Arlene is a partner with Vandeventer Black and concentrates her practice in all areas of Labor & Employment Law.  She advises and represents a variety of organizations and businesses on a broad range of employment issues, including discrimination, wrongful discharge, wage and hour claims, VOSH/OSHA citations, unfair labor practices, grievance arbitration, and covenants not to compete.  She has a strong background in advising employers on preventative measures such as handbooks and policies, legal compliance and union avoidance.  Arlene also has served as a neutral Hearing Officer in public sector employee discharge cases. 

Arlene received her B.A. in Labor Studies from the Pennsylvania State University and her J.D. from the Beasley School of Law, Temple University.

Before attending law school, Arlene worked as a human resources professional for Consolidation Coal Company.  Prior to entering private practice, she served as a staff attorney to the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, and later to the Governor's Budget Office in Pennsylvania.  She began her private law practice in Virginia in 1989.

Arlene has been selected by her peers for "Best Lawyers in America" since 2006, and in 2011 was listed in "Best Lawyers in America" in Management - Employment Law, and Management - Labor Law.  She also has been recognized as one of Virginia Business Magazine's "Legal Elite" and as a "Virginia Super Lawyer" by Thomson Reuters.  In 2016, Arlene became a Fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation.

In addition to representing business clients in court, arbitration, and mediation, Arlene is a frequent speaker before management and civic groups on a wide variety of labor and employment law topics.