After helping his own family deal with a lengthy probate and the IRS following his father’s untimely death in a farm accident, Larry Parman made a decision to help families create effective estate plans designed to reduce taxes, minimize legal interference with the transfer of assets to one’s heirs, and protect his clients’ assets from predators and creditors.

Experience

Following a dozen years in the investment banking and financial services business, Mr. Parman formed Parman & Easterday, a law firm providing families the peace of mind that comes from having a premier estate and financial plan in place. Today, the firm is one of the leading Estate, Elder Law, and Business Planning law firms in the Midwest.

Mr. Parman is the author of numerous published articles on business, financial and estate planning matters and the co-author of two books, Estate Planning Basics: A Crash Course in Safeguarding Your Legacy and Guiding Those Left Behind in Oklahoma: Settling the Affairs of Your Loved One. In January, 2013 his most recent book, Above The Fray: Leading Yourself, Your Business and Others During Turbulent Times, was published.

Parman is a member of the Oklahoma and Missouri bar associations, the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, and the Oklahoma City Estate Planning Council.

Mr. Parman focuses on advising business owners who wish to grow, lead and successfully exit their businesses. In addition to his legal practice, Parman offers executive development and consulting programs to CEOs, business owners, and entrepreneurs emphasizing strategic planning, process improvement and leadership. He is also a partner in a registered investment advisory firm offering investment and retirement planning services.

Education

Mr. Parman received his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1974.

Personal

In January, 2013, Governor Mary Fallin invited Mr. Parman to serve in her cabinet as Oklahoma’s Secretary of State. He later served as Secretary of Commerce until January, 2015. Mr. Parman has actively participated in numerous community and civic organizations. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), an Oklahoma think tank focused on policies that encourage free markets, limited government and individual freedom. He is also a member of the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce. Previously, he served on the Board of Managers of CompSource Oklahoma (the state’s workers’ compensation insurance company) and served two years as its Chairman. He is an active member of Rotary Club 29 and the Committee of 100, both in Oklahoma City.

Larry is an alumnus of Leadership Oklahoma City. He is a former board member of Oklahoma City’s Junior Achievement Chapter, where he served two terms as president, and the Research Institute for Economic Development (“RIED”).

Larry and his wife Darlene have two adult children, daughter Aly Parman Pitts (son-in-law Mike, and grandsons Desmond and Sagan) of Portland, Oregon and son Scott Parman of Oklahoma City.

Jerry Shiles became interested in estate planning and elder law/special needs planning as a member of the Judge Advocate Generals Corps and then while assisting a special needs relative. He has taught at several universities, hosted a radio and television show for 15 years, and authored a weekly legal column for over 25 years.

Mr. Shiles’ practice is devoted to estate planning, elder law planning (including Medicaid and VA), probate, trust and will administration, business transactions (including limited liability companies and family limited partnerships), and special needs planning. He has lectured at seminars and clinics in Europe, Japan and the U.S. and regularly conducts seminars for attorneys, CPAs, financial planners, nursing home administrators, and other professionals.

Mr. Shiles is a frequent guest on radio and television programs, has published numerous articles on estate planning, elder law, and related topics, and is co-author of the book Estate Planning Basics: A Crash Course in Safeguarding Your Legacy and the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Family Law Section Practice Manual.

Experience

Mr. Shiles is a Member and Fellow of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, and a Member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Oklahoma City Tax Lawyers Group, the Planned Giving Counsel of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City Estate Planning Council, and the Trusts & Estates Sections of the American, Oklahoma, and Nevada Bar Associations.  He has been recognized as an AVVO Top Attorney-Elder Law, a Certified Veterans Affairs Attorney, a Five Star Wealth Manager, and an Oklahoma Top Rated Attorney.

Mr. Shiles has received numerous awards, including the American Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award and the Legion of Merit and Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award from the Department of Defense. He is listed in Who’s Who in the Leadership of the United States, Who’s Who of American Lawyers, Madison Who’s Who of Executives and Professionals, and in the Martindale-Hubbell Registry of Preeminent Lawyers in the United States.

Mr. Shiles is a retired colonel and active in his community. He has served on the Vance Development Authority; the Chamber of Commerce; on the board of the Reserve Officers Association as National Judge Advocate, State President, and National Councilman; with The American Legion as State Judge Advocate; and on the board of directors of the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation as an Ambassador, Chairman of Operations, Chairman of Donor Initiatives, Vice President and President.

He is licensed to practice law in Oklahoma, Nevada, and the District of Columbia, as well as before numerous courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th, 10th and Federal Circuits, the Federal District Courts of Nevada, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Tax Court.

