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Ben chose to practice law to bring justice to those harmed by the wrongful acts of others. Fueled by his commitment to helping others, Ben has developed a diverse civil litigation practice focusing on personal injury, workers' compensation, and employment law. Through this diverse practice, he has represented clients on a range of issues, including claims of race, sex, disability, pregnancy, sexual harassment, and genetic discrimination in the workplace. He has also represented whistleblowers, clients under the False Claims Act, and clients with retaliation claims under state and federal law. He has also represented state and local government employees subject to the State Human Resources Act (SHRA).

Ben is a 2018 graduate of the North Carolina Bar Association Leadership Academy, the 2022 president of the Forsyth County Bar Association-Young Lawyers' Division, and a 2023 North Carolina Advocates for Justice NEXT Leadership Program class graduate.

With extensive experience in Civil Litigation and Employment Law, Ben Winikoff also brings the unique experience of having served in the US Army Reserves as a JAG Officer.
 

Betsy Rader is the District Director of the EEOC's Charlotte District, which includes six offices in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Prior to joining the EEOC in 2023, Ms. Rader was Regional Director of the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S.  Department of Education.  She also served as Senior Counsel for a non-profit healthcare system, the largest employer in Ohio.  Her prior experience includes representing workers and consulting for companies in her own employment law firm, running a government agency advocating for abused children, and conducting business and employment litigation at an international law firm.
She graduated from Yale Law School in 1986 after receiving a B.A. summa cum laude in Classics from The Ohio Sate University.  Following law school, she was judicial clerk for a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Her volunteer work has included serving as Vice-President of the Board for the Cleveland Legal Aid Society, serving on the Board of the Ohio Employment Lawyers Association, and service as President of the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel.
 

Caleb Holloway understands that clients need to weigh their options and risks quickly and without legal jargon. A simple answer to a complex question. A creative solution to a confounding situation. A calming demeanor in a stressful moment. Caleb is a reliable resource for these and more when confronted with human resources and employment law concerns, whether the goal is to avoid litigation or resolve it. 

Caleb also advises on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility matters, helping clients to calibrate and implement strategies to achieve their DEI/IDEA goals from compliance to corporate social responsibility.  

Caleb draws upon his years of experience as associate general counsel for Advocate Health where he served as the primary attorney adviser to senior executives and the human resources department on labor and employment issues for the Atrium Health brand. Caleb most recently served as Advocate Health's vice president for teammate relations and executive services. He also has an employment litigation background from several years in private practice prior to his in-house roles. 

Education:

Wake Forest University, J.D., 2016; Editorial Board Member, Journal of Business & Intellectual Property Law 

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, B.S., magna cum laude, 2012

Honors & Awards

·       The Best Lawyers in America, One to Watch, health care, labor and employment law - management, litigation - labor and employment, 2026

·       North Carolina Super Lawyers, Rising Star, employment and labor, 2025

·       North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, Excellence in Law Awards, Phenom, 2025

·       Mecklenburg County Bar, Julius Chambers Diversity Champion Award, 2023

Professional Affiliations

·       Mecklenburg Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2023-present; Labor & Employment Section, Chair, 2025-26; Vice Chair, 2024-25; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, 2021-24; Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship Subcommittee, Co-Chair, 2021-23

·       North Carolina Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division Wellness Committee, Co-Chair, 2024-25; Legal Feeding Frenzy Committee, Co-Chair, 2018-19

·       American Health Law Association, Member

Community Affiliations

·       Brave Step, Board of Directors, 2019-24; Past President, 2020-22

Honors & Awards

·       The Best Lawyers in America, One to Watch, health care, labor and employment law - management, litigation - labor and employment, 2026

·       North Carolina Super Lawyers, Rising Star, employment and labor, 2025

·       North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, Excellence in Law Awards, Phenom, 2025

·       Mecklenburg County Bar, Julius Chambers Diversity Champion Award, 2023

Chan is a trial lawyer regularly handling employment, contract, corporate, and immigration matters in Georgia, South Carolina, and Washington D.C.  Prior to embarking on his career as an attorney, Chan served in the Foreign Service as Press Advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul—where he earned the U.S. Department of State’s Employee of the Year Award—and worked as a communications specialist for Samsung, a South Korea-based global conglomerate. He has also worked as a fashion designer, as a wine consultant, as an interpreter/translator, and as a tour guide in Western Europe.

