News & Insights

Lightfoot Partner Lana Olson Named President-elect of DRI

October 20, 2021

Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC partner Lana A. Olson has assumed the role of president-elect of DRI, the leading organization of defense attorneys and in-house counsel. She was confirmed at DRI’s annual meeting in Boston last week. 

With more than 16,000 members, DRI is the largest international membership organization of attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation. Olson will become president of the organization in October 2022 and will be its fifth female president and the first female president from Alabama.

"Lana is an inspiring leader, litigator and woman," said Lightfoot managing partner Melody Eagan. "I know she will continue advancing the work of DRI during her term, just as she has in her many roles over the past 20 years. We are proud and fortunate to have her on the Lightfoot team."

Olson most recently served as first vice president of DRI from 2020-21, following her first year on the organization's presidential track as second vice president from 2019-20. Prior to that, Olson was DRI's secretary-treasurer from 2018-19 and served on its 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 dedication 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 work 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” four years in a row (2017-20). She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America© and is a Mid-South Super Lawyer.