Practice areas: Eminent Domain, Energy & Natural Resources, Environmental Litigation; view more
Licensed in Oklahoma since: 2006
Education: Oklahoma City University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2016 Call today:
866-741-1330
Free Consultation LandownerFirm, PLLC
37500 State Hwy. 31Coalgate, OK 74538 Visit website
The founding partner at LandownerFirm, PLLC, located in Coalgate, Oklahoma, Trae Gray focuses his practice on complex matters involving eminent domain, energy and natural resources, environmental law and landowner rights. With extensive experience representing clients in disputes involving property and natural resources, he provides legal counsel tailored to the interests and objectives of landowners, businesses and other clients.
Mr. Gray has handled significant litigation matters throughout his career. In 2010, he successfully represented a business client in a business dispute involving more than $100 million, demonstrating his ability to navigate high-value and complex legal matters. His experience handling substantial disputes enables him to provide clients with strategic, results-focused representation when the stakes are high.
Academically, Mr. Gray earned his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University before receiving both his Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University. He further advanced his education by earning a Master of Laws degree in natural resource law from The University of Oklahoma College of Law, strengthening his knowledge of the legal issues surrounding land, energy and natural resources.
Mr. Gray is admitted to practice law in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Colorado, as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States. He has maintained an active role in public service and the legal community. For more than a decade, he served as president of the Coal County Bar Association and as city attorney for the City of Coalgate, handling both civil and criminal matters. He previously served on the Oklahoma Tourism Commission at the pleasure of Governors Brad Henry and Mary Fallin.
Contributing to the legal profession, Mr. Gray has also served as a judge in Caney and Caddo, Oklahoma. His combination of private practice, courtroom experience, legal education and public service reflects a broad understanding of the legal and governmental issues affecting Oklahoma communities, landowners and businesses.
Practice areas
Eminent Domain, Energy & Natural Resources, Environmental Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff, EnvironmentalFocus areas
Arbitration, Class Actions, Energy Law, Mediation, Natural Resources Law, Toxic Torts
- 30% Eminent Domain
- 20% Energy & Natural Resources
- 20% Environmental Litigation
- 10% Alternative Dispute Resolution
- 10% Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff
- 10% Environmental
First Admitted: 2006, Oklahoma
Professional Webpage: https://www.landownerfirm.com/trae-gray/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States.
- Licensed to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
- Licensed to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
- Admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Western, and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma.
- Admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
- Admitted to practice before the Supreme Courts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, and Colorado.
- Served as President of the Coal County Bar Association for more than a decade.
- Served as City Attorney for the City of Coalgate, handling both civil and criminal matters.
- Served on the Oklahoma Tourism Commission at the pleasure of Governors Brad Henry and Mary Fallin.
- Served as a municipal judge in Caney and Caddo, Oklahoma.
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Successfully represented a business client in a business dispute involving more than $100 million in 2010.
- Served on a trial team that successfully litigated and settled a contractual dispute exceeding $60 million in 2021.
- Participated on a trial team that obtained a $73 million verdict in 2013, with Trae delivering the closing argument.
- Successfully defended Norman Ranger against politically charged computer crime and conspiracy allegations arising from multiple multi-county grand jury indictments; after two separate week-long trials, all charges were dismissed.
- Successfully defended Terry Vick, who faced a potential life sentence; after a two-day trial and approximately 30 minutes of jury deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous not-guilty verdict.
Representative Clients
- Landowners.
- Farmers and ranchers.
- CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, including executives of energy companies.
- Physicians and other medical professionals.
- Other attorneys seeking representation for landowner-related legal matters.
Transactions
- Contractual disputes involving claims exceeding $60 million.
- Business disputes involving more than $100 million.
- Negotiations concerning surface damages, oil and gas interests, energy resources, utility easements, pipelines, transmission lines, and other landowner interests.
- Land and natural-resource matters involving eminent domain, condemnation, mineral interests, water rights, pore space, and energy development.
Special Licenses / Certifications
- Graduate of the Western Trial Advocacy Institute.
- Graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College.
- Completed The Harvard Negotiation Intensive, Harvard Law School, 2015.
- LL.M. specialization in Natural Resources Law, including advanced study and thesis research concerning pore space law.
Educational Background
- LL.M. in Natural Resources Law, The University of Oklahoma College of Law, 2015 — Thesis focused on U.S. pore space law.
- Juris Doctor (J.D.), Oklahoma City University School of Law, 2006.
- Master of Business Administration (MBA), Meinders School of Business, Oklahoma City University, 2006.
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (Agricultural Economics), Oklahoma State University, 1998.
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Trae Gray, University of Oklahoma College of Law, A 2015 Analysis and Update on U.S. Pore Space Law – The Necessity of Proceeding Cautiously with Respect to the “Stick” Known as Pore Space (2015)
- Don’t Give Away the Farm Negotiating Surface Damage Cases, Oil and Gas and Other Energy Resources, The Oklahoma Bar Journal, Vol. 80 – No. 13 – May 9, 2009.
