Dan O'Donnell's legal practice is focused on meeting the needs of management clients facing labor and employment law disputes.
Dan has represented employers for the majority of his career, litigating and advising on a wide variety of areas including the enforcement and defense of non-competition agreements and protection of trade secrets; defense of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims; and defense of wage and hour claims.
Dan also has a deep understanding of arbitration law and has arbitrated numerous cases before multiple forums (like the AAA and JAMS). As a result, he is well-versed in the applicable rules and procedures, which gives him an advantage over litigators who infrequently venture into arbitration.
Dan also regularly advises clients regarding the use and enforceability of arbitration agreements and class action waivers contained, in federal and state courts and courts of appeals. Due to his extensive knowledge in this area, in 2017, Mr. O’Donnell joined the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law as an Adjunct Professor to teach its course on Arbitration Theory & Practice.
Prior to joining FordHarrison, Dan worked at general services corporate law firm where he handled both business and employment disputes including class actions. Earlier in his career he worked at a national labor and employment law boutique firm where he focused his practice solely on labor and employment law.
While earning his JD, Dan received the Judge Roy W. Harper Prize for best work in Constitutional Law, the Alexander Martin Prize for best work in Evidence, the Senniger Powers Prize for best work in Copyright, and the Excellence for the Future Awards for Constitutional Law, Evidence, Copyright, and State Constitutional Law. Dan also completed an internship for Justice Michael Wolff of the Missouri Supreme Court and was an Associate Managing Editor of the Missouri Law Review.