SAN DIEGO – November 2, 2026 – Ogletree Deakins, one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to welcome Lara Prodanovich (Besser) to the firm’s San Diego office as a shareholder. Prodanovich joins Ogletree Deakins from Jackson Lewis P.C., where she was a principal for more than five years.
Prodanovich brings more than 15 years of legal experience to the firm with a practice focused on employment litigation, including class and collective actions, single and multi-plaintiff lawsuits, and claims involving California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). She also defends employers in wage-and-hour, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, accommodation, breach of contract, and trade secret claims, providing representation in state and federal court, in arbitration, and before administrative agencies, including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), and the California Labor Commissioner.
In addition to her litigation work, Prodanovich advises and counsels employers on compliance with California and federal employment laws, guiding them through performance management processes, internal investigations, and issues related to hiring, discipline, termination, and leaves of absence. She also audits wage-and-hour and compliance monitoring practices, creates commission plans and meal and rest break policies, and revises handbooks and other company guidelines.
“Lara’s practice combines employment litigation with compliance counseling across a variety of workplace issues that are critical to employers today, which allows her to support them when claims arise and help avoid those claims in the first place,” said Chris Olmsted, office managing shareholder in San Diego. “Her first-chair experience and proactive insights will immediately benefit our California clients, and we are pleased to welcome her to the San Diego office.”
“Ogletree Deakins’ vast resources and collaborative approach make it a natural home for my practice,” said Prodanovich. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in San Diego and across the firm to support employers navigating modern compliance challenges and a rapidly changing legal landscape both in California and at the federal level.”
Prodanovich earned her J.D. from the California Western School of Law and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Azusa Pacific University. She gives back to the legal community by serving on committees with the Lawyer’s Club Women’s Bar Association and acting as a member of the Welsh Inn of Court.
More than 35 shareholders have joined Ogletree Deakins in 2026 in total, as client demand for labor and employment counsel continues to grow across the firm’s international footprint. Prodanovich is the eleventh shareholder to join in California this year alone, continuing the firm’s West Coast expansion.
About Ogletree Deakins
With more than 1,200 attorneys in 62 offices worldwide, Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management. We handle all types of employment-related legal matters, including traditional labor and employment, workplace safety, employee benefits, and business immigration matters. Guided by our Client Pledge, we focus on understanding clients’ business and objectives, collaborating and anticipating needs, harnessing technology and innovation, communicating effectively, and providing quality representation with exceptional value. www.ogletree.com