Profile
Mac D. Finlayson has been engaged in the private practice of law in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for over thirty years and is a member of the firm of Morrel Saffa Craige, P.C. Mr. Finlayson’s practice emphasizes commercial litigation, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy law, and he is nationally recognized for his expertise in the defense of guarantors of student loans in bankruptcy dischargeability adversary proceedings. Mr. Finlayson is licensed to practice before the courts of the State of Oklahoma, the federal district and bankruptcy courts of Oklahoma and Arkansas, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. He is board certified by the American Board of Certification, is a Director and Officer of that organization, a member of its Executive Committee and a member of its Nominating Committee. He is one of only three “triple-certified” attorneys in the United States in Creditors’ Rights Law, Business and Consumer Bankruptcy Law. He has also been conferred the designation of Certified Fraud Examiner by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Mr. Finlayson is a member of the Tulsa County and Oklahoma Bar Associations and their respective Bankruptcy and Reorganization Sections, the American Bar Association, its Section of Business Law, the Commercial Law League of America, its Bankruptcy and Insolvency, and Creditors’ Rights Sections, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, is past-President of the Tulsa Area Chapter of Certified Fraud Examiners and served three terms as its Vice President.
About Mac Finlayson
Admitted: 1976, Oklahoma
Professional Webpage: www.law-office.com/2_mac.php
Honors and Awards: Listed - Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, 2000, 2001, 2002 (compiled by and affiliated with the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory); Board of Directors, American Board of Certification (term expiring December, 2010; Executive Committee 2009; Standards Committee 2006 – Present); Member and Fellow, American Bankruptcy Institute Member and Fellow, Commercial Law League of America (Member, Bankruptcy and Insolvency, and Creditors' Rights Sections) Member, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Member, Tulsa Area Chapter of Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (Director, 2000 – 2007, Vice-President, 2000-2001, President, 2001-2003, Vice President, 2004 - 2007) Lecturer/Panel Member on various creditor’s rights issues (topics include The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and Post-Judgment Possessory Actions involving forced judgment collections), as well as consumer and business bankruptcy topics, issues and recent developments
Special Licenses/Certifications: Board Certified - Business Bankruptcy - American Board of Certification Board Certified - Consumer Bankruptcy - American Board of Certification Board Certified - Creditors' Rights Law - American Board of CertificationCertified Fraud Examiner - Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
Bar/Professional Activity: Tulsa County Bar Association, 1976 - Present, Member, Bankruptcy and Reorganization Section, 1985 (inception) - Present, Charter Fellow, Tulsa County Bar Foundation; Oklahoma Bar Association, 1976 - Present, Founding Member, Disaster Response and Relief Committee, 1989 - 1999 (Chair, 1991 to 1994, Vice-Chair 1994 to 1996, 1998, Member, 2008 to present), Member, Bankruptcy and Reorganization Section, 1983 (inception) - Present, Fellow, Oklahoma Bar Foundation; American Bar Association, 1976 - Present, Member, Section of Business Law (formerly, Section of Corporation, Banking and Business Law, 1976 - Present (Consumer & Business Bankruptcy Committees)); American Bankruptcy Institute, 1990 - Present (Bankruptcy Litigation Committee, Banrkuptcy Fraud Task Force Committee), Fellow; American Board of Certification, Director 2005 - Present, Executive Committee 2009-Present, Secretary, 2010; Commercial Law League of America, 1985 - Present
