The biggest moments in life can happen when plans fall apart. For Enid, Oklahoma attorney Clint Claypole, a decision that once felt like a setback ended up shaping the life he values today.
Just weeks before graduating from law school, Claypole had a job position secured in Oklahoma City. Then life changed. He and his wife, McKiesha, made the decision to move back to Enid to help care for her mother. At the time, it felt like putting his plans on hold. Claypole now sees it differently.
“Coming back to Northwest Oklahoma is the best decision I’ve ever made,” he said.
That return home became the foundation for both his career and lifestyle.
“At the big firms you are a cog in a wheel, doing tasks for other people until you finally get the chance to do something for yourself,” Claypole said. “I was able to build my own practice very quickly because I moved to Enid.”
Early success in major litigation cases helped launch his career and gave him opportunities he believes he never would have had in Oklahoma City. Also, practicing in a smaller community has provided Claypole with experience in many different areas of law, rather than focusing on one specialty.
“I hardly do the same thing every day and that is what I love about being a small-town lawyer.”
Finding His Path
Growing up in Enid, Claypole did not initially picture himself going to college. He credits his parents for pushing him toward higher education.
“My parents were 100% sure I was going to college; me, not so much,” he said.
Because of the extra push, Claypole became a first-generation college graduate. Needing to support himself financially, he worked a variety of jobs throughout college: construction, radio, recruitment office and Jiffy Trip.
When he arrived at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, he was paired with roommate, Clay Smith who would later become the best man in his wedding.
“My time at Northwestern gave me a great core group of friends who I am still friends with today.”
During his time at Northwestern, Claypole became heavily involved in radio broadcasting. He called football games across the state for multiple radio stations, hosted a drive time radio show in Kiowa, Kansas, and recorded voice work for the Northwestern television station.
The experience nearly changed the direction of his life.
“I always told myself ‘I’m going to law school unless I get offered a radio sports director’s job right out of college.’”
During his senior year, that opportunity presented itself. Claypole immediately called McKiesha to tell her he was planning to skip law school and pursue radio full time.
“She answered and said, ‘Clint Claypole, for one of the smartest people I know that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say.’”
He listened. He took the Law School Admissions Test, passed it, enrolled in law school and has never looked back.
“There is no way I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for my wife, McKiesha.”
After graduating from Northwestern in 2007 and from OU Law in 2010, Claypole returned to Enid to work for the law firm Field, Trojan & Long, P.C., which became Field, Trojan, Long & Claypole, P.C. in 2012. Four years later, In 2016, he formed his current firm, Long, Claypole & Blakley Law, PLC.
Today, the relationships he builds with clients are his favorite part of practicing law.
“In Oklahoma City, I worked on cases where I would never meet the client face to face. In Northwest Oklahoma, I see and talk with my clients.”
The Northwestern Advantage
Some of Claypole’s favorite memories from Northwestern came while working in the Recruitment Office, where he traveled across Oklahoma encouraging students to attend the university. He was also a member of the inaugural Leadership Northwestern class taught by the university senior staff, which gave him the opportunity to connect with university administrators while preparing for law school.
“Not a lot of people get the university president to write a letter of recommendation for law school,” he said. “I was able to because of the opportunities I was given at Northwestern.”
After returning to Enid, he would visit campus and speak with Dr. Cunningham’s President’s Leadership Class (PLC) every year.
“I would always mention that it was a bit ironic because when I applied for PLC as a freshman, I did not get accepted.”
In 2025, he returned to campus to be a mentor in the first Ranger2Ranger event, where Northwestern students sign up to meet with distinguished alumni in 30-minuteone-on-one sessions.
Claypole understands the value of mentorship as a way to prepare for a career.
“When I got to law school, I was an ounce ahead of everyone else because of the way Dr. Kaye Tatro and Dr. Roger Hardaway taught, which is conducive to the way law school teaches. Dr. Kay Decker taught me how to write in an organized and scientific way, which is now about 90% of what I do.”
Even though he did not fully realize it at the time. Claypole believes his professors and advisors gave him tools he would need to be successful in law school and in his practice.
Perseverance Leads to Success
Getting into the University of Oklahoma College of Law was not easy. After touring all three Oklahoma law schools, Claypole had his sights set on OU. When he received a rejection letter, he decided to reach out to find out why.
He called the admissions office and asked if there was any type of appeal process.
“The representative told me nobody had ever asked that before.”
As a result of his inquiry, Claypole's application was reviewed again and subsequently accepted. Claypole has kept his origional rejection letter.
Once at OU Law, he quickly distinguished himself in moot court competitions. During his first year, he won the 1L moot court competition, presenting in front of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The following year, he won the Calvert schoolwide competition before being named the best competitor at the William B. Spong National Invitational Moot Court Competition at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Claypole said many of his classmates came from schools across the country, including Harvard and UCLA.
“People would ask, ‘Where did you go to undergrad?’ and I would say ‘Northwestern.’ They would say, ‘Oh, I love Chicago.’ And I would tell them, ‘Well if you love Chicago, then you would really love Alva.’”
Despite attending a smaller university, Claypole says Northwestern prepared him just as well, if not better, than larger schools.
“I was not at a disadvantage for having gone to Northwestern rather than a big school like Harvard. If anything, it has been an advantage. I never would have had the relationships with my professors and mentors if I had gone to a big school.”
Outside the Courtroom
Claypole values the roles of husband and father. He and McKiesha are raising their two daughters, Reese and Jaxon, while building a life centered around family and community.
Claypole said experiencing noes and losses throughout life has shaped the way he approaches both work and family. The loss of McKiesha’s parents has made him realize what matters most.
He takes pride in building a life centered around people rather than a profession.
“I work to live. I don’t live to work.”