Ogletree Deakins Strengthens Cleveland Office with Addition of Rebecca Bennett as Shareholder

CLEVELAND – May 12, 2014 – Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to welcome Rebecca J. Bennett as a shareholder in the firm’s Cleveland office. Bennett joins Ogletree Deakins from Frantz Ward LLP, where she was a partner and served as vice chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group and chair of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

Bennett has more than 15 years of experience representing and counseling employers in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, non‐compete and trade secret litigation, and workplace crisis management. In Bennett’s traditional labor practice, she negotiates collective bargaining agreements and advises management in related areas, such as bargaining strategies and strike planning. Bennett also advises clients on government contracting compliance including prevailing wage, and affirmative action. Bennett has achieved successful results for clients through defense verdicts, arbitration awards, appeals, negotiated labor contracts, and settlements in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, health care, technology, professional services, banking, higher and secondary education, retail, non‐profit, transportation, and construction.

“Rebecca has a depth of comprehensive labor and employment law experience that will immediately benefit our clients locally and across the country,” said John Gerak, managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins’ Cleveland office. “Her steadfast commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion reflects our firm’s culture, and we are pleased to welcome Rebecca to our Cleveland office.”

Bennett is very active in the Cleveland community and is particularly dedicated to causes that educate and empower women, as well as promote diversity and inclusion in the business community, workplace, and legal profession. She is the chairperson of the Women in Law section of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and treasurer of the Federal Bar Association’s Northern District of Ohio Chapter. Bennett also serves as the chairperson of the board of directors for Saint Joseph Academy and as a member of the board of directors for The Gathering Place and Berea’s Animal Rescue Fund, Inc. Bennett earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from Cleveland State University’s Cleveland‐Marshall College of Law.

About Ogletree Deakins
Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. The firm has 700 lawyers located in 45 offices across the United States and in Europe. Ogletree Deakins is the “Law Firm of the Year” in both the Employment Law – Management and Labor Law – Management categories in the 2014 edition of the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list. 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, from small businesses to Fortune 50 companies.