ATLANTA – November 2, 2022 – Ogletree Deakins, one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to welcome two new shareholders to the firm. Komlavi Atsou joins Ogletree Deakins’ Cleveland office from Fisher Phillips. Alexandra (Lexee) Asterlin joins the firm’s Sacramento office from Palmer Kazanjian Wohl Hodson LLP. The arrival of the new shareholders comes on the heels of a flurry of growth for Ogletree Deakins, which has added nine shareholders since September.
Atsou is the sixth shareholder to join the firm in Ohio since this summer. With nearly 15 years of experience practicing employment law in Ohio, he represents businesses, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and universities in a wide range of labor and employment matters. Atsou has served as first chair in jury and bench trials and has argued cases on appeal. He has extensive experience with litigation pertaining to Title VII, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family Medical Leave Act, Equal Pay Act, H-2A & H-2B Visa Programs, Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4112 (and other Ohio employment-related laws), non-compete matters, and class/collective actions. Atsou has also successfully represented clients in high-stakes disputes involving breach of fiduciary duty, duty of loyalty, duty of care, self-dealing, theft/embezzlement, conversion, breach of contract, tortious interference with business relationship, trade secrets, and unfair competition.
Atsou is trilingual, with fluency in English, French, and Ewe. He earned his J.D. and LL.M. from Case Western University School of Law and a Master of Law and Bachelor’s Degree in Law, with honors, from the University of Benin (currently University of Lomé) in Togo.
Asterlin is a seasoned litigator with more than two decades of experience. She handles class action and Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claims, along with single plaintiff litigation. She represents local and national businesses in courts throughout California and in matters involving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), and California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). In addition to her extensive PAGA and class action litigation experience, Asterlin regularly conducts workplace investigations, including those involving claims of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower claims, wage and hour violations, workplace violence, employee misconduct, and poor performance.
Asterlin will serve as a key new member of the firm’s California Class Action and PAGA Practice Group, which launched this summer. She graduated Order of the Coif from McGeorge School of Law and earned her bachelor’s degree, with honors, from the University of California, Davis.
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 950 attorneys located in 54 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