Lana Olson is a trial lawyer who understands the pressures in-house counsel face.
When it comes to defending her clients, Lana has never been afraid of a challenge. Whether she is trying a complex, high-stakes case, providing day-to-day risk management advice or leading an internal investigation, Lana has the experience and judgment needed to guide clients through even the most daunting situations. She is a gifted leader who believes in prioritizing clear communication with clients and tailoring her approach to their unique needs.
Maintaining a varied litigation and arbitration practice, Lana serves as lead trial counsel in matters involving toxic tort, product liability, catastrophic injury, class action, commercial/consumer fraud and breach of contract claims. Her clients are located all over the country and range from Fortune 100 multinational companies to small family businesses. They include a Fortune 100 global science, chemical and innovation company, a residential warranty company; and a Fortune 50 online technology company, along with international commercial vehicle safety manufacturers, chemical manufacturers and transportation companies. Lana regularly handles cases in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Texas, New York and South Carolina.
Recent examples of Lana’s cases include:
- Defending a Fortune 500 company in more than 50 cases in four states related to PFAS contamination and exposure.
- Obtaining multiple defense verdicts at trial on behalf of a Fortune 100 technology company in a series of cases involving claims of consumer fraud, breach of contract, deceptive trade practices, Magnusson-Moss violations and breach of warranty.
- Representing a chemical manufacturer in multiple lawsuits brought by more than 400 plaintiffs related to chlorine exposure.
- Negotiating cessation of a chemical exposure case pre-suit for an international company based on early fact investigation and expert work showing a lack of causation.
- Serving as trial counsel in dozens of consumer fraud, breach of contract, deceptive trade practices, Magnusson-Moss violations and breach of warranty arbitrations across the Southeast.
Lana understands the complicated realities facing today’s in-house lawyers because she was once in their shoes: she served for seven years as the assistant general counsel for a leading heavy truck component distributor. In this role, she managed all facets of the company’s legal and compliance matters, from day-to-day consultation to the most complex and significant pieces of litigation. Lana was also responsible for hiring and managing a team of outside counsel and gained invaluable experience that she draws on daily to deliver the best possible service to her clients.
Outside of the courtroom, Lana is heavily involved in both the firm and the legal community. She has held many board-level roles with DRI, the leading organization of defense attorneys and in-house counsel, and most recently served as president from 2022-23. Lana has belonged to the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association for more than 25 years and is also a longtime member of the International Association of Defense Counsel and the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel. Within the firm, Lana is a dedicated member of Women of Lightfoot (WOLF).
When she isn’t wearing her trial lawyer hat, Lana enjoys being a mother to her vivacious teenage daughter, Maggie, as well as her three (yes, three!) four-legged companions, George Bailey (Shih-Tzu), Penny (rescue mutt), and her Scooter (Bernedoodle).