Education

Mr. Shiles earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Utah and completed his undergraduate degree in Business and Economics, with honors, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He earned a Masters in Strategic Planning from the Army War College, an LLM (advanced law degree) from The Army Judge Advocate General’s School, and a German language certificate from the University of Connecticut.

Personal

Mr. Shiles and his wife, Donna, live outside Shawnee, Oklahoma with an assortment of dogs, cats, horses and goats. They have two children, Phil and Lauren, both of whom are married and live in Kansas, and four grandchildren, McCartney, Emmalee, Julian and Savannah.

 

With an extensive academic background in estate planning and taxation, Ms. Brock brings impressive credentials to her position of attorney for the firm. For almost twenty years, she has concentrated her practice in the areas of estate planning, asset protection, retirement planning, and oil and gas.

Ms. Brock is a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Oklahoma and the State Bar of Texas.  She is licensed to practice in all State Courts in Oklahoma and Texas, as well as the United States District Courts for the Northern and Western Districts of Oklahoma.

Education

Ms. Brock earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Oklahoma, where she was named to the President’s Honor Roll, participated in the National Leadership Symposium, and was a member of Chi Omega Sorority.  She earned a Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University School of Law where she was named to the Faculty Honor Roll and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Legal Research and Writing.  Ms. Brock also served on the Moot Court Board and was a member of Phi Delta Phi Honorary Legal Fraternity.  Additionally, she earned a Master of Laws in Taxation and a Certificate in Employee Benefits Law from Georgetown University.

Personal

Tracy was born and raised in Oklahoma City.  She and her husband, Todd, have one daughter.  They reside in Edmond and are members of Crossings Community Church, where they are involved in both national and international missions work.  They are active in various community organizations, in addition to their daughter’s sports and school activities.

Kathy has focused in the estate planning area for 28+ years. Kathy has been with Parman & Easterday since 1992. She is the Senior Paralegal and office supervisor. She oversees the production of all estate planning documents and meets with clients to discuss and execute their documents. She also specializes in the funding aspects of clients’ trusts. Being a long-time member of the Parman & Easterday team, she prides herself in nurturing relationships with clients and their families.

Personal

Kathy was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She attended the University of Oklahoma and the University of Arizona where she studied Microbiology. She and her husband, Lyle, reside in Yukon, Oklahoma. Lyle has been in the oil and gas business for over 30 years. They are very active members of their church. They have a second home in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, where they play golf, snow ski, fish and enjoy the mountains. They have two daughters who are in the medical profession, one being a pharmaceutical representative and the other an RN at Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. Lyle and Kathy have been blessed with four granddaughters. Not letting the lack of a grandson stand in his way, Lyle holds true to his grandfatherly duty of passing fishing lessons on to his grandkids.

As the saying goes, “Behind every great man there is a great woman.” Darlene Parman, Larry Parman’s wife, exemplifies that statement 100 fold. Now days Darlene coordinates Larry’s home, social, and travel life as well as assisting with marketing and special projects for the firm. She helped Larry launch the firm in 1985, and over the years has served as Director of First Impressions, Finance Director, Office and Personnel Manager, Client & Community Relations Director and Chief Cook & Head Bottle Washer (frequently wearing multiple hats at once over the years). She is lovingly referred to as the “Matriarch” of the firm and deserves every bit of recognition for the success Parman & Easterday is privileged to have today.

Experience

Darlene’s previous experience includes working as a dress designer in Kansas City and teaching fashion design at Stephens College and the University of Oklahoma. She often says she stopped designing clothes and started designing babies with Larry. They have two grown children. Scott is the Director of Client and Community Relations for Parman & Easterday and Alexandra is the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Art Institute of Portland, OR.

Education

Darlene was a Fashion Design major at Stephens College in Columbia, MO, and earned an M.A. in Clothing and Textiles from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Personal

Darlene was born and raised in Texarkana, TX. She loves to cook and entertain family and friends. Her hobbies include working out, decorating, and traveling. She enjoys beings involved in civic leadership with the Alzheimer’s Association and Allied Arts, and pursues her passions in art, painting, and photography.

As Director of Client and Community Relations for Parman & Easterday, Scott Parman educates clients, families, elders, and individuals on the extremely valuable services we provide in business, estate and elder law planning. Scott utilizes both traditional programs and innovative initiatives to communicate with the public, our professional affiliates, and most importantly, our clients. Topics may include anything from the most up-to-date information affecting the estate planning industry, new and exciting services our firm is introducing, to important or fun developments within the office.