- Don’t Space Out: Protecting That Empty Space for Your Next Natural Resource Client
- Natural Resource Negotiations, National Land Conference, Charlotte, NC – April 1, 2017
- Co-Chairman of “Eminent Domain: Essential Skills & Critical Issues for Attorneys & Appraisers,” Oklahoma City, OK – February 23, 2017
- Analysis and Update on U.S. Pore Space Law – The Necessity of Proceeding Cautiosly with Respect to the “Stick” Known as Pore Space, Oklahoma Corporation Commission 2016 Oil and Gas Institute, Tulsa, OK – October 21, 2016
- Natural Resource Legal Update, 12th Annual 2016 OCAPL Weekend Take Off, Broken Bow, OK – September 23-25, 2016
- Ethics in Water Law, National Business Institute, Tulsa, OK – June 16, 2016
- Pore Space and Surface Owner Rights, Laverne, OK – October 3, 2015
- Water Law and Pore Space, 11th Annual 2015 OCAPL Weekend Take Off, Broken Bow, OK – September 25-26, 2015
- Natural Resource Issues, Woods County Mineral Association Banquet, Alva, OK – June 26, 2015
- Harvard Negotiation Institute – The Harvard Negotiation Intensive: A two-day Workshop, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA – June 4-5, 2015
- Ethics in Water Law, National Business Institute, Tulsa, OK – June 2, 2015
- Mineral Management 102 Series, 2015 OK NARO Convention, Tulsa, OK – May 7, 2015
- Plains and Eastern Cleanline – Condemnation Law in Arkansas and Common Issues in Power Line Cases, Dover High School Fine Arts Building, Dover, Arkansas – October 30, 2014
- Common Issues of Concern for Landowners when Negotiating with Energy Companies, 10th Annual 2014 OCAPL Weekend Take Off, Broken Bow, OK – September 19-20, 2014
- Ethics in Energy Law, National Business Institute, Tulsa, OK – July 25, 2014
- Basics of Surface Issues and Common Traps for Landowners When Negotiating with Energy Companies, 2014 Oklahoma NARO Convention, Norman, OK – April 18, 2014
- Common Traps for Landowners when Negotiating with Energy Companies, 2014 OSU Extension Early Spring Roundup, Ardmore, OK – January 27, 2014
- Application of Drilling Mud to Agricultural Land (Landowner Legal Considerations), The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK – May 2013
- Oklahoma Condemnation Law (What your rights are as a Landowner when a company tries to condemn your property), Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Idabel, OK – May 2013
- Seismic Exploration Regulation Act, Carter County Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting, Wilson, OK – November 2012
- Common Pipeline ROW Issues, Fairview, OK – October 2012
- Highlight and update on Landowner issues in the natural resource arena, 2012 60th Annual Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Convention and Trade Show, Midwest City, OK
- The Surface Use Agreement, Oklahoma Landowners Association Annual Meeting, Bartlesville, OK – 2011
- Oklahoma Condemnation Law (Transmission Lines), Choctaw Cultural Center, Hugo, OK – March 2011
- The Practice of Law in a Rural Setting, The Verdict, Cox Channel 3 Oklahoma City, OK – June 2010
- Oklahoma Condemnation Law (Transmission Lines), Kiamichi Technology Center, Durant, OK – February 2010
- How what you sign can haunt you or maximize landowner return (utility easements and surface damages) © 2010 The Landowner Series – Multiple locations
- Mineral Auctions (The benefits received by mineral owners coming together) Train Depot, Ardmore, OK – February 2010
- Don’t Give Away the Farm, Oklahoma Landowners Association Annual Meeting, Bartlesville, OK – December 2009
- Don’t Give Away the Farm Negotiating Surface Damage Cases, Oil and Gas and Other Energy Resources, The Oklahoma Bar Journal, Vol. 80 – No. 13 – May 9, 2009.
- Your rights as a Landowner, Oklahoma Landowners Association Annual Meeting, Bartlesville, OK – December 2008
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Founding Partner of the Landowner Firm and a nationally recognized advocate for landowners.
- Has been involved in thousands of cases involving landowners and a wide range of natural-resource and property issues.
- Developed a practice focused on protecting the interests of landowners, farmers, and ranchers in complex, high-stakes matters.
- Has handled significant litigation in both state and federal courts.
- Successfully argued and participated in cases resulting in published appellate opinions, including In re Estate of Kozak and High Sierra Energy, L.P. v. Hull.
- Combines extensive trial experience with practical experience in agriculture, farming, ranching, economics, and the oil and gas industry.
- Has represented attorneys and sophisticated business clients in addition to his primary landowner clientele.
Honors
- Best Lawyers – Lawyer of the Year, Eminent Domain, Oklahoma, 2020.
- Recognized by Super Lawyers.
- Life Member, Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum member.
- Named to Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2013.
- Named KHKC’s Best Lawyer by local listeners in the Woodford Shale Play in 2007.
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2016
