Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the nation’s largest labor and employment law firms, welcomes Dawn Collins and Katessa Charles Davis as shareholders to the firm’s Los Angeles office. Collins joins Ogletree Deakins from Jackson Lewis; and Davis from Steptoe & Johnson LLP. Since January, Ogletree Deakins’ Los Angeles office has grown by nearly 20 percent in response to client demand. Nationally, Ogletree Deakins has added shareholders in the firm’s offices in Atlanta, Denver, New Orleans, New York City, and Philadelphia.

“One of Ogletree Deakins’ core values is the strong commitment to increasing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. With the addition of Dawn and Katessa, our office as well as the firm, continue this mission.” said Betsy Johnson, managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins’ Los Angeles office. “We are committed to growing the Los Angeles office organically to meet the needs of our clients. We will continue to recruit and hire the best legal talent available in a very deliberate and thoughtful manner to ensure balanced growth.”

In her practice, Collins represents employers in all type of employment disputes including wage and hour class actions, sexual harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination and retaliation claims in both state and federal court, as well as in administrative hearings. She also provides advice and counsel on a wide variety of workplace issues including terminations, reductions in force, employment contracts, independent contractor status, wage and hour issues and company policies. In addition to her litigation experience, Collins assists clients with investigations, and provides advice and counsel on various topics including discharge and discipline, reductions in force, employment agreements, and wage and hour compliance.

Collins is a Board Member of the Black Women Lawyer Association of Los Angeles and the Gay and Lesbian Elder Housing Corp in Los Angeles. She is an active member of the National Bar Association and the Langston Bar Association. Collins earned her J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 1997. While in law school, she was Editor-In-Chief of the National Black Law Journal. She earned her B.S. in Economics with a concentration in Marketing from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Davis focuses her practice on commercial and employment disputes, including unfair competition, trade secrets, breach of contract, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims. She has experience in a wide range of industries, from manufacturing to entertainment, and has arbitration as well as jury trial experience in state and federal courts. Davis counsels companies in all areas of commercial and employment law, including state and federal wage and hour matters, all aspects of employee personnel issues, privacy in the workplace, HIPAA, development of company policies, documentation of employee performance, employment and service agreements, among others. Outside of her legal practice, Davis is a frequent lecturer and presenter on employment and management related topics.

Davis is very active in her community, both professionally and civically. She serves on the Board of Directors of Crystal Stairs, Inc. and is the International Parliamentarian for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Davis is also a member of the Labor and Employment Law Sections of the State Bar of California and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. She serves her community through her work with the Jenesse Center, Inc., a domestic violence intervention program as a member of the organization’s Legal Advisory Board.

Davis earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1989, and a B.A. from the University of California-Santa Barbara in 1985.

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