News & Insights

Lightfoot Partner Lana Olson Elected Second Vice President of DRI

October 20, 2019

Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC partner Lana A. Olson has been elected second vice president of DRI, the leading organization of defense attorneys and in-house counsel.

DRI’s national elections were held at the organization’s annual meeting in New Orleans last week. With more than 20,000 members, DRI is the largest international membership organization of attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation.

“We are very proud of Lana. This incredible accomplishment is the result of her countless hours of hard work and dedication,” said Lightfoot managing partner Melody Eagan. “Lana has been a tremendous leader in DRI for nearly 20 years, and I know she will continue that tradition in her role as second vice president of the organization.”

Olson most recently served as secretary-treasurer for DRI from 2018-19. Prior to that role, she was on DRI’s board of directors for three years, where she was the chair of the organization’s Philanthropic Activities Committee (2016-18) and vice-chair (2015-16). She was also a founding member of DRI’s Women in the Law Committee and served as its chair from 2013-15.

In 2018, the DRI Foundation established a tribute in Olson’s name in recognition of her years of service to DRI and her commitment to philanthropy and public service on behalf of the organization. She also received the Davis Carr Outstanding Committee Chair Award in 2015 for her service on the Women in the Law Committee.

Olson focuses her legal practice on complex, high-stakes litigation in a variety of areas, including environmental and toxic torts, product liability, business disputes and catastrophic injury. In addition to her regular litigation practice, Olson served as the assistant general counsel for a leading heavy truck component distributor for seven years. Benchmark Litigation named Olson a “Litigation Star” and one of its “Top 250 Women in Litigation” for three years in a row (2017-19). She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America^© and is a Mid-South Super Lawyer.