Because your best offense is having a good defense.

OSHA Defense Law Firm (ODL) provides one-of-a-kind access to attorneys with first-hand OSHA expertise and knowledge. As former OSHA litigators, each ODL attorney knows OSHA.

At ODL, we have the playbook to expertly represent your interests and guide you through the OSHA regulatory and administrative process. Whether your company faces an OSHA investigation, citations or whistleblower complaint from federal or state plan regulators, ODL has the ultimate insider advantage to obtain a favorable resolution.

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Our Invaluable Insiders

Former OSHA Attorneys

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Dane Steffenson

Dane brings unparalleled insider OSHA experience to the forefront – transforming it into practical influence for those navigating the system from the outside. With nearly 30 years of litigation experience—including hundreds of employment and workplace safety matters and more than 30 trials—and almost two decades litigating OSHA’s most complex, high‑stakes cases, Dane has a deep understanding of how OSHA evaluates risk, builds cases, and makes enforcement decisions. His experience includes advising senior OSHA leadership on regulatory interpretation, enforcement priorities, and litigation strategy, as well as training OSHA inspectors and agency attorneys.

Widely respected in the field, Dane is AV Preeminent rated, a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and was recognized by both his peers and the Solicitor of Labor as the Department of Labor’s top litigator. Today, Dane leverages his experience and insider perspective to help employers proactively manage OSHA inspections—particularly those involving serious injuries, fatalities, or catastrophic events—develop practical and defensible compliance strategies, reduce organizational exposure, and resolve matters efficiently and effectively.

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Kristina Brooks

Kristina brings a rare dual perspective – state and federal OSHA experience – helping clients translate regulatory complexity into clear, strategic action when it matters most. Before her 15-year federal service, Kristina developed hands-on experience with Cal/OSHA —one of the most demanding state-plan programs in the country—giving her a practical understanding of heightened compliance expectations, aggressive enforcement approaches, and the nuances that distinguish California from federal OSHA. Today, Kristina leverages both her complex litigation California-specific and federal OSHA experience to represent and advise clients nationwide. Her work is grounded in a proactive approach, counseling clients on high-impact issues such as process safety management (PSM) in chemical and refining operations, retaliation and whistleblower risk, multi-employer liability, and worker classification.

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Amy Walker

Amy Walker brings years of experience from both sides of the aisle, giving her a deep understanding of how OSHA thinks, prioritizes, and acts. For nearly eight years, she advised and defended employers at an international top‑100 law firm. After crossing the aisle, she joined the U.S. Department of Labor as a Senior Trial Attorney, prosecuting OSHA violations for over 17 years. This dual experience gives Amy unparalleled command of the OSHA process. From identifying high‑risk industries to litigating complex, high‑stakes cases involving fatalities at multi‑employer worksites, her background spans both health and safety issues across general industry and construction. 

Amy has trained OSHA compliance officers who conduct workplace inspections—insider knowledge she uses to help employers avoid accidents, navigate inspections with confidence, and mount strong, strategic defenses when citations arise. Amy is a seasoned attorney and expert guide who helps businesses avoid pitfalls, minimize risk, and protect their interests.

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Melanie Campbell

Melanie brings a rare, dual-perspective command of OSHA enforcement—shaped by significant experience on both the insider and defense sides, as well as in-house leadership. With a background spanning complex administrative, civil, and criminal litigation, she has represented employers across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing (automotive, chemical, food and beverage), warehousing, shipyard, transportation, and construction, in both federal OSHA and State Plan matters. Melanie understands how regulators evaluate cases and how employers can effectively respond, defend, and position themselves in high-stakes situations.

Serving as the head of a nationwide OSHA Practice Group at a nationally recognized labor and employment law firm and as a Workplace Health and Safety Director for a Fortune 500 company, Melanie gained firsthand insight into operational risk, workforce management, and safety-driven process improvement. She’s also successfully defended an OSHA State Plan against a federal effort to revoke its independent status. Today, Melanie draws on this breadth of experience to deliver practical, business-aligned guidance, helping employers navigate enforcement, reduce risk, and resolve matters efficiently and effectively.

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Kelly Gilliam

Kelly brings uncommon, first-hand insight into OSHA enforcement from both sides of the table—state regulator and Fortune 500 in-house leader. As former General Counsel to the Kentucky Labor Cabinet’s Department of Workplace Standards (Kentucky OSHA), he led legal strategy for statewide OSHA enforcement, working directly with compliance officers and agency leadership to evaluate hazards, build cases, and determine enforcement priorities. This role gave him a deep, practical understanding of how OSHA actually investigates, cites, and litigates workplace safety issues.

Kelly applied that insider knowledge in-house at one of the world’s largest and most highly scrutinized employers, where he served as Senior Manager of Governance and Regulatory Affairs. There, he partnered with operational and safety leadership to manage OSHA inspections nationwide, respond to enforcement actions, and develop compliance strategies across complex, high-risk industrial operations.

By combining regulatory decision-making experience with real-world operational accountability, Kelly helps employers see OSHA issues the way regulators do—while navigating them the way business leaders must. He advises companies before, during, and after inspections with a clear focus on outcomes, risk management, and aligning safety strategy with long-term business objectives.

Services

OSHA CITATION DEFENSE

  • Represent the company during informal conferences with OSHA.
  • Negotiate and resolve OSHA citations.
  • Appeal Citations
  • Represent at hearings
  • Address abatement issues including failure-to-abate citations.

OSHA INSPECTION

  • Represent company during inspection to ensure all privileges are maintained.
  • Minimize the scope of the inspection and any resulting citations.
  • Draft responses to informal and rapid response complaints.
  • Ensure timely abatement of any noted hazards.

CRITICAL SUPPORT

  • Advise on emergency preparedness and catastrophe response.
  • Provide on-site support and coordination at catastrophic workplace incidents.
  • Negotiate site preservation agreements.
  • Draft policies and procedures for handling the media.

WHISTLEBLOWER INVESTIGATION

  • Respond to OSHA-initiated whistleblower investigations (OSHA enforces 24 different whistleblower statutes).
  • Interview potential witnesses and review documents.
  • Draft responsive documents.
  • Represent at hearings (if applicable)

OTHER SERVICES

  • Facilitate the VPP application process.
  • File comments on standards and regulations proposed by OSHA.
  • Audit training program and records to ensure OSHA compliance.
  • Navigate OSHA’s reporting requirements for accidents and injuries.

Contact ODL

(844) 4EX-OSHA

"Safety isn't expensive. It's priceless"

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