OU Law hosts the annual Eugene Kuntz Conference on Natural Resources Law and Policy, the largest conference of its type in the nation; is home to the Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal (ONE J), the first journal of its kind; and has plans to launch a new Master of Legal Studies degree in oil and gas and energy law in fall 2016 (currently under review by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education).