Chan earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he served as the Special Projects Editor of the South Carolina Journal of International Law & Business (SCJILB) and worked as a research assistant for Prof. Marie C. Boyd.  

Chan has actively participated in the South Carolina Bar’s Public Programs, including lecturing in multiple Law School for Non-Lawyers (LSNL) sessions and speaking for the Law Talk program.

Daniel assists multinational corporate clients with their complex U.S. immigration needs, including nonimmigrant visas, permanent residence, and compliance issues. Daniel has experience advising both small and large corporations across a range of industries including technology, finance, e-commerce and transportation. Daniel's areas of focus include H-1B, L-1, E-3, & TN nonimmigrant visas, as well as PERM and EB-1 immigrant petitions, and Adjustment of Status applications.  

David Dubberly is an employment and labor lawyer with Maynard Nexsen in Columbia, S.C.  He is certified by the S.C. Supreme Court as a Specialist in Employment and Labor Law and represents companies in trade secrets, non-compete, whistleblower, discrimination and harassment, OSHA, wage and hour, and other cases. 

David is a former chair of the following:

·       S.C. Supreme Court Employment and Labor Law Specialization Advisory Board;

·       S.C. Bar Employment and Labor Law Section;

·       S.C. Bar International Law Committee;

·       ABA Section of International Law Committee on International Employment Law; and

·       ABA Section of International Law Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.   

He is a current or former member of the boards of the following:

·       Midlands Technical College Foundation;

·       S.C. Chamber of Commerce; and

·       Columbia Urban League. 

David grew up in Uruguay and is fluent in Spanish.  He graduated from Bob Jones University and the University of South Carolina School of Law, and he served as law clerk to the Honorable Curtis G. Shaw of the S.C. Court of Appeals.

Desirae C. Thomas represents clients in all aspects of labor and employment law. Desirae's services range from advising on everyday employment needs to offering in-depth analysis and strategic guidance for litigation, as well as representing clients in legal matters.
Desirae is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Law.
 

Florence Thompson is an associate in the Charlotte, North Carolina, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Her practice focuses on representing employers in a wide variety of workplace law matters, including preventive advice and counseling.
Florence represents employers in a broad range of employment-related disputes and litigation in state and federal court, including claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and North Carolina's Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act. Florence cares about each client and their outcomes. With experience both in litigating and advising, Florence seeks to provide her clients in-depth and comprehensive advice.
Florence attended the University of Virginia for her undergraduate degree and went to law school at the University of Alabama School of Law (Roll Tide!). Florence is licensed to practice in North Carolina and South Carolina and is a member of the Young Black Lawyers of Charlotte.
 

Paul Porter is a employee-side employment law and business litigation lawyer at Cromer, Babb, Porter & Hicks, LLC in Columbia, South Carolina. Paul is from Greenville, South Carolina. He went to college at Presbyterian College (go Blue Hose!) and law school at the University of South

Carolina. He is the current chair of the employment law section of the South Carolina Association of Justice. Paul was awarded the young lawyer award by ABOTA in 2016 in recognition of his aptitude as a young trial lawyer and he has been honored as legal elite in employment law and business litigation for both Columbia and Greenville several times. Paul is a certified specialist in South Carolina Employment and Labor Law. Paul became a fellow of the American Bar Foundation in 2024. He's a "super lawyer" and also a super good guy. Paul lives in Columbia with his wife Ashley and dog Snoopy. He loves practicing law, but would rather be skiing, working out, or drinking a cold beer in the warm sun.

Jimmy Byars is the Director, Labor & Employment at USAA, where he manages USAA's Employment litigation nationwide and provides daily advice and counsel to HR on Employee Relations, Leaves & Accommodations, Compensation, Payroll, and other labor and employment matters involving USAA's 38,000+ employees nationwide.

