Reggie Whitten

Reggie Whitten, a Co-Founder of Whitten Burrage, boasts a remarkable legacy. His entrance into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame transpired in 2013, and the subsequent year saw his induction into the Order of the Owl College of Law Hall of Fame at the University of Oklahoma. Notably, the university bestowed upon him an honorary doctoral degree in recognition of his contributions to the institution, the state, and the nation. Reggie’s distinction extends to his membership in the esteemed fellowship of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Hailing from Seminole, Oklahoma, Reggie’s journey as the first in his family to achieve a college degree commenced with a Bachelor’s from the University of Oklahoma in 1977, followed by a Juris Doctorate from OU Law in 1980.

Reggie’s legal prowess reached a pinnacle in 2008 when he and his law partner, Michael Burrage, secured one of the United States’ most substantial verdicts in Burgess v. Farmers Insurance Co. This landmark achievement is widely regarded as the largest verdict in the history of the State of Oklahoma.

His impact extends beyond the courtroom. Serving as the past president of the Oklahoma Association for Justice, Reggie’s accolades include the Journal Record Leadership in Law award, the Oklahoma Association of Justice Tommy D. Frasier Award, and the Oklahoma Bar Association Trailblazer Award.

In 2004, Reggie co-founded the Whitten-Newman Family Foundation, an initiative born from the tragic passing of his eldest son, Brandon Whitten, due to a traffic accident rooted in alcohol and drug addiction. The foundation spawned the Brandon Whitten Institute for Addiction and Recovery as well as FATE (Fighting Addiction Through Education), through which Reggie has addressed numerous high school and college students across Oklahoma to raise awareness about the perils of addiction and substance abuse.

Aligned with the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History, Reggie’s family foundation co-established educational programs like ExplorOlogy and Native Explorers, leaving a transformative impact on over 50,000 young individuals in Oklahoma. Internationally, the foundation is a prominent supporter of Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe of Gulu, Uganda, a CNN Heroes Award recipient and the inaugural Veritis Splendor laureate in honor of Saint John Paul II.

Reggie’s literary contributions include co-authoring two books detailing his life experiences: “What’s Your Fate?” and “Sewing Hope.” His involvement as Executive Producer for the Netflix documentary “Sewing Hope,” narrated by Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, and the Emmy award-winning docuseries “Killing Pain” underscores his commitment to powerful storytelling and social impact.