Pro bono/Community Service: Director, Vice-Chair and General Counsel, Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame (2007 – 2009); continued as General Counsel 2009 – present; Active Member, Paul Harris Fellow and Community Fellow, Rotary Club of Tulsa (Club No. 2500, District 6110) (Director, 2008-2009) (Chair, 2004-2005, Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Award Committee, Chair, Iba Award Honorees and Speakers, 1998 – Present), 2008-2009 Rotarian of the Year Award; Mentor and Member, Tulsa Mentoring Council, Tulsa Public Schools; Celia Clinton Elementary School Firefighter, Captain, Beggs Fire Department/Beggs Rural Fire Association, Beggs, Oklahoma Frequent Apheresis Donor, American Red Cross
Scholarly Lectures and Writings: Lecturer/Panel Member on various creditor’s rights issues (topics include The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and Post-Judgment Possessory Actions involving forced judgment collections), as well as consumer and business bankruptcy topics, issues and recent developments
Verdicts and Settlements: U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, and Tenth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel: 1. In re Andersen , 179 F.3d 1253, 42 Collier Bankr.Cas.2d 161, 136 Ed. Law Rep. 135, Bankr. L. Rep. P 77,945, 1999 CJ C.A.R. 3284, 16 Colo. Bankr. Rep. 184 (10th Cir.(Kan.), Jun 07, 1999) (NO. 98-3049). 2. Burns v. Great Lakes Higher Educ. Corp., 246 B.R. 694, 44 CollierBankr.Cas.2d 9 (W.D.Okla., Dec 30, 1999) (NO. CIV-99-1174-C), aff’d., In re Burns, 3 Fed.Appx. 689, 2001 CJ C.A.R. 400 (10th Cir.(Okla.) Jan 10, 2001) (Not selected for publication in the Federal Reporter, NO. 00-6045). 3. In re Azwar, 326 B.R. 165, 199 Ed. Law Rep. 276 (10th Cir. BAP 2005). 4. In re Mersmann, 505 F.3d 1033, 58 Collier Bankr.Cas.2d 1112, Bankr. L. Rep. P 81,039 (CA 10 2007). 5. In re Sandoval, 541 F.3d 997, 60 Collier Bankr.Cas.2d 389, 50 Bankr.Ct.Dec. 146, Bankr. L. Rep. P 81,317 (C.A.10 2008). Bankruptcy Court(s): 1. In re Johnson , 121 B.R. 91, 20 Bankr.Ct.Dec. 1980, 64 Ed. Law Rep. 154 (Bankr.N.D.Okla., Nov 02, 1990) (NO. 89-03648-C, 90-0112-C). 2. In re Claxton , 140 B.R. 565 (Bankr.N.D.Okla., May 19, 1992) (NO. 91-02124-W, 91-0217-W). 3. In re Griffin , 197 B.R. 144, 110 Ed. Law Rep. 210, Bankr. L. Rep. P77,014 (Bankr.E.D.Okla., Jun 06, 1996) (NO. 95-70884, 95-7073, 95-7072, 95-7071, 95-7070). 4. In re Heckathorn , 199 B. R. 188, Bankr. L. Rep. P77,055 (Bankr.N.D.Okla., Aug 09, 1996) (NO. 95-03541-W, 95-0376-W). 5. In re Coats, 214 B.R. 397, 122 Ed. Law Rep. 482 (Bankr.N.D.Okla., Oct 21, 1997) (NO. 96-03785-M, 97-0008M). 6. In re Hollister , 247 B.R. 485, Bankr. L. Rep. P78, 167 (Bankr.W.D.Okla., Apr 03, 2000) (NO. 98-21365-WV, 99-1097-WV). 7. In re Hensley , 249 B.R. 318, 44 Collier Bankr.Cas.2d 394 (Bankr.W.D.Okla., May 12, 2000) (NO. 99-19145-TS, 99-20185-TS, 99-19317-TS, 00-10927-TS, 99-20036-TS). 8. In re Ray , 262 B.R. 544, 46 Collier Bankr.Cas.2d 480, 37 Bankr.Ct.Dec. 230,Bankr. L. Rep. P 78,452 (Bankr.N.D.Okla., May 03, 2001) (NO. 98-01935-M, 00-0157-M). 9. In re Robinson, 390 B.R. 727, 234 Ed. Law Rep. 167 (Bankr.N.D.Okla. 2008).
Educational Background: University of Tulsa, College of Law (Juris Doctor, 1976), Member, Phi Delta Phi Drury College (Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, political science and psychology, 1973). Member, Kappa Alpha OrderVarsity swimming
