Ogletree Deakins Bolsters Workplace Safety Capabilities in Alabama, Welcomes David Walston as Shareholder

BIRMINGHAM – July 15, 2022 – Ogletree Deakins, one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to welcome David Walston to the Birmingham office as shareholder. Walston joins Ogletree Deakins from Christian & Small, where he was a partner.

Walston has practiced in the arena of labor and employment law for more than 30 years. His practice focuses on advising employers on matters involving the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), including compliance with OSHA programs and training responsibilities, reporting, recording, and record-keeping obligations, and guiding clients through OSHA inspections, investigations, and citations.

Walston regularly defends businesses in claims under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). His experience further extends to advising and representing management regarding rights and obligations under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Walston’s clients include businesses in the manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, real estate, and staffing industries.

“David is a well-known and widely respected practitioner in the Alabama legal market, and it is my absolute pleasure to welcome him to the Birmingham team,” said David Warren, office managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins’ Birmingham office. “His breadth of knowledge about occupational safety and health, decades of labor and employment experience, and focus on providing premier client service will allow him to have an immediate and resounding impact on our office and clients alike.”

Walston is well decorated for his legal prowess. He received the AV^® Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has appeared on The Best Lawyers in America^® list for over a decade, with special recognition as their “Lawyer of the Year” for Labor & Employment Litigation in 2018. Walston has also been recognized by Chambers USA in the Labor and Employment – Alabama category and by Benchmark Litigation as an Alabama “Labor and Employment Star.”

A Birmingham native, Walston is actively involved in community and professional associations, including as a member in the Labor and Employment sections of the American Bar Association, Alabama State Bar, and Alabama Defense Lawyers Association. He acts as the pro bono legal counsel for King’s Home, which serves youth, women, and children fleeing domestic violence and homelessness in Alabama. Walston earned both his J.D. and B.A. from Vanderbilt University.

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. Premier client service, as outlined in the firm’s Client Pledge, is one of the firm’s top priorities and a cornerstone of its core values. U.S. News – Best Lawyers^® “Best Law Firms” has named Ogletree Deakins a “Law Firm of the Year” for 11 consecutive years. In 2022, the publication named Ogletree Deakins its “Law Firm of the Year” in the Employment Law – Management category. Ogletree Deakins has more than 900 attorneys located in 53 offices across the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, including many of the Fortune 50 companies in the U.S. www.ogletree.com