Tom Barnard Named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers

CLEVELAND – November 17, 2009 – Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), America’s third-largest labor and employment law firm, is pleased to announce that Tom Barnard, a shareholder in the firm’s Cleveland office, has been named as “Cleveland Best Lawyers Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year” for 2010.  Best Lawyers designates “Lawyers of the Year” in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”

Barnard’s practice focuses on all aspects of labor and employment law, including complex employment litigation, jury trials, administrative hearings, collective bargaining and arbitrations.  He also has considerable experience representing government entities.

The lawyers being honored as “Lawyers of the Year” have received particularly high ratings in Best Lawyers surveys by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.  Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers.  The current edition of The Best Lawyers in America is based on more than 2.8 million detailed evaluations.

“This is quite an honor and I’m humbled to be recognized among my peers in this manner,” said Barnard.  “I have dedicated my career to remaining client focused with results that are sustainable and impactful.”  
 
Steven Naifeh, managing editor of Best Lawyers, says, “We continue to believe – as we have believed for more than 25 years – that recognition by one’s peers is the most meaningful form of praise in the legal profession. We would like to congratulate Tom Barnard on being selected as the ‘Cleveland Best Lawyers Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year’ for 2010.” 

Throughout his career, Barnard previously held significant governmental positions with the U.S. Department of Labor (1968-1971); Deputy Counsel for Litigation, Labor Management Laws, 1970 and Special Counsel to the Solicitor, 1971.  He is also a frequent national speaker on labor and employment matters and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

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 450 lawyers located in 35 offices across the U.S. and more Best Lawyers than any other labor and employment law firm.  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 Ryan King, public relations manager, at (404) 870-1742.