Legal News

Ogletree Deakins opens new office in Orange County

By Richard Binder

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. have announced that they will open an office in Orange County on March 1.

Joining the firm as co-managing shareholders will be Vince Verde and Keith Watts, formerly with the Orange County office of Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP.

Verde represents management in all areas of employment law, including wage and hour matters, medical and disability issues, and wrongful discharge claims. In addition to handling employment cases, he regularly handles commercial litigation. Verde serves on the board of the Philippine American Bar Association of Los Angeles and earned his J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1995.

Watts practices labor and employment law and has handled a wide range of matters, including sexual harassment, discrimination, wage and hour, and wrongful termination claims. His practice also involves advising employers on strategies for remaining union-free, as well as successfully representing employers in union organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, and state court strike injunction litigation. Watts is a frequent lecturer on labor and employment law issues, having conducted workshops, seminars, and speaking engagements throughout the United States. He earned his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law-Newark in 1997.

This is the third new office for Ogletree Deakins in the western United States in as many months: the firm opened its Las Vegas office in January, followed by its Denver office in February.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on February 25, 2010 (boomark / email).