Benjamin "Ben" Williams is a litigation Associate in the firm’s Raleigh office. He focuses his practice on labor and employment litigation. Ben regularly represents companies and clients in state and federal court throughout North Carolina, as well as before federal and state administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Labor Relations Board, the US Department of Labor, and North Carolina Department of Labor. He has broad experience representing clients in employment cases involving claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and comparable state statutes. Ben has experiencing representing clients facing allegation of other federal civil rights, including educational institutions, housing providers, and other recipients of federal funds.

In addition to representing employers in court and before administrative agencies, Ben also advises clients about how to comply with state and federal non-discrimination laws, employee benefits laws such as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and federal contractor requirements under the Davis-Beacon Act. Ben also helps employers draft employment agreements, including agreements with non-compete and non-solicitation provisions, that comply with North Carolina law.
 
As a member of the Franchise Law practice group, Ben also regularly represents franchisors in commercial disputes, breach of contract actions, and prosecution of royalty claims against franchisees (including securing restraining orders and preliminary injunctive relief). Ben is fluent in Spanish and a member of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Legislative Committee. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law where he served as an Editor on the North Carolina Journal of International Law and a member of the Holderness Moot Court team. 

Admissions

• North Carolina
• U.S. District Court, Middle and Eastern Districts of North Carolina
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit