Jon E. Brightmire focuses his practice on civil litigation, both at the trial and appellate level in state and federal courts. His achievements have earned him recognition by Best Lawyers® in the areas of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation-ERISA, and Litigation-Labor and Employment. Jon is a two-time recipient of Best Lawyers Tulsa Appellate Practice “Lawyer of the Year” for 2020 and 2021; and is a past recipient of Best Lawyers Tulsa Litigation-ERISA “Lawyer of the Year”. In addition, Jon is recognized by Super Lawyers.

Jon has handled a wide variety of litigation matters at the trial court level involving contract disputes, insurance coverage issues, employment issues, creditor’s rights, civil rights, products liability, commercial fraud, ERISA, telecommunications, Indian Law, and zoning appeals.

Jon's appellate experience is extensive, as he has been involved in over 200 appeals in his career. He has briefed cases in the United States Supreme Court, and has briefed and presented oral argument in cases in the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, and the Fifth, Seventh, and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeals involving a wide range of topics, including antitrust, labor and employment, civil rights, products liability, telecommunications, trademarks, ERISA, tax, First Amendment, defamation, privacy, Indian Law, and family law issues. Jon has recently secured reversals from Oklahoma and federal appellate courts in several cases, including:

  • reversing a jury award of $2 million in a negligence action
  • reversing a jury award of over $500,000 in a negligence action
  • reversing a trial court judgment which had resulted in an additional property award in a divorce action
  • reversing a trial court judgment in an easement dispute
  • reversing a trial court judgment in a case involving trademark and state sovereign immunity issues
  • reversing a trial court judgment on tribal sovereign immunity issues
  • reversing a trial court order certifying a class
  • reversing a trial court order granting the plaintiff a new trial, in which the appellate court reinstated the jury verdict in favor of Jon’s client.
  • Jon has also secured numerous affirmances from the appellate courts on behalf of his clients.

Jon is also retained by clients to monitor pre-trial and trial proceedings and to consult with trial counsel to shape legal strategy and properly preserve the record for appeal. In addition, Jon prepares and files amicus curiae briefs on behalf of clients who are not parties to the appeal, but who will be affected by the court's resolution of the issues before it.

• Allen v. Allen, Appeal No. 116087 (Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals 2019) (divorce, property division)
• Pruett v. Pruett, Appeal No. 116671 (Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals 2019) (divorce, property division)
• Pipestem v. Mushrush, Appeal No. 115375 (Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals 2019) (easement dispute)
• Chadsey v. Chadsey, Appeal No. 116874 (Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals 2019) (probate proceeding)
• Chrisman v. Chrisman, Appeal No. 115690 (Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals 2018) (divorce, property division)
• Montero v. Tulsa Airport Improvement Trust, Appeal No. 115748 (Oklahoma Supreme Court 2017) (breach of contract, torts)
• Doe v. Kirk of the Hills, Appeal No. 113319 (Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals 2016) (reversing jury verdict in a negligence action)
 Tolman v. Reassure America Life Insurance Co., Appeal No. 112950 (Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals 2015) (reversing jury verdict in negligence action)
• Sheffer v. Buffalo Run Casino, PTE, Inc., 2013 OK 77, 315 P.3d 359 (tribal sovereign immunity)
• First Bank and Trust v. Maynahonah, 2013 OK CIV APP 101, 313 P.3d 1044 (tribal sovereign immunity)
• E.E.O.C. v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc., 731 F.3d 1106 (10th Cir. 2013)(employment discrimination)
• Mullendore v. Mullendore, 2012 OK CIV APP 100, 288 P.3d 948 (family law)
• Apache Tribe of Oklahoma v. Graves, 2012 OK CIV APP 70, 280 P.2d 978 (breach of fiduciary duty, conversion, malpractice)
 Mickle v. Wellman Products, LLC, 2011 OK 95, 265 P.3d 754 (class certification, costs on appeal)
• Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System v. Phoenix International Software, Inc., 653 F.3d 448 (7th Cir. 2011) (trademarks, sovereign immunity)
• Brown v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., 428 Fed.Appx. 817, 2011 WL 2550456 (10th Cir. 2011) (ERISA)
• Public Service Co. of Oklahoma v. Duncan Public Utilities Authority, 2011 OK CIV APP 15, 248 P.3d 400 (public utility regulation)
 Amend v. Unit Drilling Co., Appeal No. 108142 (Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals 2011) (reversing trial court order granting new trial, and reinstating jury verdict for Jon’s client)
• Gardner v. Sears Holding Corp., 398 Fed. Appx. 420, 2010 WL 4027814 (10th Cir. 2010) (employment issues)
• Stewart v. NYT Broadcast Holdings, L.L.C., 2010 OK CIV APP 89, 240 P.3d 722 (defamation, invasion of privacy)
• Lester v. Kmart Corp., 387 Fed. Appx. 879, 2010 WL 2825725 (10th Cir. 2010) (employment issues)
• In Re Marriage of Sandel, 2009 OK CIV APP 7, 217 P.3d 141 (family law)
 Weber v. GE Group Life Assur. Co., 541 F.3d 1002 (10th Cir. 2008) (ERISA)
• Brown v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., 301 Fed. Appx. 772, 2008 WL 5102279 (10th Cir. 2008) (ERISA)
 Showler v. Harper’s Magazine Foundation, 222 Fed. Appx. 755, 2007 WL 867188 (10th Cir. 2007), cert. denied, 552 U.S. 825 (2007) (First Amendment, invasion of privacy, and other tort issues)
• Cameron v. American Electric Power Service Corp., 240 Fed. Appx. 297, 2007 WL 2575513 (10th Cir. 2007) (ERISA)
• Green Country Food Market, Inc. v. Bottling Group, L.L.C., 371 F.3d 1275 (10th Cir. 2004) (antitrust issues)
• U.S. Cellular v. City of Broken Arrow, 340 F.3d 1122 (10th Cir. 2003) (telecommunications)
• Belcher v. City of McAlester, Oklahoma, 324 F.3d 1203 (10th Cir. 2003) (First Amendment)
• McBride v. Citgo Petroleum Corp., 281 F.3d 1099 (10th Cir. 2002) (employment issues)
• Trustees of the Charles Page Family Care Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust v. Siegel, 2001 OK CIV APP 146, 38 P.2d 919 (property issues)
• Sigmon v. CommunityCare HMO, 234 F.3d 1121 (10th Cir. 2000) (civil rights violations)
• Pack v. K-Mart Corp., 166 F.3d 1300 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 528 U.S. 811 (1999) (employment issues)

  • Chambers USA Leading Lawyer for Business: Labor & Employment, 2010-2014
  • Best Lawyers®, Tulsa, for Appellate Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – ERISA, and Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2010-2025
  • Best Lawyers®, Tulsa, “Lawyer of the Year” for Appellate Practice for 2014 and 2020
  • Best Lawyers®, Tulsa, “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation – ERISA for 2018 and 2021
  • Best Lawyers®, Tulsa, “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation – Labor and Employment for 2022
  • AV® Preeminent™ Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating
  • Listed in Super Lawyers®, 2011-2024

  • Tulsa Court Appointed Special Advocates (a non-profit agency which represents abused and neglected children in court), Board of Directors, Board President, 2003-2004
  • Legal Aid of Oklahoma’s Tulsa Fundraising Committee, 2017-2019