Jimmy is a graduate of The Citadel and Wake Forest School of Law.  Prior to joining USAA in 2022, Jimmy was a partner at Nexsen Pruet in Columbia, where he practiced labor & employment for 12 years and served as the former Chair of the Employment Law Section of the South Carolina Bar.  He now works remotely for USAA from Columbia, where he resides with his wife and three children.
 

Jeffrey Hirsch is the Geneva Yeargan Rand Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law.  Professor Hirsch’s research and teaching focuses primarily on labor and employment law. He received his J.D. degree from New York University in and, following graduation, was a judicial clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Ninth Circuit.  Professor Hirsch then worked for four years in the Appellate Court Branch of the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C. before moving to the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he taught for seven years before moving to UNC.

Jennifer Harling currently serves as the Chief Labor Relations Officer for Montogomery County Government in Maryland. 

She is responsible for establishing and implementing labor and employee relations policy for the County’s workforce of 

10,000 employees across multiple bargaining units. Prior to joining Montgomery County Government, Jennifer served as 

Assistant Counsel for Negotiations with the National Treasury Employees Union where she negotiated national collective 

bargaining agreements with federal agencies including the IRS, HHS and NRC. Before becoming a national negotiator, 

Jennifer worked as an Attorney Advisor at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where she was an active steward and 

elected Secretary of AFGE Local 17 and served as a District 14 representative. Jennifer is a graduate of the Charleston 

School of Law (2008) and the University of Tennessee (2002). She is an active member of the Mecklenburg County Bar 

Association.

Keisha Murray (planner) is an attorney at O'Hagan Meyer, LLP in Charlotte, NC, in the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group. She advises companies of all sizes on workplace issues, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful discharge, wage and hour disputes, and employee leave laws. Keisha has represented clients in federal and state courts, before administrative agencies, and in mediation. She is licensed in both North and South Carolina.

Keisha earned her B.A. from the College of Charleston and her J.D. from the Charleston School of Law. Keisha also clerked in South Carolina's Fifth Judicial Circuit for the Honorable Alison Renee Lee. Bolstering her experience in employment law, she earned an Employment Law Certificate from Cornell University, demonstrating her commitment to excellence in the field.

Keisha is active in the legal community and serves on the Mecklenburg Bar Association Board of Directors, the Mecklenburg Bar Association DE&I Committee, and as Co-Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association Labor & Employment Law CLE Committee. Outside of work, you can find Keisha serving her community through volunteering with her beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.  

Click here for more information about Keisha. 
 

Matt is an experienced litigator in Greenville, South Carolina representing individuals and businesses in labor and employment law disputes. Matt has tried dozens of jury trials across South Carolina and litigates in state and federal courts.

Matt handles cases involving workplace discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, and unpaid wages and commissions. Matt represents individuals and companies in non-competition and trade secrets cases. Additionally, Matt negotiates employment contracts and severance agreements on behalf of his clients. Matt advises small businesses and start-ups on contract and human resource issues.

Matt regularly represents individuals and businesses in complex civil litigation ranging from insurance disputes to large multi-plaintiff tort actions.

Since 2021, Matt has been included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for outstanding professional excellence in private practice. Matt is regularly featured on television including being featured on Inside Edition, WYFF4, Fox Carolina, and Snapped on the Oxygen network.

Prior to founding Grove Ozment, Matt was a litigator in the Greenville office of Jackson Lewis P.C., an Am Law 100 law firm. Additionally, Matt served as a judicial clerk to United States Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker in the District of South Carolina and for Judge William H. Seals, Jr. in the South Carolina Circuit Court.

Matt graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law where he served on the editorial staff of the American Bar Association Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal. Prior to law school, Matt attended the University of Georgia, graduating Cum Laude with Honors in 2007.

Matt and his wife Whitney have three daughters along with three dogs and three horses. They are members of Village Anglican Church. Matt enjoys anything outside, golf, and Georgia Bulldog football.

