Ogletree Deakins' Indianapolis Office Adds New Shareholder

INDIANAPOLIS – September 18, 2007 – The Indianapolis office of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins) announced today that Danuta Bembenista Panich has joined the firm as a shareholder. Previously, Ms. Panich was a partner at Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP in Chicago, Illinois.

Ms. Panich, an Indiana University School of Law alumnus (J.D. summa cum laude, 1978), brings nearly three decades of legal expertise to Ogletree Deakins and has significant experience defending employers against federal and state class action claims involving wage and hour, age discrimination, and Equal Employment Opportunity issues.  She also assists clients with electronic discovery requests and designs and implements data and records remediation, records management programs, and e-discovery programs.

Ms. Panich is a frequent lecturer on employment, records management, and electronic topics and has spoken at numerous CLE programs for the Federal Bar Association and before several law schools including Duke University School of Law. She is an active member of the Federal Bar Association and currently serves as the chair of the Bar’s Labor and Employment Law Section – a role which recently won her the 2007 Section Chair Award for her exemplary leadership of the Section. In addition, under her direction the Section received the President’s Award for a labor and employment law conference it presented in February 2007 which featured key speakers including the General Counsel of the NLRB, the Solicitor of Labor, and the General Counsel of the NRC. 

“We are very fortunate to have Danuta on board,” said Charles B. Baldwin, managing shareholder of the firm’s Indianapolis office. “Her extensive litigation experience and e-discovery knowledge are a definite asset to the firm and will greatly enhance our ability to serve clients.” 

About Ogletree Deakins

Ogletree Deakins is the nation’s third largest labor and employment law firm, representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. The firm has 400 lawyers located in 32 offices from Miami to Los Angeles. In addition to handling labor and employment law matters, the firm has thriving practices focused on business immigration, employee benefits, and workplace safety and health law.  Ogletree Deakins represents a diverse range of clients, including more than half of the Fortune 50 corporations in the U.S.

For more information, please contact Karen Gonzales, communications manager, at 210-277-3606.