Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the nation’s largest labor and employment law firms, welcomes Alexandra Bodnar as a shareholder to the firm’s Los Angeles office. Bodnar joins Ogletree Deakins from the Los Angeles office of Squire Sanders where she was a partner and head of the office’s labor and employment group.

Bodnar’s arrival signals the continued growth of Ogletree Deakins’ Los Angeles office after Hardy Murphy and Betsy Johnson joined in 2011 as shareholders.

Bodnar focuses her practice on employment counseling and litigation with extensive experience in litigating wage and hour class actions. She has also tried cases in state and federal court and in arbitration on issues stemming from the protection of trade secrets, wrongful termination, whistleblowing, employment discrimination, and harassment claims. Outside of her litigation experience, Bodnar has a comprehensive advice and counsel practice assisting clients regarding legal issues throughout the employment relationship such as interviewing, hiring, litigation avoidance, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour compliance, discipline, and termination. She has represented clients in a broad range of industries including apparel, aviation, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing and technology.

“We continue to strategically grow our LA office to meet the growing labor and employment law needs of clients and employers in California,” said Matt Effland, managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins’ Los Angeles office. “Alexandra’s experience and client-focused approach is an immediate asset to employers particularly as wage and hour issues continue to be so prolific for businesses throughout the state.”

Bodnar is AV-rated, the highest ranking for legal ability and professional ethics, by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings. She has served on the Board of Directors of the California Women’s Law Center, and the Advisory Board of the Institute for Corporate Counsel. Bodnar earned her J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School where she was the Managing Editor of Southern California Review of Law and Women’s Studies and participated in the Hale Moot Court honors program. She earned her B.A. from Dartmouth College, where she was a member of the Honors Program in Government.