Mike Carrouth is a partner in the Columbia office. He is certified as a Specialist in Labor Law by the South Carolina Supreme Court. Mike has represented clients in successfully responding to union organizing efforts in 30 states. This work includes successfully defending against multi-site and multi-state national organizing blitzes and card-check/neutrality campaigns. Mike also has represented clients in numerous litigation matters, including jury trials, involving Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Title VII, breach of employment contract, and non-compete enforcement. He practices before state and federal courts, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and state and federal administrative agencies in the areas of union-related matters, employment litigation, discrimination cases, non-compete agreements, and wrongful discharge cases.

Mike is a frequent speaker at seminars on labor and employment and litigation matters. He has written several articles, including "The Impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 on Employment Litigation" and "What the General Practitioner Should Know About Employer Liabilities in Conducting Job Interviews."

Mike is “AV” Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected for inclusion in South Carolina Super Lawyers since 2008. He has been listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Business Lawyers since 2005 and in The Best Lawyers in America since 2007.

He was selected by his peers to be one of Greater Columbia Business Monthly's Legal Elite in 2011 and 2013.

Nancy Zisk is a Professor of Law at Charleston School of Law. She earned her bachelor's degree and law degree from Duke University.  Formerly in private practice with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, and Ross, Dixon & Bell, both in Washington, D.C., she began teaching at the Charleston School of Law in 2004 where she has taught Employment Discrimination, Torts and Remedies. She speaks and publishes in the areas of bioethics in health care, employment
discrimination, equal pay, and the issues of race and gender in the workplace and college and graduate school education. Professor Zisk is a member of the bar in the District of Columbia and Virginia.

As the founder and lead counsel of Harling Immigration Law, Nick Harling has practiced U.S. immigration law exclusively for the past 17 years.

Nick began his career with the U.S. Department of Justice through the Attorney General’s Honors Program, where he spent more than a decade litigating immigration cases in the U.S. courts of appeals as an attorney within DOJ’s Office of Immigration Litigation.

Now in private practice, Nick advises a broad range of clients—including corporations, universities, nonprofits, and individuals—on employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, immigration compliance counseling, and litigation before federal courts.

He earned his undergraduate degree with honors in Political Science from Davidson College and graduated magna cum laude from Charleston School of Law. He is licensed to practice in North Carolina, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia.

Nick is an active member of the Mecklenburg County Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and he regularly presents on immigration law topics for CLE programs, universities, and civic organizations.

Nicole is a 2022 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, where she graduated with honors. In law school, Nicole served as the President of the Pro Bono Board, as a Senior Articles Editor on the South Carolina Journal of International Law and Business, and as a member of the John Belton O'Neall Inn of Court. In law school, Nicole was the recipient of the Hugh L. Willcox Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award, the Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award, and the Susan McCrary Award.
In the first few years of her career, Nicole practiced immigration law. Her focus was on complex employment- based NIV/ IV matters, specifically EB-1, L-1, O-1, R-1, EB-2 National Interest Waivers, E-2, E-3, and other areas. Nicole has experience collaborating with a wide range of employers, international business investors, and professionals in specialty occupations.
Nicole currently serves as co-counsel for the University of South Carolina School of Law's Domestic Violence Clinic and as a certified Barre3 Instructor at Barre3 Columbia.

 

Patrick Lawler serves as the executive director and managing counsel of global labor & employment law for Syneos Health, a leading fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization with over 20,000 employees worldwide.  Patrick manages labor and employment law matters, including litigation and counseling, for numerous business units and subsidiaries in the US and across the globe.  Prior to joining Syneos Health in 2021, Patrick spent six years practicing management-side employment law with Ogletree Deakins and Smith Anderson in Raleigh, NC.  Patrick is a native North Carolinian, and attended undergrad (BA, 2009) and law school (JD, 2014) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He currently resides in Raleigh with his wife, three year old daughter, and eight month old son.   

Samantha Albrecht is an attorney in the Lovely Law Firm’s Goose Creek, South Carolina office. Her passion for justice and commitment to her clients drive her career, making her an invaluable asset to our team. 

