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_________________________________________________________________ Carla Castello | DICK’ S Sporting Goods
Babst Calland _____________________________________________________
As Mark D. Shepard, Management Committee member and General Counsel of Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir, P. C. observes:
Carla’ s preparation, commitment and collegiality made her a valued member of our Litigation Group at the Firm and an attorney who delivered consistently excellent service and results to our clients. In her new role at Dick’ s, I am confident that Carla will bring those same qualities to the Litigation Team at Dick’ s and provide the leadership and skill to guide Dick’ s through an ever increasing and complex litigation environment. We applaud Carla for her accomplishments and the incredible person and professional that she has become.

Our teammates, our culture, and how we serve our athletes are at the heart of everything we do

combined litigation risks and operational challenges across all banners. The integration makes it necessary for her to track recurring litigation themes across jurisdictions, adapt strategies to local regulatory differences, and address new complexities arising from a broader geographic and operational scope.
Integration made clear responsibility and coordination even more important. Carla now helps leadership navigate disputes across the enterprise, addressing new operational challenges that come from bringing organizations together. Across all of it, her job is to be a trusted partner to the business when complex matters need clear thinking.“ We make decisions with the whole company in mind,” she notes.“ You own what those decisions mean over time- for the business, for our teammates, and for the athletes we serve.”
Learning business first
When she first joined DICK’ S, Carla was supporting the business as employment counsel, working closely with teams across stores, distribution centers, tech offices, and the main headquarters. That exposure gave her context, and a deep understanding of how the business operated.“ I learned who we are as a retail organization. Our teammates, our culture, and how we serve our athletes are at the heart of everything we do,” she recalls.
That foundation shapes how she leads in litigation. Carla recognizes that legal issues reach teams far beyond the courtroom.“ Building a strong foundation lets you move faster and make better decisions when things get complicated,” she points out.
A business approach to law
Carla’ s ability to handle a wide range of different subjects comes from her education and early career. Carla studied economics, philosophy, and law, all of which shaped how she evaluates risk and logic.“ Economics teaches you to assess trade-offs and act
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