After 44 years of practicing law at 302 North Main St., Kingfisher attorney Paul Schulte announced his retirement earlier this month.

The longtime law firm of Schulte, Schneiter & Gibson has been acquired by and merged with Bass Law and Katie Schneiter, Schulte’s niece and attorney at the firm for more than 20 years, will continue to practice law at the Kingfisher location.

Patrick Gibson, the other principal attorney at the firm for many years, retired last June.

Schulte, a graduate of Okarche High School, graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1979 with a degree in agriculture economics and earned his law degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Immediately upon graduation in 1982, he accepted a job with the law firm operated by Tom Baker and Harold Logsdon.

The firm was soon named Baker, Logsdon & Schulte.

Schulte said he chose Bass Law to merge with because he felt the firm was the best cultural fit for the people of Kingfisher County and he had a long working relationship with the El Reno-based law firm.

“They will be able to offer an even wider variety of services than we did and they have a great reputation in the state,” Schulte said.

Schulte and his wife Carolyn will continue to live in Kingfisher and he says they plan to enjoy time together traveling when she retires from her job as a certified public accountant with Hall Capital, which offices out of the east wharf on Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City.

He said Carolyn will retire in April from Hall Capital, which is owned and operated by the grandchildren of Fred Jones, a legendary Oklahoma Citybased Ford dealership and manufacturing owner and operator in the last century.

Schulte said he would continue to pursue his other business and family interests and he felt there was little possibility of becoming bored or complacent in the coming years.

“It’s been a great 44 years,” Schulte said. “I have many wonderful stories to tell and Kingfisher was and is a great community to work and live in.”

Schulte has moved from his longtime office in the center of the building to one in the very back (west end). His new office once served as the office of Ancel Simpson, another longtime Kingfisher attorney.

“This building has so much legendary history,” Schulte commented.

He added that the firm was actually a regional practice, as over the years he served many clients in counties adjoining Kingfi sher County and beyond.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Schulte said. “I have agreed to make myself available over the next several months as needed to help with the transition.”