Cheryl D. Orr

Faegre Baker Daniels and Drinker Biddle & Reath formally merged on Feb. 1 and by mid-March, Orr and her colleagues at the newly minted firm were sheltering in place.

Faegre Drinker - which has offices across the United States, two in China and one in London - was supposed to hold a meeting in Miami, but that was canceled.

"Because we're in this situation, all of our clients were addressing COVID issues all at the same time," Orr said. "This has been a challenging time, but we've all had an opportunity to work together. We've learned just how strong our group is. Our firm is in the forefront for providing COVID-19 advice. It has been wonderful to see."

Orr leads the international labor and employment group at Faegre Drinker in San Francisco. Her labor and employment experience spans three decades.

She handles wage and hour class and collective actions, general employment litigation, and offers advice on compliance and preventative measures.

"I enjoy working with people, and solving the client's problems," she said.

Orr said she appreciates how labor and employment law is "multi-dimensional, covering wages and how people are treated."

"It involves how we spend our time. The workplace is very important, and to ensure it functions in a way that is beneficial to all."

Orr also acts as a resource for colleagues in the United Kingdom and China. "Our colleagues in China have been nice enough to send us [personal protective equipment against coronavirus]," Orr said.

"We also have a full immigration team working with clients around the world," she said. "We have greater bench strength and expertise to offer our clients."

-- Karen Weil