Danielle Bland

Danielle (Dani) Bland is an associate in the Raleigh, North Carolina office of Jackson Lewis P.C. with a passion for workplace law borne out of the impact she can make for organizations and their workforces—whether the matter involves an investigation, litigation, or labor dispute.

With a background that includes time as an All-American athlete, in-house counsel for a national sports governing body and a Power-5 conference collegiate athletics program, Dani brings firsthand knowledge of the issues and trends impacting clients across the amateur and professional sports industries. Dani's experience helps her quickly build rapport with her clients who see her as an extension of their team. Specifically, her clients appreciate her understanding of the business objectives unique to a seasonal and event-based industry.

In the wake of the enactment of the PWFA, Dani has counseled large corporations in the health care and higher education industries as they created and implemented pregnancy accommodation processes and has advised on the intersection of pregnancy and disability accommodations. She has management-side labor experience advising clients through all stages of the organizing process, from petitions to NLRB hearings, elections, collective bargaining, and compliance with collective bargaining agreements. Dani has cultivated an investigation practice – to Dani, investigations can aid employers in assessing and reducing acute liability risk, but also serve as a proactive way to reduce and hopefully eliminate future risk. She has handled investigations into misconduct, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and compliance.

Dani's greatest strength is her curiosity, enjoys learning new skills, puzzles and storytelling. She applies aspects of her many hobbies to her vocation amassing information and consequent understanding to advance clients' business objectives.

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, P.C., Dani was an attorney fellow in the Office of General Counsel for Duke University and Duke University Health System, Inc., where she advised on labor, employment, and athletics matters. During law school, Dani earned a Sports Law Concentration, was a fellow with the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law and wrote a directed research paper on unionization in professional sports and collectively bargained prohibited substance agreements.

Her passion for sports motivates Dani in and out of the office where you can find her running with friends, playing basketball or pickleball with her family, painting, or spoiling her dog.

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

• Animal Protection Society of Durham, Volunteer
• Bull City Run Club, Member