Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to welcome Elizabeth “Liz” Dougherty as a shareholder in its Washington D.C. office. Dougherty will formalize and lead Ogletree Deakins’ new Airline and Railway Practice Group and will be active in supporting the firm’s Governmental Affairs Practice Group based in the Washington D.C. office.
Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Dougherty served on the National Mediation Board, an independent agency that oversees airline and railroad labor relations and administers the Railway Labor Act. As one of three Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees on the board, Dougherty’s responsibilities included oversight and mediation of collective bargaining, conducting and investigating representation elections, and oversight of the grievance arbitration program. During her tenure, Dougherty twice served as Chairman of the Board (2009–2010 and 2006–2007). Previously, Dougherty served as Special Assistant for Domestic Policy at the White House under President George W. Bush, where she covered labor and transportation issues, and as Chief Counsel to the United States Senate Subcommittee on Employment, Safety and Training.
“Liz gives Ogletree Deakins instant credibility in the airline and railway industries as a consequence of her six years of service on the National Mediation Board,” said Melissa Bailey, Managing Shareholder of Ogletree Deakins’ Washington office. “Her intelligence, energy and personality, combined with her significant Washington network, make her the perfect candidate to launch our new Airline and Railway Practice Group.”
Dougherty earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.A., cum laude, from Duke University. She serves on the board of trustees for Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School, and Horton’s Kids, a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive services to the children of DC’s Ward 8.
