Experience
Daniel Smolen is a founding partner of Smolen & Roytman. Since 2005, he has focused on the practice of law in the areas of Civil Rights, Employment Law litigation, as well as class action Oil and Gas Royalty and FLSA, claims. Daniel exclusively represents plaintiffs in individual as well as class-based claims.
In early 2017, Smolen & Roytman lawyers led by Daniel Smolen, secured a $10.25 million jury verdict against the Tulsa County Sheriff for the Estate of Elliott Williams in a 1983 case involving complex claims of systemic deliberate indifference to Mr. Williams’ serious medical needs. The Williams verdict is the largest civil rights death claim verdict in Oklahoma history.
In March of 2018, Daniel Smolen led the firm in reaching a $6 million dollar settlement with the Tulsa County Sheriff on behalf of the Estate of Eric Harris. It was a nationally publicized case involving the tragic shooting death of Harris at the hands of Bob Bates, an undertrained and unqualified septuagenarian reserve deputy. The Harris settlement is the largest excessive force settlement in Oklahoma history.
Education
Daniel Smolen received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Tulsa. Daniel went on to attend the University of Tulsa School of Law where he was a legal research and writing assistant to Professor Ray Yasser, focusing exclusively on Title IX discrimination claims. He graduated with highest honors in 2003. Upon graduation, Daniel was an associate attorney with the law firm of Norman Wohlgemuth Chandler & Dowdell, where his practice was focused primarily on employment-related issues.
Honors & Awards
Partner Daniel Smolen is a native to the Tulsa community and has been named to the Oklahoma Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists every year since 2013. Each year, only the top five percent of Oklahoma lawyers are selected to receive this honor and the list is published annually in Oklahoma Magazine and the Super Lawyers Magazine.