With a focus on employment law, Samantha tackles a wide range of issues, including workplace discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, defamation, and more. She also extends her advocacy to civil rights law, frequently taking on Title VII discrimination cases against both public and private employers. Samantha’s work in education law has included representing individuals in cases against colleges and public schools, emphasizing her commitment to ensuring fair and equitable educational environments.

Samantha is a fierce litigator with an unrelenting determination to hold individuals, businesses, and public agencies accountable for their actions. Her dedication to her clients and the pursuit of justice is a testament to her passion for upholding the principles of equality and fairness in the legal arena. 

Before joining The Lovely Law Firm, Samantha spent seven years practicing employment and education law in Columbia, South Carolina. She graduated cum laude from Northern Illinois University College of Law. 

Samantha is admitted to the bar in South Carolina, North Carolina, and New York, enabling her to extend her legal advocacy across multiple jurisdictions and provide comprehensive support to clients in need. Her diverse background, dedication to her practice, and fervent belief in the power of the law to effect positive change make her a dynamic and valuable advocate.

Beyond her legal pursuits, Samantha’s altruistic spirit shines through her volunteer efforts, whether building schools or combating chemical waste contamination in Nicaragua— Samantha’s volunteer and professional work are an embodiment of her profound commitment to serving others. 

Professional Associations

• South Carolina Bar
  -Young Lawyers Division
• American Bar Association
• Richland County Bar Association
• South Carolina Women Lawyers Association
• South Carolina Association for Justice
• American Association for Justice 

Awards & Honors

• “Legal Elite of the Midlands,” by Columbia Business Monthly in Education and Labor and Employment, 2020 to present
• “Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch,” Labor and Employment Law – Employee, 2024
• South Carolina Young Lawyers Division Star of the Quarter 2018

Judge Shiva V. Hodges has served as a United States Magistrate Judge since 2010, where she has presided over bench and jury trials while managing employment discrimination and other civil cases, social security appeals, habeas corpus petitions, prisoner civil rights actions, and criminal matters. She handles mediations at the request of District Judges and federal practitioners. Before her appointment, Judge Hodges served as a career law clerk for six years to then-Chief District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., after having worked as a litigator for Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, LLP, involving employment disputes, general civil disputes, and bankruptcy matters in South Carolina and North Carolina. She has authored thousands of opinions and orders since 2010 in federal civil cases and is currently working on a book on Social Security law and practice.

She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of South Carolina's Honors College, a Juris Doctor from the U.S.C. School of Law, and a Master in International Business Studies (Italian track) from the Darla Moore School of Business. She also graduated from Duke Law School, earning a Master of Judicial Studies (LLM).

Judge Hodges enjoys teaching regularly at the Department of Justice's National Advocacy Center. She is President of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association and active in international, national, and local civics and community organizations. Judge Hodges received the Matthew J. Perry Civility Award from the Richland County Bar Association in 2020. She taught Advanced Legal Writing at the USC School of Law from 2013-2016 and is active in legal education and mentoring programs for lawyers and students, including on employment law issues, e-discovery, ethics and social media, implicit bias, and evidentiary pitfalls.

Judge Hodges is married with four boys ages 14, 17, 18, and 20.
 

Stephanie Ramia Sandifer practices primarily with the Clement Rivers, LLP Employment and Labor Law practice group. Stephanie assists both public and private employers in employment matters, including day-to-day employment issues, federal and state litigation, as well as proceedings before administrative agencies such as the EEOC, SC Human Affairs Commission, and the NLRB. 

Stephanie also has experience in representing clients in corporate dispute matters, asset purchase deals, personal injury, premises liability/professional liability matters. Prior to joining Clement Rivers, she served as a Staff Attorney for the South Carolina Supreme Court. In law school, Stephanie was the Research Editor of the Southeastern Environmental Law Journal and served as a representative for the Student Bar Association. 

She also worked for the South Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee and a Columbia law firm. Before law school, she worked for a large international business and litigation law firm in Washington, DC.

