Guest Speakers
Thomas M. Colclough
Director, Field Management Programs
Charlotte District Office of the U.S. Employment Opportunity Commission
Mr. Colclough serves as a principal advisor to the Chair on equal employment opportunity administrative enforcement, outreach, and technical assistance matters. As the Director of the Office of Field Programs (OFP), Mr. Colclough is charged with the responsibility for: managing, coordinating, directing, developing, and recommending policy for the Commission's administrative enforcement programs; developing operational plans and budgets; implementing approved policies, procedures and plans relevant to the statutes, laws, and regulations EEOC enforces; and handling inquiries, conducting investigations and mediations, and negotiating settlements and conciliations on matters filed with the agency. As the OFP Director, he is responsible for the management of the immediate OFP office in Washington DC, as well as four program offices (Hearings, Field Coordination Programs, Field Management Programs, State, Local, and Tribal Programs) and provides oversight and direction to the 53 District, Field, Area, and Local offices.
A native of North Carolina, Thomas attended Saint Augustine’s College in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He earned his master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Thomas is also a graduate of the military’s Command and General Staff College and the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Executive Institute. In 2005, Thomas retired from the North Carolina National Guard after 23 years of service (active, reserve, and guard) at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Labor Commissioner Luke Farley
North Carolina’s 20th Commissioner of Labor
On January 2, 2025, Luke Farley was sworn in as North Carolina’s 20th Commissioner of Labor. At thirty-nine, he is the youngest Labor Commissioner elected in a century and the youngest sitting member of the Council of State. As Labor Commissioner, his mission is to make North Carolina the safest place to work and the best place to do business — truly a place where “the weak grow strong and the strong grow great.”
Before entering public service, Commissioner Farley was an attorney in private practice focusing on workplace safety law. With over fourteen years of experience in the private sector, Commissioner Farley was on the front lines of keeping workers safe and helping small businesses create more and better paying job opportunities. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University School of Law, Commissioner Farley is committed to protecting our workers and their jobs.
Raised in Onslow County, Commissioner Farley now lives in Raleigh with his wife and their three young sons. As the father of three boys, he’s deeply invested in the future of North Carolina and passionate about creating a strong workforce to drive the prosperity of our state
Ward and Smith Speakers
Ken Gray
NC State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law
Ken leads the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group and is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law. His practice experience encompasses various areas of employment-related litigation. He advises clients and litigates cases involving all forms of employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, and breach of employment contracts from small start-up companies to Fortune 500 corporations.
Justin Hill
Labor and Employment Attorney
Justin focuses his practice on labor and employment matters. He works with businesses, employers, and human resources professionals across the state. Additionally, he is a member of the firm's Professional Licensing group and defends licensed professionals before North Carolina's many professional and occupational licensing boards.
Justin is also a member of the firm's Name, Image, and Likeness Practice Group. He is mindful of the changing laws and regulations regarding NIL agreements with college athletes, including issues related to the income provided by businesses to collegiate athletes and the employment status of collegiate athletes.
X. Lightfoot
NC State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law
As a member of the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group and a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law, X. has represented clients across North Carolina in state and federal courts, addressing issues ranging from employment discrimination and harassment to employee discipline and wage and hour matters. His practice includes guiding employers on personnel policies, handbooks, and compliance with various labor laws. X. is well-versed in handling administrative proceedings before agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Labor (DOL), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). His expertise extends to providing legal counsel on workplace discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour issues, making him a sought-after lecturer on these critical topics.
Avery Locklear
Labor and Employment Attorney
Avery is a versatile labor and employment attorney providing support to individuals, human resources professionals, and businesses of all sizes in diverse industries, including the hospitality and restaurant sectors. Her practice encompasses a broad range of employment matters, including providing guidance on non-compete and restrictive covenants, reviewing handbooks and policies, and handling matters related to Title VII and wage and hour laws.
Emily Massey
NC State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law
Emily is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law. Her practice focuses on helping employers navigate complex employment law issues. She has become a trusted advisor to businesses and organizations in facilitating compliance in the rapidly-changing employment landscape, providing counsel at all stages of personnel matters and negotiating resolutions to employee disputes.
Will Oden
NC State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law
Will's practice experience encompasses various areas of employment and workplace-related counseling and civil litigation in both the federal and state courts at the trial and appellate levels. He regularly represents employers and employees before the United States Department of Labor (USDOL), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL), the North Carolina Industrial Commission.
Will is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law and, since 2013, has been certified as a mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. Will also serves as an arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association's (AAA) Employment Law Panel.
Grant Osborne
NC State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law
Grant's practice experience of more than 30 years encompasses a wide range of issues that arise in employment and labor law. As a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law, he provides counsel to clients in the health care, financial, hospitality, construction, business services, employee staffing, and non-profit sectors. Grant represents clients in state and federal courts as well as administrative agencies. He regularly advises employers of all sizes and litigates civil cases regarding all forms of employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, unlawful retaliation, contractual issues, personnel policies and practices, and wage and hour issues.
Gavin Parsons
Litigation Attorney
Gavin Parsons is an experienced attorney representing many clients—from large corporations to local businesses and individuals—in high-stakes civil litigation in state and federal courts, including the North Carolina Business Court. Known for his practical, results-driven style, Gavin employs a strategic approach and creative thinking to deliver solutions clients need in a manner they appreciate.
With a practice centered on both business and intellectual property litigation, Gavin tackles an extensive range of legal issues. He has substantial experience litigating complex commercial disputes and intellectual property matters, including trademark, copyright, patent, and trade secret claims. His work spans issues of unfair trade practices, antitrust violations, breach of contract, land use disputes, and insurance coverage conflicts on behalf of the policyholder.
Genesis Torres
Labor and Employment Attorney
Genesis is a labor and employment attorney devoted to assisting businesses, employers, and human resources professionals navigate the complex tapestry of employment law. She provides clients with comprehensive guidance on compliance with various local, state, and federal regulations, deploying practical and efficient methodologies to address the ongoing challenges of modern-day employment.
Hayley Wells
Labor and Employment Attorney
Hayley's practice primarily focuses on alcoholic beverage law, labor and employment law, and civil litigation. She regularly advises individual and corporate clients in matters of covenants not to compete, employment discrimination, discipline and termination, harassment, wrongful discharge, wage and hour matters, personnel policies and procedures, and preparation of employee handbooks and employment agreements.
Devon Williams
NC State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law
Devon is one of the firm's Co-Managing Directors and a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law. She maintains a robust practice, handling complex labor and employment matters. This includes providing guidance on federal contractor compliance, particularly concerning the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, managing and defending contentious claims of employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, advising employers on disciplinary actions and terminations to limit potential legal risks, and negotiating, drafting, and litigating enforceable restrictive covenants to safeguard clients' interests.
Devon regularly counsels HR executives and C-suite officers, navigating them through the many state and federal requirements for employers with the aim of helping clients avoid costly litigation and improve workplace relations. In addition to offering clients proactive solutions to avoid costly litigation, Devon routinely dives in to handle complex employment litigation matters, including defending FLSA Collective Actions, wage and hour class actions, Medicare Secondary Payer Act claims, discrimination and harassment lawsuits, breach of contract, and other legal matters arising out of the employment or quasi-employment relationship. In matters relating to employee benefits, she concentrates on issues confronting health and welfare benefit plans (such as medical, dental, and other plans) and their sponsors, including the provisions and impact of the Affordable Care Act.