Vince Verde Bestowed Trailblazer Award From The Philippine American Bar Association of Los Angeles

COSTA MESA, Calif. – February 17, 2012 – Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the nation’s largest labor and employment law firms, is pleased to announce that Vince Verde, co-managing shareholder of the firm’s Orange County office, is the recipient of the 2012 Trailblazer Award from the Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) of Los Angeles. The PABA Trailblazer Award is conferred upon certain individuals whose outstanding achievements in legal practice and ardent commitment to the Filipino-American community have paved the way for future attorneys to follow suit. These individuals embody an aura of conscientiousness, enterprise and inspiration that transcends the boundaries of age, circumstance or issue. As the founding and co-managing shareholder of the firm’s Orange County office, Verde is one of the first Filipino-Americans in this position in California.

Verde received this distinction during the 2012 PABA Installation & Awards Gala on February 16 at the Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows. He was joined by the Honorable Lee Smalley Edmon, the first female Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court and the evening’s keynote speaker; the Honorable Holly J. Fujie and the Honorable Rafael A. Ongkeko, also of the Los Angeles Superior Court; and the Honorable Jacqueline H. Nguyen of the United States District Court of the Central District of California, as well as several other distinguished public officials and leaders.

“Ogletree Deakins is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive environment where our lawyers not only succeed in their individual law practices, but also thrive in firm-wide leadership positions,” said Michelle Wimes, Director of Professional Development and Inclusion for Ogletree Deakins. “As the founding and co-managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins’ Orange County Office, Vince has been a true trailblazer for our firm, creating one of our most diverse offices. We join the Philippine American Bar Association of Los Angeles in saluting Vince for his outstanding legal work, his strong leadership skills, and his shining support of the Filipino-American community.”

In his practice, Verde is a litigator with extensive jury and non-jury trial experience. His diverse practice includes the representation of national and regional clients in all phases of litigation involving employment and labor matters, class action lawsuits, and complex business disputes. Outside of the courtroom, Verde dedicates his time to serving the Filipino-American community in both Los Angeles and in Orange County. There, he lends his support to Filipino-Americans pursuing judicial endeavors and legal causes that aim to benefit the community-at-large.  

 

About Ogletree Deakins

Ogletree Deakins is one of the nation’s largest labor and employment law firms 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.

About the Philippine American Bar Association of Los Angeles

PABA was formed in response to expressed interests in addressing the legal issues confronting the Filipino-American community, as well as meeting the professional concerns of Filipino-American lawyers in Southern California. PABA sponsors community legal clinics focusing on various areas of the law and provides pro bono legal services. In addition, PABA provides continuing legal education seminars and professional development opportunities for its members and assists Filipino-American law students through its scholarship and fellowship funds and mentorship program. For more information about PABA, please visit www.pabala.org.