Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the nation’s largest labor and employment law firms, is pleased to announce the opening of its Stamford, Connecticut office. The Stamford office officially opens today with five attorneys, four of whom (two shareholders, one of counsel, and one associate) join Ogletree Deakins from Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP. Marc Zaken and John Stretton will join as Shareholders with Zaken, who was the co-chair of his former firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group, serving as the office’s managing shareholder. Diana Nehro, a member of Ogletree Deakins’ International Practice Group, will also join the Stamford office as Of Counsel. This is the second Ogletree Deakins office to open in 2012. In April, the firm opened a New York City office.
“We are pleased to open an office with a momentum that will immediately help service employers with headquarters or significant operations in the state,” said Kim Ebert, Ogletree Deakins’ Managing Shareholder. “Once again, we are growing with a very skilled group of attorneys that exemplify the client service mentality our firm is known for. An additional benefit that our clients will see is the synergy that is being developed with the firm’s offices throughout the region in New York City, Boston, and Morristown, New Jersey.”
“There is a strong growth trend of clients and employers seeking national representation from firms that can provide business solutions to complex employment issues,” said Zaken. “Ogletree Deakins is a premier firm in this regard, and a Connecticut office is a natural fit in the footprint of the firm’s strategic direction.”
“There is a shared vision that attracted us to Ogletree Deakins,” said John Stretton, a shareholder in the Stamford office. “The firm continues to deliver exceptional service to its clients through its national platform that is focused on value and client service.”
Marc Zaken has practiced law for 30 years and has a very diverse skill set and significant litigation experience. During his career, he has defended employers in discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, breach of contract, employment tort, and employee benefits matters in the federal and state courts and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and other administrative agencies in Connecticut, New York and throughout the United States. He has also represented employers in arbitrations, collective bargaining negotiations and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, wage and hour matters before the Department of Labor, and affirmative action audits before the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Outside of his litigation experience, Zaken has a strong advice and counsel practice that includes various labor and employment laws, such as Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, NLRA and ERISA.
Zaken consistently receives high praise and accolades from clients and colleagues alike for his work in the labor and employment law field. He has been named to Super Lawyers and is AV pre-eminent rated in Martindale-Hubbell. Zaken earned his J.D. from the New York University School of Law. Earlier, he received a B.S. from Cornell University.
John Stretton’s primary practice is focused on advising and representing clients on a wide variety of matters with the goal of strengthening and protecting their businesses. Throughout his career, he has represented clients in litigation matters in state and federal courts, before administrative agencies, and in private mediation and arbitration proceedings in connection with discrimination, non-compete, theft of trade secret, wage and overtime, wrongful termination, intellectual property and other employment related claims. Clients also depend on Stretton for advice and counsel on issues such as hiring, termination, reduction-in-force, restructuring, restrictive covenant, trade secret and contractual issues.
Stretton has been recognized by his peers as a Rising Star in Super Lawyers. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Boston University School of Law where he was a Paul J. Liacos Scholar, and a B.A., cum laude, from Boston College where Stretton was inducted into the Golden Key National Honor Society.
Karen West, who joins the firm as Of Counsel, represents employers in a wide variety of labor and employment matters, including wrongful termination, discrimination claims based on age, gender, disability, religion, race and national origin, as well as claims under the FLSA and FMLA. West also defends employers in litigation matters involving unfair trade practices, breach of contract, and business torts. She earned her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School where she was an Associate Editor of the Comparative Labor Law Journal. West also received a B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan.
Josh Sarner, joining the firm as an Associate, has defended corporate clients in state and federal litigation matters involving a wide variety of employment law claims. He has extensive experience drafting employment agreements as well as non-compete, non-disclosure, and other agreements designed to protect trade secrets. Sarner has a robust counseling practice and has assisted employers with respect to policies, procedures, and responsibilities mandated by federal and state statutes and regulations involving all facets of workplace conduct.
For his work, Sarner has been named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law. During law school, Sarner was the Business Editor for the Seton Hall Constitutional Law Journal. Earlier, he graduated from State University of New York, College at Geneseo.
