Ogletree Deakins Promotes Michael Oliver Eckard to Lead Firm’s Charleston Office
Staff Report From Charleston CEO
Tuesday, February 11th, 2020
Ogletree Deakins, one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to announce that Michael Oliver Eckard has been promoted to Managing Shareholder of the firm’s Charleston office. Eckard will work with the firm’s offices in Greenville and Columbia to expand the firm’s presence throughout South Carolina and also serve as a member of Ogletree Deakins’ management committee.
Eckard has spent his entire legal career at Ogletree Deakins. He represents companies in labor, employment, restrictive covenant, and wage and hour matters in the health care, manufacturing, chemicals, hospitality, transportation and logistics, and retail industries, among others. He regularly advises companies on human resources and labor policy issues. Eckard represents his clients in many types of employment litigation matters, including wrongful termination claims, sexual harassment claims, employment discrimination claims, employment contracts, wage and hour claims, trade secrets, and non-compete agreements. He also represents management in union organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, and unfair labor practice and representation proceedings.
Eckard serves as a trusted advisor to his clients, regularly providing counsel to corporate executive, legal, and human resources leaders on matters such as risk management; labor relations; workforce planning (including workforce growth and reductions in force); labor and employment matters pertaining to corporate mergers, divestitures, and other transactions; employee recruiting and hiring practices; employee discipline and termination; wage and hour law compliance; and strategies for preventing and investigating harassment and discrimination claims.
Prior to his legal career, he served in the U.S. Army, specializing in Military Intelligence. Eckard served in multiple duty stations, including operational tours in Kuwait. Eckard is a licensed pilot and enjoys flying airplanes for recreation. He earned his J.D. from the University of South Carolina.