Ogletree Deakins Continues Growth in Denver Office, Adds Three Associates

DENVER, CO – November 30, 2011 – Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the nation’s largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to announce the arrival of Elisa Chen, Matthew Cooper and Heidi Doescher as associates to the Denver office. Since opening in January 2010 with managing shareholder Steve Moore and one associate, the Denver office has grown to a diverse group of 17 attorneys possessing vast experience in employment litigation, class and collective action litigation, immigration law, and workplace safety and health.

“Our continued growth underscores the strategic position we take to better serve our clients not only in Colorado and in the Mountain West, but throughout the firm’s national platform.” said Steve Moore, managing shareholder of the firm’s Denver office. “While our growth was predicted, we continue to attract and retain talented attorneys focused on providing excellent client service.”

Chen is experienced in counseling clients on wage and hour and workplace safety issues, defending employers against discrimination and retaliation claims brought under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Chen also litigates issues regarding non-competition and non-solicitation agreements. Earlier in her career, Chen served as an International Leadership Foundation Public Affairs Fellow with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Secretary working on the White House Initiative in 2005. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. Chen is also fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese.

Cooper counsels employers on a wide array of employment matters, ranging from labor grievances to employer responsibilities within international companies. He also works with employers on mining (MSHA) and occupational (OSHA) safety and health issues, including regulatory compliance, investigations, and accident prevention. Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Cooper was a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Labor, where he litigated mining safety and health cases before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission. Cooper earned his J.D., with honors, from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Prior to law school, he received a Master’s degree, with distinction, in International Law and International Relations from the University of Kent, Brussels School of International Studies in Belgium.

Doescher is a 2010 graduate of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law where she graduated as a member of the Order of St. Ives and served as Training Editor for the Denver Journal for International Law and Policy. Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Doescher clerked for the Honorable Alex J. Martinez on the Colorado Supreme Court.

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 more than 600 lawyers located in 40 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 United States. For more information, please contact Ryan King, public relations manager, at (404) 870-1742.