Oklahoma Supreme Court Vice Chief Justice Dana Kuehn (J.D. ’96) has spent her career breaking new ground in Oklahoma’s legal community. Now, her legacy is cemented in the halls where it began.
A newly unveiled portrait of Kuehn — painted by renowned artist and UTulsa alumnus Patrick Gordon — now hangs in The University of Tulsa College of Law, marking the first portrait of a woman in the college’s history. The painting was commissioned by Brewster & De Angelis and Norman Wohlgemuth Law, two firms with long-standing ties to UTulsa Law.
A Trailblazer in Oklahoma Law
Appointed to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2021, Kuehn became the first woman in state history to serve on both of Oklahoma’s courts of last resort—the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals. A Tulsa native, she served as a prosecutor, associate district judge and presiding judge.
Throughout her career, Kuehn’s focus has remained steady: a dedication to fairness, mentorship and public service.
“When I talk to students, I tell them that if you work hard and lead with kindness, you can do anything you set your mind to,” she said. “Someone who grew up in Oklahoma, went to public school and graduated from UTulsa Law can be on the Supreme Court. That can be them too.”
The Value of Giving Back
Kuehn’s path to the bench began at UTulsa Law, where she found not just an education but a community. She competed on the mock trial team, wrote for the Tulsa Journal of Comparative and International Law and gained early trial experience through a legal internship at the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office.
Professors and local attorneys guided her career and shaped her approach to leadership. “Without those people in my path, my journey would have been very different,” she said.
Nearly three decades after earning her law degree, Kuehn remains closely connected to UTulsa as an adjunct faculty member and mentor. “As an alumna, it’s important to stay involved with your alma mater,” she said. “I was giving, but I was always receiving more. UTulsa is a really special place that never stops giving. A university will keep giving if you keep being involved.”
At the unveiling ceremony, College of Law Interim Dean Marc Roark reflected on the significance of the moment. “Portraits that hang in our hallways are portals to the past, reminding our students of the legacies that came before them and the legacies yet to be made,” he said. “We are so proud to be a part of the legacy that started right here in our law school.”