On Monday morning, we told you the comical tale about a pair of prestigious Oklahoma City law firms suing the wrong electric contractor – Red Dirt Electric – for $60-million dollars.
After the case against his company was dismissed, Sooner Electric's owner – Spencer Struck – went on a media tour to clear his name and openly question why the law firms involved wouldn’t publicly apologize for the gaffe.
In fact, Steve Lackmeyer took a break from riding around on the Bricktown Water Taxi to make that the lede in an article about the matter!
Spencer Struck is no longer named in a $60 million lawsuit that mistakenly targeted his company Red Dirt Electric, but he is wondering why the law firm responsible for the bad filing isn’t reimbursing his legal costs or making a public apology.
Just as shocking as the mistake was the response by representatives of the legal team consisting of Phillips Murrah and Goolsby Proctor when Struck asked for a public apology or retraction.
“I was given the explanation that the wrong people get sued every day and this is what you set yourself up for when you open a business,” Struck told The Oklahoman.
Phillips Murrah declined to respond to questions from The Oklahoman other than to say the firm did not have direct communications with Struck. The firm would not comment about a request to publicly apologize or reimburse his legal costs. Goolsby Proctor did not return calls seeking comment.
Man, look at Steve Lackmeyer sticking up for the little guy and going hard after these big-time law firms! Doesn’t that break some of The Oklahoman’s old reporting protocols? Next week, expect him to write something critical of MAPS!
I guess the “slanted” coverage by Lackmeyer and the rest of the local media that was in support of the small contractor who was wrongly sued by expensive lawyers for $60,000,000 irritated the folks at Goolsby Proctor.
In response, they blasted at a ghoul-ish, passive-aggressive apology to Scossortail Electric and blasted it out to everyone in the local media… expect us.
Fortunately, we acquired a blurry pic of the email via The Ogle Mole Network. Hopefully, the legal masterminds didn’t go full Matt Langston-Walters and use weird word spacing to catch the leakers.
I wasn’t lying when I said it was a blurry email!
Here’s the full text of their response. It’s a brilliant combination of boring, fact-based legalwriting, Oxford commas and a snide passive aggressive non-apology.
To whom it may concern:
Please accept this note in response to all news articles and/or requests for comment regarding the Canton Classen Curve Apartment fire lawsuit that was filed by my firm on July 12, 2023.
As you are aware, the lawsuit was filed on July 12, 2023. On July 17, 2023, it was brought to our attention, by Red Dirt Electric, LLC’s attorney that the petition inadvertently listed an incorrect Defendant, Red Dirt Electric, LLC. Immediate action was taken to remedy that mistake. A Dismissal Without Prejudice was filed as to Red Dirt Electric on July 18, 2023, along with an Amended Petition naming the correct party, Red Dirt Construction, LLC.
Additionally, on August 2, 2023, a partner at our firm, Robert Todd Goolsby, met with Spencer and Meagen Struck, owners of Red Dirt Electric LLC, and their attorney to formally apologize for the mistake and any problems and or inconvenience it may have caused. Apparently, that personal apology was insufficient to end this matter. As a result, we are offering this as our written statement to once again apologize for the error and for any inconvenience it may have caused.
Goldsby | Proctor
That’s pretty awesome in a dickhole type of way!
I have to admit, I love how they’re able to state all the facts of the case like it’s no big deal they sued a guy for $60,000,000 and then end it with a snide and sarcastic “I thought we already apologized, but I guess we’ll do it again” attitude. Something tells me they don't quite understand why a public apology would be expected.
Either way, the apology is some Grade-A-level asshole stuff that I admire. It also explains why all the lawyers with the firm walk around like some bitter person is about to kick them in the nuts:
Even though Goolsby apologized to Red River Electric, we still haven’t heard anything from our old pals at Phillips Murrah.
I bet their marketing czar Dave Rhea is in his office right now, strumming on the air bass, crafting the perfect response. If so, it will probably go like this:
“Yo! We’d like to formally apologize to our brosephs at Red Dirt Electric for the false alarm! We totally meant to sue those righteous assholes at Red Dirt Construction and weren’t paying attention! Our bad, dude! The problemo is now fixed! Now who wants to meet up at Jones for happy hour?”
Seriously, if you haven’t done a Happy Hour with Dave Rhea you’re either missing out on life or you're not a single girl in her 30s. He's a kind, awesome dude who doesn't mind it at all when people poke a little fun at him.
Anyway, now the Goolsby has issued one of the most dickish apologies I’ve read outside of my own, I guess this fiasco is finally behind us. Spencer with Heartland Electric can enjoy his 15 minutes of free publicity, and the law firms can get back to suing the wrong clients.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised.
