Emily Massey Named a 2026 Triangle Law Awards Winner
April 7, 2026
Triangle Business Journal has named Emily Massey one of 20 winners of the inaugural Triangle Law Awards. The new program recognizes outstanding attorneys across…
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Out of Tune: Trade Secret Theft and Employment Law Case Study
March 31, 2026
Three Ward and Smith attorneys shared practical insights and strategies for responding to the theft of trade secrets, by sharing the example of a…
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The Greatest Hits of Employment Law for In-House Counsel: DEI and Looking Ahead for 2026
March 27, 2026
During Ward and Smith’s annual In-House Counsel Seminar, four attorneys from the firm placed a spotlight on recent topics that are striking a chord…
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The Greatest Hits of Employment Law for In-House Counsel: Immigration and the NLRB
March 20, 2026
During Ward and Smith’s annual In-House Counsel Seminar, four attorneys from the firm placed a spotlight on recent topics that are striking a chord…
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Easier? U.S. Department of Labor Publishes 146-Page Notice with Proposed Regulations to “Make it Easier” to Distinguish Employees from Independent Contractors
March 5, 2026
“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.'” — President Ronald Reagan, August…
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25 Ward and Smith Attorneys Recognized as 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
February 18, 2026
Ward and Smith is pleased to announce that 25 of its attorneys were recognized in the 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars…
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Will Oden to Speak at NCBA’s 2026 Fundamentals of Employment Law Program
February 9, 2026
Labor and employment attorney Will Oden will serve as a panelist at the North Carolina Bar Association’s 2026 Fundamentals of Employment Law Program, taking place February…
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Hands Up: Thrills and Chills of Labor Relations with the NLRB
February 6, 2026
At Ward and Smith’s recent annual Employment Law Symposium, two attorneys from the firm’s labor and employment group, Justin Hill and Hayley Wells, interviewed…
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Coaster Showdown: The Non-Compete Dilemma
January 30, 2026
Three Ward and Smith attorneys provided context on the twists and turns of noncompete agreements by sharing the example of a hypothetical amusement park,…
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Top of the Wheel: A Conversation with North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley
January 23, 2026
At its annual Employment Law Symposium, Ward and Smith, P.A. invited North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley to share how employers can navigate the…
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Speed Circuit: Racing Through Today’s Top Labor Law Topics
January 16, 2026
At the recent Employment Law Symposium held by Ward and Smith, three attorneys from the Labor and Employment Law Group plotted a course through…
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Fast Pass Through the Employer’s Legal Landscape: Lap 2, The State of DEI
January 9, 2026
We continue our series of topics addressed during Ward and Smith’s Employment Law Symposium, focusing on the current state of DEI. X. Lightfoot, a…
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Fast Pass Through the Employer’s Legal Landscape: Lap 1
January 2, 2026
During Ward and Smith’s annual Employment Law Symposium, several firm attorneys provided insightful guidance on recent issues that are top of mind for many…
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Justin Hill and Hayley Wells Earn NC State Bar Board Certification in Employment Law
December 11, 2025
Ward and Smith, P.A. is proud to announce that Justin Hill and Hayley Wells have become Board Certified Specialists in Employment Law by the…
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Preventing Trade Secret Theft: Proactive Strategies for In-House Counsel
May 6, 2025
Ed. Note: This is the last in a series of articles taken from Gavin Parsons’ CLE presentation for the North Carolina Bar Association’s Antitrust…
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Ward and Smith’s Year in Review: Celebrating Excellence, Resilience, and Growth in 2024
December 20, 2024
As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on a year defined by Hurricane Helene, many new faces, and industry recognition for our attorneys.…
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Ward and Smith Ranked by Best Law Firms® in 2025
November 11, 2024
Ward and Smith has been honored in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms®. The firm has made its mark in the legal field by being ranked…
