Denise Keyser was recently named practice leader for the labor and employment group at Ballard Spahr, which encompasses 32 lawyers in 10 offices. She has more than 30 years of experience representing employers in a variety of industries, from health care and education to chemical manufacturing, food production and distribution, and public safety. During the pandemic, Keyser and her colleagues have been coping with a surge in coronavirus-related employment litigation, including suits protesting employer vaccine mandates and disputes related to employers refusing to permit or extend remote work arrangements. Working from the firm's Mount Laurel office, she expects the coming year will see more employers focus on heading off litigation with projects such as revising potentially overbroad restrictive covenants and adding internal complaint policies.