Ogletree Deakins Taps Former VP of Labor Relations for New Airline and Railway Practice Group

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – July 9, 2013 – Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to welcome W. Chris Harrison as of counsel in its Memphis office. Harrison joins Ogletree Deakins from Pinnacle Airlines, where he served as associate general counsel and vice president of labor relations and legal affairs. Harrison has considerable experience with the National Mediation Board (NMB), the Railway Labor Act (RLA), and other labor and employment issues faced by airline and railway carriers.

“Chris is a terrific litigator and negotiator with a unique background that is attractive to many of our clients, especially those in the airline and railway industries,” said Elizabeth Dougherty, founder and chair of Ogletree Deakins’ Airline and Railway Practice Group. “As the former vice president of labor relations for a large regional airline carrier, he offers invaluable insight into the unique challenges facing employers in the airline and railway industries.” 

Harrison has more than 15 years of practice representing management in labor and employment matters, including union collective bargaining, grievances, employment discrimination, retaliation, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), AIR 21 and whistleblower claims, administrative law claims, and airline regulatory matters. Harrison led successful contract negotiations at Pinnacle with its flight attendants, ground personnel and dispatchers, including a recent voluntary restructuring of their agreements in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In addition, he has tried numerous System Board arbitrations, as well as cases before federal courts and administrative agencies including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

An experienced author, Harrison serves as a contributing editor to The Railway Labor Act by BNA books, which is the authoritative treatise on the RLA. Harrison earned his J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law, and received his B.A., cum laude, from the University of Mississippi.

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 more than 650 lawyers located in 44 offices across the United States and in Europe. Ogletree Deakins was named “Law Firm of the Year” in both the Litigation – Labor & Employment and the Employment Law – Management categories in the 2013 edition of 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, including more than half of the Fortune 50 corporations in the United States. For more information, please contact Ryan King or Mary Lou Baxter.