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Legal Showdown Continues: FTC Appeals Court Ruling Against Non-Compete Ban
October 24, 2024
In late August, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) indicated that it likely would appeal the Texas District Court’s ruling, which blocked the FTC’s Non-Compete…
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A Short Refresher On Discrete Legal Issues During Natural Disasters
September 20, 2024
As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In that spirit, what follows are certain pay and leave issues…
Firm News
67 Ward and Smith Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® in America for 2025
August 15, 2024
Ward and Smith is pleased to announce that 67 attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers®. Fifty-four attorneys were chosen for inclusion in…
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11 Ward and Smith Attorneys Honored in the 2024 Benchmark Litigation 40 & Under List
August 9, 2024
Ward and Smith is proud to announce that 11 of its attorneys have been recognized in the prestigious Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under List…
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The Continued Attack on Non-Competes
February 2, 2024
Under California law, it has been the longstanding policy that non-compete restrictions are generally void and unenforceable, subject to narrow exceptions. At the end…
Firm News
36 Ward and Smith Attorneys Honored in Business North Carolina’s 2024 Legal Elite
January 4, 2024
Ward and Smith proudly announced that 36 attorneys have been honored in Business North Carolina’s 2024 Legal Elite. Five legal luminaries stand out as shining…
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Proactive Policies: Navigating Ethical Challenges and Legal Compliance for Employer
November 17, 2023
For employers, ethical issues can shake up every aspect of an organization. Scandals can be detrimental to an organization’s success and its public perception. …
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Ward and Smith Ranked in 2024 “Best Law Firms”
November 2, 2023
Ward and Smith has been ranked in the Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list regionally in 27 practice areas. Firms included in the 2024 “Best Law Firms”…
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Ward and Smith Welcomes Five New Attorneys
October 5, 2023
Ward and Smith is delighted to welcome a dynamic cohort of five attorneys. Representing a breadth of capabilities spread throughout multiple offices, these professionals…
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52 Ward and Smith Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America® for 2024
August 17, 2023
Ward and Smith proudly celebrates an incredible achievement—over half of our esteemed attorneys have gained recognition from one of the nation’s most respected legal…
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Does Your Organization Use Non-Compete, Non-Solicitation, and Nondisclosure Provisions? Employer Best Practices for Restrictive Covenants in NC
December 2, 2022
It is no hidden secret that many employers use various restrictive covenants to protect their trade secrets, confidential information, goodwill, and customer relationships. For…
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Time is of the Essence: A Conversation with the EEOC
November 30, 2022
Participants in Ward and Smith’s Employment Law Symposium received updates on topics important to the EEOC, from jurisdictional issues and governmental agency partnerships to…
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The Roadmap to Successful DEI Initiatives in Organizations
November 18, 2022
Two Ward and Smith attorneys and Luaskya Nonon, the Deputy General Counsel and DEI Task Force Chair for Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, shared insights…
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Boldly Go: A Day in the Life of Human Resources
November 11, 2022
Two Ward and Smith labor and employment attorneys evaluated a real-life scenario many employers face while managing employees in the modern business environment. The…
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Ward and Smith Celebrated in 2023 Edition of Best Law Firms
November 3, 2022
Ward and Smith shines bright in the 2023 edition of “Best Law Firms.” U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® released their annual rankings that recognize…
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Ward and Smith Attorneys Named 2022 Benchmark Litigation Labor and Employment Stars
October 13, 2022
Ken Gray and Will Oden have been named ‘Labor & Employment Stars’ in the 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation Labor & Employment. Ward and…
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Ward and Smith Welcomes Four New Attorneys
October 10, 2022
Ward and Smith is proud to welcome back four familiar faces. Alex Ferri, Dakota Lipscombe, Avery Locklear, and Zach Marks join the firm as…
