Wilmington Attorney Will Oden elected as a Fellow with the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers

Ward and Smith, P.A. is proud to announce that Will Oden has been elected as a Fellow with the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers (“CLEL”).

An invitation-only organization, the College describes itself as “honoring the leading lawyers nationwide in the practice of Labor and Employment Law. Fellows of the College are recognized as distinguished members of the labor and employment community who promote achievement, advancement and excellence in the practice by setting standards of professionalism and civility, sharing experience and knowledge, and serving as a resource for academia, government, the judiciary and the community at large.”

Attorneys selected for this honor must first be nominated by a Fellow and then undergo a rigorous vetting process concerning their credentials and past representative matters. The College also solicits confidential feedback regarding the nominated lawyer from various opposing counsel with whom the attorney has practiced, and judges in front of whom the attorney has appeared.

Oden is a North Carolina State Bar Board-Certified Specialist in Employment Law and worked with the State Bar and other volunteer attorneys to create the Employment Law specialization. He was also recently elected by his attorney peers in the 6th Judicial District (New Hanover and Pender Counties) to represent the District, beginning a 3-year term in January 2026 as a member of the North Carolina State Bar Council, the entity that regulates the legal profession in North Carolina.

Oden has practiced with Ward and Smith, P.A., for the past 22 years, representing public, closely held, and not-for-profit employers on employment issues and serving as a trusted advisor to those business owners and their families. He also serves as a mediator and arbitrator, as his schedule permits. He currently serves as Ward and Smith’s Wilmington office’s Co-Geographic Team Leader. Oden is also the President of Ward and Smith Business Consulting, LLC, the law firm’s consulting subsidiary, which focuses on serving family-owned and other closely-held businesses.

Oden will be the only Fellow from North Carolina inducted at the organization’s 30th Annual Meeting this November at Union Station in Washington, D.C.