Three Ward and Smith attorneys—Grant Osborne, Will Oden, and Ken Gray—were featured in the Summer 2025 issue of the North Carolina State Bar Journal for their instrumental roles in creating North Carolina’s new Employment Law Specialization.
The article, “Insights from NC’s Pioneers in Employment Law Certification,” highlights the foundational work of the Employment Law Specialty Committee and includes first-person insights from several committee members. Grant Osborne, who chairs the committee, and Will Oden, who serves as co-vice chair, are among the first attorneys in the state to be certified in employment law by the North Carolina State Bar. Ken Gray, also one of the first board certified employment law specialists, serves on the Advisory Committee and brings decades of experience in employment litigation to the effort.
Each attorney shared perspectives on the value of certification, both for practitioners and the public.
“Few legal fields evolve as quickly as employment law,” said Osborne. “Certification encourages lawyers to stay current and gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency to clients and colleagues alike.”
Will emphasized how specialization supports continued growth:
“My personal certification, along with my committee role, pushes me to continually sharpen my skills and stay at the top of my field.”
For Gray, the certification has made an immediate difference in how he's perceived by others in the legal community:
“I’ve noticed an uptick in credibility with mediators and opposing counsel. Just seeing the specialization in my signature block changes the tone of the conversation.”
The full feature is available in the Summer 2025 edition of the NC State Bar Journal.
The North Carolina State Bar approved the employment law specialization in March 2024, with the initial class of board-certified specialists announced that December. The first cohort to earn the designation through the inaugural beta exam, which followed in 2025 and included three more Ward and Smith attorneys: X. Lightfoot, Emily Massey, and Devon Williams.
