Effective December 6, 2024, Ward and Smith attorneys Grant Osborne, Will Oden, and Ken Gray are now recognized by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as three of only the first twelve ever board-certified specialists in Employment Law in the State of North Carolina.
This inaugural group of board certified employment law specialists also includes Phil Gibbons, Joseph Austin, Kevin Murphy, Nicole Patino, Mimi Soule, Denise Cline, Kelly Hughes, Andrew McVey, and Laura Wetsch.
Grant Osborne, Will Oden, and Ken Gray were also instrumental in creating the new Employment Law specialization program, a process that took over a year of dedication and collaboration with other experienced employment attorneys across the State. The Employment Law Specialty Committee was charged with developing and now administering the Employment Law specialization program. Grant Osborne, Chair of the Employment Law Specialty Committee, worked alongside Co-Chairs Will Oden and Phil Gibbons, with Ken Gray also contributing as an Advisory Committee member.
The Employment Law specialization recognizes attorneys with experience and knowledge in federal and state employment law. Certification requires candidates to meet objective education and experience qualifications and pass a comprehensive exam.