Scott has been involved in client relations and marketing in a variety of capacities. He spent five years in Washington, DC, working for an Oklahoma Congressman. There he truly learned what it means to work in the services industry, helping the Congressman juggle the needs and desires of over 450,000 constituents – all with a staff of less than 20 people. His marketing skills have been honed in the political arena, working and volunteering on a number of federal-level congressional campaigns. And Scott has pursued a number of entrepreneurial ventures, learning that marketing begins with a solid relationship with your clients.

Personal

If you could not tell, Scott is Larry and Darlene Parman’s son (although still not an attorney!). He grew up in Oklahoma City, and attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, earning a B.A. in Communication Studies. Seeing as the Vandy Commodores have traditionally struggled in the Southeastern Conference, Scott has never lost his appreciation for Sooner football. If Scott is not in the office, you may have a hard time catching up to him as he loves the outdoors. Swimming, running, biking, water or snow skiing, and pretty much anything that incorporates a little bit of danger is right up his alley (good thing he works for an estate planning law firm!).

Emi joins Parman & Easterday as an Elderlaw Specialist, assisting Mr. Shiles bring successful Medicaid applications to completion. She specifically focuses on Medicaid Crisis Planning cases and helps ease the financial burden families feel when dealing with nursing home expenses. She is also a business development specialist, creating long term value for the firm by identifying opportunities, visiting facilities and coordinating meetings. Since Emi joined the firm in 2013, she has been involved in many marketing projects as well.

 

EDUCATION

Emi earned a B.A. and a M.A. in psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma.

PERSONAL

Emi was born and raised in Macedonia and can speak more than five languages. She and her husband Gabriel are very proud parents of their two boys Gabriel and Noah. She loves spending time with her boys, playing tennis, skiing and traveling.

Serving as Parman & Easterday’s Director of Client Services, Lynn Mills’ goal is to ensure every client of the firm has a “WOW Experience.” Additionally, she serves as Mr. Parman’s executive assistant, managing and coordinating the challenging demands of the busy President and CEO of the law firm.  Since joining Parman & Easterday in February 2015, she has undertaken a variety of other roles, including assisting with the firm’s marketing and accounting duties.

EXPERIENCE

Lynn’s introduction to the legal profession began in her early 20’s when she held an official court reporter position with Oklahoma County District Judge Jack R. Parr.  She continued that interest taking depositions as a freelance reporter, while earning her bachelor’s degree, partnering in a start-up retail business and raising a family.  After her three children graduated from college, she began service to the state of Oklahoma, following in the footsteps of her grandfather – who was elected as state superintendent of public instruction in the early 1940’s – and her mother and sister, both of whom worked in the Oklahoma legislature.

Lynn served as a legislative assistant to State Senator Greg Treat.  She then joined the Secretary of State’s office and served as executive assistant to Larry Parman when he was appointed Secretary of State.  When the governor appointed Mr. Parman as Secretary of Commerce he asked Lynn to join him at Oklahoma Department of Commerce as a Director of Administrative Services and his executive assistant.

EDUCATION

Following several years at the University of Oklahoma, Lynn undertook a year’s training as a court reporter and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Design from the University of Central Oklahoma.

PERSONAL

Lynn, and her husband Bill have two sons, William and Travis, and a daughter, Emily.  During her “stay at home mom” years she also volunteered in school and community activities.  Lynn owned several home-based businesses, where her creativity and passion for design was expressed through works of embroidery and watercolor painting.  She is a lifelong member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and a sustaining member of the Oklahoma City Junior League.

Patia joined Parman & Easterday after several years working as a Food & Beverage Director in Assisted Living. Prior to that she spent fifteen years working in the restaurant industry.

Having built a career working in the service and hospitality industry, Patia was perfectly suited for the role of Director of First Impressions & Hospitality. She is a people person who loves being the first person our clients come into contact with. In this role, she cultivates a personal relationship with our clients, makes them feel like Family, and, most importantly, always puts a smile on their face. Patia’s personal Mission is to ensure your time spent with Parman & Easterday is the most unexpectedly delightful experience you could hope to have at a Law Firm.

Personal

Patia grew up in the Southwest, including El Paso, TX and Ruidoso, NM, before moving to Oklahoma City in 2008. She has two beautiful children, Mary and Cash, and an amazing fiancé, Tait Roberts. She is an avid sports fan who loves the Dallas Cowboys and the Oklahoma City Thunder. She also enjoys fashion, crafting, cooking and planting flowers.