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Not So Fast: Limits of “Settlement Negotiation” Protections
May 6, 2022
Understanding How and Why “Settlement Negotiations” May Be Used Against You To promote honest and open discussions in resolving disputes, courts have adopted rules…
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Ward and Smith Attorneys Named to 2022 Business North Carolina Legal Elite
January 4, 2022
Business North Carolina has selected several Ward and Smith attorneys for inclusion in its 2022 Legal Elite edition. The annual publication lists the state’s top lawyers…
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Déjà Vu: Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Dissolves Stay of OSHA COVID-19 “Emergency Temporary Standard” for Large Employers
December 20, 2021
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. observed that democracy is messy and hard. The serial legal battle over COVID-19 and what the federal government can and…
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Once More, with Feeling: Fifth Circuit Re-Affirms Stay of ETS and Then Loses Jurisdiction of the Case
November 16, 2021
Litigation usually proceeds at a maddeningly glacial pace. Not this time. The Past The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) well-publicized and controversial Emergency…
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OSHA Issues Long-Awaited COVID-19 “Emergency Temporary Standard”
November 5, 2021
Good (and Not So Good) Things Come to Those Who Wait Yesterday, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) of the U.S. Department of…
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To North Carolina Governmental Employers: Heads-Up – “Unreasonable Employee Discipline” Can Now Get You Sued
October 13, 2021
No good deed goes unpunished. Little did City of Durham Police Sergeant Michael Mole’ know, in his first crack at negotiating on his own…
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Busy as a Bee: LARPing a day in the life of HR
October 6, 2021
Three Ward and Smith labor and employment attorneys walked through a series of challenging, real-world scenarios that many employers are facing. The webinar, part…
Firm News
Ward and Smith and 3 Attorneys Recognized by Benchmark Litigation Labor & Employment 2021
September 23, 2021
Benchmark Litigation has recognized Ward and Smith and three attorneys in its 2021 Labor & Employment edition. The publication selected Ken Gray, Will Oden, and…
Firm News
Buzzworthy! Ward and Smith Releases 2021 Employment Law Symposium Agenda
March 25, 2021
Ward and Smith has released the agenda for its 2021 Employment Law Symposium on May 7. The half-day virtual event features a trio of sessions…
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Year in Review: Ward and Smith’s Top Articles of 2020
December 30, 2020
Over the past tumultuous year, Ward and Smith attorneys authored more than 190 articles to help our clients stay abreast of ever-changing COVID-19 impacts. That…
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Political Speech in the Workplace (And What – If Anything – To Do About It)
October 21, 2020
Politics could hardly be more conspicuous these days. A monumental presidential election looms on the horizon, and it seems that everyone has an opinion.…
Firm News
Media Mention: X. Lightfoot and Devon Williams Featured in Business North Carolina
August 18, 2020
The August issue of Business North Carolina has valuable information for employers from labor and employment attorneys X. Lightfoot and Devon Williams. They wrote an…
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An Employee Cannot be Fired, or Otherwise Discriminated Against, for Being Gay or Transgender
June 15, 2020
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) decided in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia that the protections of Title VII of the…
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Enhanced Unemployment Assistance Under the CARES Act
March 27, 2020
As the pandemic rages on, the number of North Carolina workers applying for unemployment benefits is staggering. Between March 16, 2020 and the end…
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“Hold On, Help Is on the Way:” U.S. Senate Passes Second COVID-19 Relief Bill
March 19, 2020
On March 18, 2020, the United States Senate passed a second round of relief legislation as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, this time…
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What the EEOC Wants You to Know About the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and COVID-19
March 19, 2020
On March 18, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) published its “Q&A About the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and COVID-19.” The Q&A confirms…
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Reminder to North Carolina Employers: Take Time to Thoughtfully Craft Your Restrictive Covenants!
