Steptoe & Johnson CEO and leadership

Chris Slaughter is the CEO of Steptoe & Johnson. He was elected to the position in 2020, the culmination of a career with the firm spanning more than twenty years. His legal practice is focused on counseling and litigation. He advises clients on labor negotiations, contract administration, and structural changes that impact employment. He represents employers when they are faced with litigation before the National Labor Relations Board, arbitrators, state and federal courts, and agencies. His clients range from Fortune 500 companies to mid-sized businesses in the construction, energy, health care, hospitality, and manufacturing industries.

Throughout his career, Chris has honed his proactive, consensus-based leadership style while holding a number of leadership positions. He is a past managing member of the firm’s Huntington, West Virginia office and was elected to multiple terms on the firm’s executive committee. He serves his community through leadership positions in his church and with organizations dedicated to the arts and economic development.

Chris is named among The Best Lawyers in America® and Chambers USA America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. He is also a fellow of both the West Virginia Bar Foundation and the American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.

Donald Sternfeld is a Chief Information Officer at Steptoe & Johnson and is based in Steptoe & Johnson LLP.

Isidore Okoro is the Chief Information Officer of Steptoe & Johnson. He believes that a robust technology infrastructure, the right people, and streamlined processes are the keys to making a law firm more productive for lawyers, as well as the clients they serve. Isidore, known to always have a smile on his face, has been managing people and directing technology within the professional services industry for more than 20 years. His experience on the business side of technology has earned him a seat at the management table where he adds value and makes the business function of the law firm better - through innovation, strategic investments, and inquisitive dialogue. This is all part of his value-driven IT philosophy.

His experience includes overseeing Knowledge Management initiatives such as client-facing portal technologies, leading internal web services and business intelligence projects, and traditional technology hardware and software upgrades. While Isidore can talk about IT for hours, he prefers to focus on the entrepreneurial side of his role and empower his team to focus on their greatest strengths.

Isidore is a surprising blend of technical expertise and personality, who enjoys lacing up his dancing shoes for Salsa or Tango and a little dash of karaoke in his spare time.

Rick Mackessy currently serves in the dual role of Chief Operating and Financial Officer for the firm. In this position, Rick is responsible for the overall operational and financial management of the firm. Rick originally joined Steptoe & Johnson in 2010 as the firm's Chief Financial Officer and took on the additional operational responsibilities at the end of 2013. He brings to the firm more than 25 years experience in executive-level management positions.

Ryan Daniels is the Chief Marketing Officer of Steptoe & Johnson, where he directs the firm's business development and marketing efforts across the United States.

With more than 20 years of marketing and business development experience, Daniels has a proven track record of driving strategic growth through business development opportunities; client service and relationship programs; and results-oriented marketing and communication plans and campaigns.

Daniels collaborates with firm management to develop and implement strategies that align with firm-wide initiatives including client feedback, client teams, attorney business development training, and expansion and lateral integration. He works with a team of marketing and business development professionals to help attorneys build relationships through client-focused activities.

Dean Olsen is a CIO at steptoe 7 Johnson and CIO at Steptoe & Johnson.