NEWS
NORMAN, Okla. – The University of Oklahoma College of Law celebrated the accomplishments of four distinguished alumni at its annual Order of the Owl Hall of Fame ceremony on Wednesday, September 23. The Order of the Owl recognizes OU Law graduates who demonstrate leadership and service through outstanding accomplishments in their legal careers.
This year’s honorees include the Honorable Glenn Coffee, class of 1992, Tom J. McDaniel, class of 1963, and Judge Patricia G. Parrish, class of 1982.
Andre’ Caldwell, class of 2008, was honored with the Order of the Parliamentarian, which recognizes more recent OU Law graduates for remarkable accomplishments in the first 20 years of their legal careers.
“The Order of the Owl Hall of Fame is so special because it offers us a look at the life of an OU Law student fully realized,” said Anna Carpenter, dean of the OU College of Law. “It is an honor to get to celebrate four individuals who so wonderfully embody both the resolve and compassion that exemplifies alumni of this institution.”
The OU College of Law has inducted 50 deserving alumni into the Order of the Owl since its inception in 2011.
Glenn Coffee has more than three decades of experience in government, law and public service as an attorney, public policy leader and former statewide elected official. He was appointed senior advisor to the Oklahoma State Senate in 2025, providing counsel on legislative policy, governance and strategic initiatives. During his 12 years serving in the Oklahoma State Senate, Coffee made history as the first Republican President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
Coffee’s contributions to public policy earned him Legislator of the Year honors from the American Legislative Exchange Council and numerous other civic and professional organizations. Governor Mary Fallin appointed Coffee as Oklahoma Secretary of State in 2011, a position he held until 2013.
Tom J. McDaniel is the president of American Fidelity Foundation and a director of American Fidelity Corporation. His distinguished career in higher education includes serving as president and chancellor of Oklahoma City University. He later served as president of Northwestern Oklahoma State University, the first graduate of the school to do so. Prior to his time at OCU, McDaniel served as chief legal officer, vice chairman and director of Kerr–McGee Corporation. He also served as administrative director of courts for the State of Oklahoma.
The OU College of Law honored McDaniel with the coveted Eugene Kuntz Award in 1995. He is a member of the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2006.
After graduating from OU Law in 1982, Patricia G. Parrish practiced with the law firms of Linn & Helms, Musser & Bunch, and Mullins, Hirsch & Parrish. She has dedicated more than four decades to the pursuit of justice, public service and the legal profession. In 2003, she was appointed special judge for Oklahoma County before later being appointed district judge, where she presided over a civil docket until her retirement from the bench in 2018. During her judicial tenure, she served as Presiding Judge of Oklahoma County and played a key role in establishing a free eviction clinic to expand access to justice for vulnerable Oklahomans.
Parrish has previously served as general counsel for the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision and is a past president of the Oklahoma County Bar Association and the William J. Holloway, American Inn of Court.
A 2008 graduate of OU Law, Andre’ Caldwell has served as an assistant United States attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, where he was assigned to the Violent Crimes and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. During his tenure, he prosecuted hundreds of federal violations, including more than 20 jury trials, involving firearms, narcotics, domestic terrorism and national security. In recognition of his exemplary service, he received the FBI Director’s Award for Excellence from Director Robert Mueller in 2011.
Following several years as a successful attorney in private practice, Caldwell joined Boeing, where he currently serves as chief counsel for the company’s Wichita and Tulsa operations. In this role, he leads cross-functional initiatives across all three Boeing business units.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and healthcare needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
The University of Oklahoma College of Law celebrated the accomplishments of four distinguished alumni at its annual Order of the Owl Hall of Fame ceremony on Wednesday, September 23. The Order of the Owl recognizes OU Law graduates who demonstrate leadership and service through outstanding accomplishments in their legal careers.
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