October 18, 2019
A recent decision of the North Carolina Court of Appeals serves as an important reminder to avoid the temptation to overreach when seeking to…
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Attorneys Provide Updates on Rapidly Changing Aspects of Employment Law
August 16, 2019
Several Ward and Smith attorneys provided updates on some of the fastest-changing areas of employment law during the firm’s 2019 Employment Law Symposium. In…
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NC Attorney General Talks Opioid Epidemic at Employment Law Symposium
July 31, 2019
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein identified opioid abuse and cybersecurity as top challenges businesses face, while also giving attendees at Ward and Smith’s…
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From Facebook to FMLA to Furry Friends—Frequently Asked Questions in Employment Law
May 3, 2019
The questions we receive as labor and employment attorneys vary based on many factors such as organizational changes a business is experiencing, new laws…
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Pray for a Good Harvest, but Keep at Your Plow – And Know Enough Employment Law to Stay Out of the Ditch
March 15, 2019
Employers in agribusiness face the same risks as those in any other business, but perhaps more than most if faced with frequent employee-turnover and…
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In-House-Counsel Seminar Insights: Ethics and Professional Responsibility in the #MeToo Era
February 4, 2019
Ward and Smith employment law attorneys Ken Gray and Emily Massey gave corporate attorneys at the firm’s 2018 In-House Counsel Seminar a refresher in…
Firm News
Media Mention: Will Oden’s Insightful Discussion For Human Resource Professionals
December 13, 2018
One of the keys to success when running a business is having the right people in the right positions. That’s why having a strong…
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How To Avoid Becoming A #MeToo Statistic In 2019
November 30, 2018
A new lawsuit for sexual harassment is filed almost on a daily basis somewhere in the United States. Most of these lawsuits could have…
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Employer Survival Toolkit for Natural Disasters and Inclement Weather
October 26, 2018
One month after North and South Carolina experienced the devastating effects of Hurricane Florence, many people and businesses are still suffering from the aftermath.…
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Oden’s “Top 4” Issues for Employers for 2018 (So Far)
October 12, 2018
What follows are the “Top 4” issues or some variation/combination (in no particular order) that I have discussed with employers so far in 2018.…
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Key 2018 Legal Updates for Employers: Report from Ward and Smith’s 2018 Employment Law Symposium
July 27, 2018
This is the third in a series of articles summarizing key topics addressed at the Ward and Smith, P.A. 2018 Employment Law Symposium held…
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Employment Law Symposium: Preventing and Dealing with Workplace Harassment
July 11, 2018
This is the second in a series of articles summarizing key topics addressed at the Ward and Smith, P.A. 2018 Employment Law Symposium held in Wilmington, North Carolina. …
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Employment Law Symposium Insights: Dealing with Workplace Discrimination
June 13, 2018
This is the first in a series of articles summarizing key topics discussed at Ward and Smith’s 2018 Employment Law Symposium. Recently, Thomas M.…
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Play by the Rules, Especially if They Are Your Rules: NC Supreme Court Creates New Constitutional Claim for Governmental Employees
May 11, 2018
“We hold it to be self-evident that all persons … are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life,…
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Social Hosts Beware: “One More for the Road?” May Be a Bad Idea
December 6, 2017
Everyone was having such a good time, too . . . The company was hosting its annual holiday party. The company had arranged to…
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The EEOC on Pregnancy, Reasonable Accommodation, and Religion
November 20, 2017
Recent Views from the EEOC Charlotte District Office Thomas M. Colclough, Deputy District Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Charlotte District, spoke…
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How to Survive a North Carolina Department of Labor OSH Investigation
March 14, 2017
Introduction Your business may be subject to an investigation by the North Carolina Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Division (“OSH”) at any…
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Pretty Fast for Government Work: United States Department of Labor Files Notice of Appeal of Order Enjoining Enforcement of “Final” Overtime Rule
December 7, 2016
On November 22, 2016, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas granted a momentous preliminary injunction stopping the United States…
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Being Dismissive: The Realities of Having a Lawsuit Dismissed
November 10, 2016
We often hear the phrases “frivolous case” or “thrown out of court,” and, as these sayings imply, we make broad assumptions about the procedural…
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Losing Control: The USDOL’s Latest Independent Contractor Test
May 24, 2016
The use and misuse of independent contractor status has been one of the most talked about issues facing businesses over the past decade. Major…
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Unpaid Interns: Does The Law Actually Require That They Be Paid For Their Work?
July 21, 2015
Do you have students and recent graduates eager to learn about your company and industry just to get a leg up for future employment…
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Fair Labor Standards Act: Narrow Exceptions For Volunteers And Interns
December 18, 2014
How do you react to dedicated employees who love their work so much that they offer to perform extra work “off the clock”? Or,…
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Restrictions on Employees’ Post-Employment Work in North Carolina: The Balancing of Interests
June 25, 2014
The use of “covenants not to compete,” or “non-compete agreements,” which limit former employees from working for a competitor are gaining in popularity and…
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CAUTION! CONSTRUCTION ZONE: A Piece-Rate Compensation System Can Be An Effective Tool For Construction Businesses, But What About Overtime?
October 21, 2013
If your business involves construction, then you may be familiar with the concept of piece‑rate compensation. Under this system, employees are paid based on…
