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Feature Friday
What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities?
I am a labor and employment attorney at Ogletree Deakins, based in Birmingham, Alabama. I represent employers across the country in complex litigation and traditional labor matters. My practice spans federal and state courts and administrative agencies, with experience in class and collective actions and single-plaintiff disputes involving discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wage-and-hour claims, and forced labor allegations. I also prosecute and defend restrictive covenant and trade secret matters, including obtaining and opposing emergency injunctions, and advise on strategies to protect confidential business information and intellectual property. On the traditional labor side, I support clients with union-related matters, including collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and strike contingency planning. I also assist employers in responding to government investigations and administrative enforcement proceedings, including by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.
What three words would you use to describe yourself?
Hardworking, dependable, and driven.
Please share a brief overview of your career path and how you got to where you are today, including what inspired you to pursue a career in law.
I wanted to become a lawyer from an early age because I believed that the legal progression matched my interests and abilities. I was born and grew up in Novi Sad, Serbia. I moved to New York when I was 16 years old, where I attended and graduated from high school. I then moved to Washington, DC, to attend the George Washington University, where I obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in International Business. After that, I worked for two years at the World Bank, at its headquarters in Washington, DC, as a consultant in the Budget, Performance Review, and Strategic Planning unit. That experience sharpened my analytical approach to complex, systems-level problems and reinforced the value of clear, data-driven decision-making. I went on to earn my J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law and ultimately pursued labor and employment law because it sits at the intersection of people, business operations, and business strategy. I am drawn to work that demands both rigorous legal analysis and pragmatic problem solving that helps organizations function and grow.
David Nikolic
Attorney at Ogletree Deakins
Who has had the greatest influence on your professional development, and how?
It is difficult to pick any one person as I have been fortunate to learn from many great mentors who treat every matter we work on together as an opportunity to teach. Equally influential have been clients who expect clarity, candor, and practical outcomes. Their trust has shaped my approach to anticipating risk and delivering practical solutions that align with business objectives.
What skills or qualities do you believe are most important for success in the legal profession?
Sound judgment, precise writing, and active listening are foundational. Beyond that, business acumen, resilience under pressure, and the discipline to prepare thoroughly, especially when timelines are compressed, are also essential.
What are some of your most significant professional achievements?
Each matter I work on is a meaningful achievement in its own right, and it’s hard to single out any one above the others—every win is gratifying. I am proud and thankful that I have had the opportunity to lead and support the defense of numerous complex employment class and collective actions and high-stakes single-plaintiff cases; obtain and oppose emergency injunctive relief in restrictive covenant and trade secret disputes; and help design and implement strike contingency and collective bargaining strategies that safeguard and improve our clients’ business operations. I have also guided employers through Department of Labor investigations and administrative enforcement matters, helping navigate compliance, mitigate risk, and resolve issues efficiently. What I value most about these matters is the consistent focus on results that protect both people and the business.
What aspects of your work do you find most fulfilling?
I find it most rewarding to translate complicated legal and operational problems into clear, actionable, business-oriented strategies. Helping teams maintain business continuity during challenging moments is especially meaningful.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Working hard, paying attention to the details, and consistently following through on any assignment that you undertake, are key to a successful legal practice, and to success in any other endeavor.
How do you balance your professional and personal life?
I rely on discipline and preparation to avoid last-minute emergencies. That enables me to have both a fulfilling personal and professional life.
Please share a fun or interesting fact about yourself that not many people know.
I enjoy playing tennis, skiing, and reading science fiction novels.
What do you hope to get out of the Serbian Attorney Association in 2026?
I hope to deepen connections across the Serbian legal community and to support the SSA’s mission to empower and strengthen community ties among the Serbian members of the legal profession in America.