Skip to Main Content
Overview

Ben advises union and nonunion employers on labor and employment matters, where business goals and workforce needs intersect.

His practice centers on all aspects of labor relations, including collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, and union organizing. He supports employers in negotiations, arbitration, and unfair labor practice and representation case proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). He also counsels employers during union campaigns and advises unionized employers on contract interpretation, grievance administration, and compliance with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), helping them maintain effective labor practices.

In addition to his labor practice, Ben advises on employment aspects of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, with an emphasis on identifying and managing employment-related risk. He assists buyers and sellers with employment due diligence, employee transitions, and the drafting and negotiation of employment agreements in transactions. He has worked as the lead employment associate on corporate transactions ranging from $1 million to more than $1 billion. He also counsels on Minnesota and federal employment laws, as well as matters involving discrimination, wage and hour compliance, leaves and accommodations, reductions in force, and employment agreements.

Ben is known for a practical, client-focused approach. He begins by understanding the core issue and desired outcome, then applies legal analysis tailored to the facts. Clients describe him as approachable, attentive, and pragmatic. He prioritizes clear, workable solutions and creative problem-solving, helping clients achieve the best possible position within legal constraints while keeping business priorities front and center. His approach is grounded in curiosity and persistence in understanding the “why” behind challenges.

Prior to law school, Ben worked in human resources and labor relations at Fortune 50 companies in New York, California, and London. He supported employee relations, labor negotiations, grievance administration, regulatory compliance, and workplace policy development across the entertainment and hospitality industries. Those experiences shaped his practical understanding of the business considerations behind labor and employment decisions and how organizational dynamics influence them.

Industries

Services

Education

  • J.D., University of Minnesota Law School
    • cum laude
    • Minnesota Law Review, Note and Comment Editor
    • National Moot Court, Competition Team, Student Director
  • B.S., Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations
    • Industrial and Labor Relations
    • with honors
    • Meinig Family Cornell National Scholar
    • Meinig Family Excellence in Leadership Award
    • Cornell University Undergraduate Disability Studies Journal, Managing Editor

Admissions

  • Minnesota
  • Oklahoma
Experience
  • Served as second chair of a unit clarification hearing, assisting with hearing strategy, witness outlines, cross-examination preparation, and document review. The hearing resulted in successfully removing approximately one-third of the bargaining unit, which had been included since 1997.
Outside the Office

Ben loves making time for the arts and exploring Minnesota’s bustling restaurant scene. He and his partner are avid theatergoers, maintaining a Minneapolis theater subscription and making an annual trip to New York City to catch the latest Broadway productions.

At home, Ben enjoys quiet evenings with his partner and their two dogs, a standard poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They are normally cooking together in the kitchen or catching up on their favorite shows. He also has a longstanding passion for wine and took a memorable Rhône River trip through France’s renowned wine regions.