About

Glenn Coffee, Managing Partner

Glenn Coffee is a businessman, attorney and family man who was the first Republican in Oklahoma history to serve as President Pro Tempore, the top leadership position in the Oklahoma State Senate. Coffee was also the longest-serving Republican leader in the Senate. Coffee was selected by Governor Mary Fallin to run her transition office and appointed as Oklahoma Secretary of State by Governor Mary Fallin in January 2011 and served until January 2013.

In 2008, Republicans made history by winning their first-ever majority in the Oklahoma Legislature’s upper chamber. As the leader of the new majority, Coffee was elected to a two-year term as President Pro Tempore (2009-2010).

First elected to the State Senate in 1998, Coffee quickly gained a reputation as a leader and a reformer. He has served in a variety of leadership posts in the State Senate, including Minority Floor Leader (2004-2006), and as Senate Co-President Pro Tempore (2007-2008) after Republicans won a historic tie in the Oklahoma State Senate in the 2006 elections, sharing the responsibility of running the State Senate with his Democrat counterpart.

Coffee earned an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Northeastern State University in 1989 and was named Outstanding Senior. He received a Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1992.

Throughout his 12 years in the Legislature, Coffee was honored by numerous organizations for his dedication to education, as well as for his efforts to improve public safety and for his legislation aimed at better protecting Oklahoma’s children. The Higher Education Alumni Association honored Coffee with its Lifetime Achievement Award for his support of higher education, and Northeastern State University awarded Coffee the 2003 Citation of Merit, Young Alumnus Award. The Institute for Child Advocacy named Coffee to its Child Advocates Hall of Fame. Coffee received appreciation awards from the District Attorneys Council, the Oklahoma Sheriffs Association, and the State Troopers Association for his support of law enforcement and public safety issues.

Coffee was selected as the 2009 Legislator of the Year by the Oklahoma Rifle Association and the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association. In 2010, Coffee received the State Chamber of Oklahoma’s Spirit of Leadership Award for creating the first Republican majority in Oklahoma’s Senate history as well as becoming the first Republican President Pro Tempore. Coffee received the American Legislative Exchange Council’s 2010 National Legislator of the Year Award.

In 2013, Coffee started Glenn Coffee & Associates, a law firm focusing on government ethics, campaign finance and government boards and commissions work. Coffee serves as general counsel for TVC Pro-Driver, a family business providing road and motor club services and other services. Coffee and his wife Lisa live in Oklahoma City and have four children, sons Collin and Blaine, daughters Anna and Kate, and two grandchildren, Owen and Caroline.

Denise Lawson, Partner

Denise Lawson has been an attorney at Glenn Coffee & Associates since its inception in 2013 and was named partner in 2021. In addition to regularly advising clients regarding the Oklahoma Ethics Commission Rules and laws governing political campaigns and changes in government regulation, Denise frequently attends trainings and conferences to ensure GCA is up to date on all relevant policies and changes which could potentially affect our clients.

Denise’s practice focuses primarily on appellate litigation, Constitutional law, election law, administrative rules and regulations, state questions and initiative/referendum petitions, nonprofit associations and contracts. Denise is also licensed to practice in the Choctaw Nation.

Denise has experience representing clients in front of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, the Oklahoma State Election Board, the Choctaw Nation Constitutional Court, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Election Commission, the Oklahoma Accountancy Board and others federal and state agencies. Additionally, Denise serves as general counsel to the Oklahoma Land Title Association on behalf of the firm.

Denise received her Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2013. While in law school, she received numerous advocacy awards including winning the Calvert Intra-School Moot Court Competition and receiving an award for Best Brief at the ABA Appellate Advocacy Competition in New York City. Denise was also elected to the Order of the Barristers and was an active member of the American Indian Law Review.

Denise earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma in 2007. Denise was among the founding members of the University’s Debate Team and served as Vice President from 2003 to 2007. In 2005 Denise was also awarded the Cortez AM Ewing Congressional Fellowship, and served as an intern in the United States House of Representatives.

