Doerner is deeply saddened by the recent loss of two great men – Murray E. Abowitz on May 10, 2018 and Dallas E. Ferguson on May 13, 2018. We are proud to have called them our Firm partners. For 47 years, both attorneys exemplified strength and wisdom in their dedication to their clients and practices throughout their legal careers.

Murray was born April 5, 1941 and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Upon the completion of high school, he attended Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1971. From there, he pursued his passion of practicing law to counsel regional and national clients in litigation on a multitude of legal issues including securities, products liability, professional liability, antitrust, toxic torts and asbestos related cases. Murray’s impressive legal career included multiple recognitions in Chambers USA as a leading business lawyer for commercial litigation, being listed as a Super Lawyer® for more than a decade, and elected into the American College of Trial Lawyers as the top one percent of trial lawyers in the country.

When not working, Murray enjoyed anything pertaining to the sport of rowing and delicious food. He is survived by his wife of 52 years Elizabeth Abowitz, his two daughters Alexa and Kate, and his grandson Grady.

Dallas was born on December 20, 1945. He graduated from Cornell College, majoring in English and received his Juris Doctorate. from Columbia University School of Law in 1971. Upon graduation from law school, Dallas served as law clerk for the Honorable A. P. Murrah, Senior Judge of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Dallas started practicing with Doerner in the 1970’s and has focused on commercial litigation matters where he represented both plaintiffs and defendants. His law practice also included counseling lenders and servicers in commercial real estate mortgage foreclosures and loan transactions involving properties such as large apartment complexes, office buildings and shopping centers. Dallas was one of a team of lawyers that represented Cities Service Co. and received the largest monetary jury verdict in Oklahoma state court history in Cities Service Co. v. Gulf Oil Corp., 1999 OK 14, 980 P.2d 116.

In his spare time, Dallas was a loyal board member in the Tulsa community for several organizations, including the Directors of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, the Directors and Leadership Council for the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Tulsa Philharmonic Society. He is survived by his life partner Sharon Smith, his children Brent Ferguson, Scott Ferguson and Erin Ferguson, his sister Lou Ann Jones, and his brother Phillip Ferguson.

Both Murray and Dallas will be greatly missed by their friends at Doerner and all who had the honor of knowing them.