Admitted to Practice

South Carolina, 2011
U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, 2014
U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, 2016

Education

University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 2011
Dickinson College, with a B.A. in Political Science, 2006

Memberships and Activities

South Carolina Bar Association
Federal Bar Association, South Carolina Chapter (Board Member 2020 – present)
Charleston County Bar Association
American Bar Association
SC Women Lawyers Association
Junior League of Charleston
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Prior Community Outreach Center & Service Board Member

Publications & Lectures

• Co-Author, “Special Problems Relating To Race Discrimination” Labor and Employment Law for South Carolina Lawyers, Fifth Ed. Volume II, Chapter 22 (2019)
• Co-Author, “Clarifying the Public Policy Exception to At-Will Employment”, SCDTAA’s Defense Line (Vol. 43, No. 1, Spring 2015)
• Co-Author, “What to Expect When Employees are Expecting”, SCDTAA’s Defense Line (Vol. 42, No. 2, Winter 2014)
• “Smart Growth: the Toolbox for Addressing Sprawling Development in Coastal South Carolina,” 19 Southeastern Envtl. L.J. 173 (2010) 

Cullen Stafford is a partner in the Employment and Litigation Groups at Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, located in Raleigh, NC.  Cullen represents management in employment litigation matters involving wage and hour disputes, breach of contract, restrictive covenants, unfair competition, discrimination, harassment, and unfair labor practice charges.  He also represents clients in commercial litigation matters, including such areas as trade secret misappropriation, trademark infringement, construction litigation, and other complex business litigation.  Cullen has represented clients at all stages of litigation in state and federal court and routinely represents clients in proceedings before the N.C. Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and other federal and state agencies.

Prior to joining Wyrick Robbins, Cullen worked at Ford Harrison LLP, a labor and employment firm in Atlanta, Georgia. Cullen graduated cum laude from Emory University School of Law.  Cullen previously served as a Co-Chair of the CLE Committee for the NC Labor and Employment Council.
 

William H. Foster focuses his practice on issues of employment law, human resources, employee benefits and immigration on a local, regional and national basis. He advises and defends employers in employment-related matters, including:

- Discrimination and retaliation under federal and state equal employment opportunity laws
- State common law wrongful discharge
- Non-compete and trade secrets agreements and related litigation
- Employee benefits litigation under ERISA
- Immigration compliance
- Contract disputes
- Corporate investigations and risk management
- Allegations of sexual abuse

Bill's extensive experience includes numerous employment law and employee benefits class actions. He has defended clients in jury and non-jury cases in state and federal courts in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia.

Prior to joining Littler, Bill led the employment practice of a large South Carolina firm. After law school, Bill clerked for the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. Bill is a frequent lecturer for both industry and legal forums. 

With over 30 years of experience, Wood focuses his practice on advising national employers on addressing the employment law challenges of operating in all 50 states. Wood often handles the employment litigation nationwide for these same companies. Wood regularly defends employers in court and arbitration against single plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, and class or collective employment claims of all types, including Title VIII, FLSA, ADEA, ADA FMLA, and state-law wrongful termination claims.
Wood also routinely advises clients on the investigation, discipline, and termination of all levels of employees; wage and hour issues; whistleblower allegations; joint employment and independent contractor issues; restructuring; layoffs, and shutdown of facilities, including advice on the WARN act and severance issues; harassment or discrimination complaints; employee attendance or leave issues under FMLA, ADA, state workers' compensation laws, and ERISA benefit plans; workplace fatalities, OSHA investigations; and employment agreements, including non-competition and confidentiality agreements.
Additionally, Wood has extensive knowledge of ERISA litigation issues. He has advised and defended large employers against ERISA denial of benefit and breach of fiduciary duty claims arising out of pension and welfare benefit claims, including claims involving executive compensation, pension eligibility and calculation issues, and elimination or modification of retiree health care coverage.
Prior to joining the firm, Wood practiced at national and AM Law 100 firms where he held leadership positions. Wood also clerked in the Eastern District of Virginia for the Honorable Walter E. Hoffman.