Anna M. Dailey

Biography

Anna has strong and broad experience in both traditional labor matters and a variety of employment matters facing companies. She listens to her clients’ goals and quickly becomes a trusted partner who can solve problems with workable and cost-effective solutions. A variety of industries including energy, manufacturing, and health care have a long history of turning to Anna to help them protect their assets and reputation while navigating through challenges and managing risk.

Steering clients through a multitude of issues is her greatest priority, whether advising management during union organizing campaigns; providing supervisory training; handling or advising on collective bargaining negotiations; and if needed, assistance in preparing for strikes and litigation associated with strikes. She has negotiated contracts with the UMWA, USW, Teamsters, Operating Engineers, UFCWU, and the SEIU.

Knowing each company has different objectives and problem solving processes, Anna adapts her strategy to fit the circumstances. With a unique mix of business savvy and legal acumen, she is capable of stepping into almost any human resource issue at any point to guide clients while maintaining the requisite level of discretion. In addition to traditional labor law, she advises clients on a number of state and federal employment laws, including non-competes, employment agreements, conducting internal investigations, providing training, and avoiding wrongful discharge and discrimination claims. Anna also has represented clients in the coal industry in whistleblower claims relating to safety violations under MSHA.

When litigation becomes necessary, Anna brings a wealth of experience in state and federal courts, where she has tried a variety of labor cases before the NLRB and employment cases to juries. She has successfully defended clients in cases of alleged discrimination and non-compete matters, working with her clients to provide efficient counsel that meets their goals. She has also won two multi-million dollar jury verdicts against unions for business interruptions and violent picketing activity.

Anna’s understanding of management issues and business drivers led to her being elected for six years to Dinsmore’s Board of Directors and to serve as a member of its Executive Committee. She was also appointed by the firm’s managing partner to lead its Charleston, W.V. office for several years. Given her experience on various Boards of Directors, Anna has taken a number of Board of Directors Programs and recently became ESG Certified through Diligent's Institute for Climate Leadership.

Anna was appointed by West Virginia’s governor in 2020 to serve as one of five members of the West Virginia Industrial Council, which is charged with overseeing the worker compensation insurance market in the state. She was elected Chair of the Industrial Council in 2022.

Education

  • West Virginia University College of Law  (J.D., 1979)
  • Vanderbilt University  (B.A., 1975)

Bar Admissions

  • West Virginia
  • District of Columbia

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Affiliations/Memberships

  • West Virginia Chamber of Commerce
    • Executive Committee (4 years)
    • Board of Directors (7 years)
    • Civil Justice Committee, chair (2019-2023)
    • Human Resources Committee, past chair (2016-2019)
  • Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD), National Board of Directors (2020- present)
    • Nominated Chair of Governance Committee (2022)
    • Executive Committee (2022)
  • Leadership West Virginia, past Board of Directors, past Board Chair
  • Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia, Labor & Employment Committee, first chair
  • Eastern Mineral Law Foundation, former trustee
  • Kanawha County Parks Commission
    • Past commissioner (12 years) 
    • Past Parks Commission president (6 years)

Distinctions

  • ESG Certification, Diligent Institute's Climate Leadership
  • Who's Who in West Virginia Business Award - WV State Journal (2013)
  • Chambers USA®: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Labor & Employment
  • West Virginia Super Lawyers® 
    • Employment & Labor (2021)
  • Peer Review Rated AV in Martindale-Hubbell, Top Rated Lawyer in Health Care (2016)
  • Dinsmore Mentor of the Year (2013)
  • Best Lawyers®
    • Lawyer of the Year in Natural Resources Law in Charleston (2023)
    • "Lawyer of the Year" in Charleston for Labor Law - Management (2015, 2017)
    • "Lawyer of the Year" In Charleston for Employment Law (2016)
    • "Lawyer of the Year" in Charleston for Employment Law - Management (2018)
    • Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Mining and Natural Resource Law (2021-2024)

Certifications

  • FMCS – Five Day Becoming a Labor Arbitrator Course (2021)
  • Diligent Institute’s Climate Leadership and (ESG) Certification (2022)