Robert Applegate

Robert Applegate returns to Holden Litigation after a 17-year absence. Robert left as an associate but returned as a partner. Robert has been a well-recognized senior attorney in the litigation defense business for many years. His return to Holden Litigation has been the subject of talks with Robert several times over those 17 years. Business interests finally aligned for both this firm and Robert, and Holden Litigation is pleased to have Robert back in the fold.

Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Robert obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration degree with emphasis in Business Legal Studies from the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Robert then obtained his Juris Doctor from the Oklahoma City University School of Law, where he attended classes at night while working full time during the day.

As Robert was receiving legal education in the evening, he was receiving practical on-the-job training during the day working for insurance defense law firms, including legal internships placing him in depositions and the courtroom before receiving his law degree. Prior to graduating from law school, Robert also interned with the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office. Robert’s last semester of law school was filled with daily court appearances and even two misdemeanor trials.

After graduating law school in 1997, Robert began his career practicing in Oklahoma City where he defended a majority of the counties in Oklahoma in mostly federal court cases involving governmental liability, civil rights and employment law matters. After moving back to Tulsa, Robert continued his practice by joining Holden Litigation as an associate doing insurance defense matters, including third party claims and first party/coverage matters. During his seventeen year absence from Holden Litigation, Robert has handled numerous cases from pre-lawsuit through trial and appeal in several areas, including catastrophic injury, excess claims, trucking, products liability, construction defects, employment, medical malpractice, insurance coverage and business litigation.

Robert further has extensive appellate experience, including handling cases before the Oklahoma Supreme Court, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.