Denise and her husband, Jason, live in Oklahoma City with their young son, Henry, and stepdaughter, Charlcie.

Mike Fields, Of Counsel

Mike Fields joined GCA in January of 2024.  He is an accomplished trial lawyer and vision-caster with broad expertise collaborating with public and private stakeholders in high-stress environments.  He is a trusted leader and analytical problem solver adept at driving strategy and preparation for favorable outcomes.  He is a prudent decision maker with exceptional organizational, communication, and negotiation skills.

Before coming to GCA, Mike served the State of Oklahoma as a prosecutor for 27 years.  He was elected District Attorney four times.  He led a dedicated team of over 60 professionals in the pursuit of justice and upholding the rule of law.  As District Attorney, Mike directed and supervised the litigation of approximately 200 jury trials, personally conducting over 40, many of which were high-profile prosecutions that garnered statewide and national attention.  His work in appellate cases resulted in several precedent setting decisions.  In addition, he was particularly focused on improving the community’s response to domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and elder abuse.  He was also instrumental in finding ways to address the root causes of crime through his work with alternative courts and the juvenile justice system, as well as being a founder of Cardinal Point, Canadian County’s family justice center.  Throughout his tenure as a prosecutor, he was a champion for victim’s rights by elevating, engaging, and effecting change through survivor voices.

A recognized leader, Mike was chosen by his peers to lead the Oklahoma District Attorneys Association and the District Attorneys Council.  He was a gubernatorial appointee to the Oklahoma Justice Reform Task Force and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Commission.  Additionally, he served on the Oklahoma State Council on Aging and Adult Protective Services and the Child Death Review Board.  A frequent speaker and lecturer, Mike has conducted numerous trainings for law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Department of Justice, the District Attorneys Council, and he’s given many speeches at community, non-profit, and civic club events.

Lee Slater, Of Counsel

After serving 18 years as Secretary of the State Senate and State Election Board, Lee Slater left state government in 1988 and pioneered development of a campaign finance and lobbyist regulation law practice in Oklahoma. He returned to State government in 2013 as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, the agency regulating campaign finance and lobbying. In September of 2016, he joined GCA in an “of counsel” capacity, bringing expertise acquired in 25 years of private practice and 21 years of government service.

An AV rated attorney, Lee earned recognition as one of Oklahoma’s Best Lawyers and as an Oklahoma Super Lawyer during his first tenure in private practice. In addition to his focus on campaign finance and lobbyist regulation, his practice includes an emphasis on State Constitutional law, administrative law, initiative and referendum, governmental relations and election law. He also has extensive experience in drafting legislation and administrative rules.

In 2021, Lee was awarded the Trailblazer Award from the Oklahoma Bar Association, awarded to an attorney who, “by their significant, unique visionary efforts have had a profound impact on the [legal] profession, and in doing so have blazed a trail for others to follow.” This was the first time in the previous four years that the Trailblazer Award was awarded by the Oklahoma Bar Association.

Lee started his professional career as a prize-winning newspaper editor and reporter. His career as a State officer was marked by significant reforms. In 1971, he became the youngest head of a state agency in Oklahoma, simultaneously filling the chief administrative offices of the State Election Board and State Senate. Three years later, he rewrote the election code for the only time in State history. In 1981, he completely reorganized the staff of the Senate, winning national recognition. Upon returning to State government, he rewrote the Ethics Rules for campaign finance, lobbyist regulation, financial disclosure and conflicts of interest for the first time since the Oklahoma Ethics Commission was created in 1991.

A native of Clinton and a life-long Oklahoman, Lee received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma and a Juris Doctor from the Oklahoma City University School of Law. He ranked second academically in his December graduating class and was voted Outstanding Graduate by the OCU School of Law faculty.

Lee and his wife, Pam, have four children and seven grandchildren. They have traveled extensively, visiting every continent except Antarctica, including trips to Australia, China, Malaysia, Egypt, Jerusalem, South Africa, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Croatia, Albania, Canada and Mexico, as well as nearly every State in the United States.