R. Benjamin (Ben) Parker

Ben focuses his practice on a variety of traditional labor and employment issues, helping employers navigate the complexities and challenges of labor law, and labor and employment diligence for mergers and acquisitions.

With respect to traditional labor law, Ben regularly counsels unionized employers on contract interpretation, compliance with the National Labor Relations Act, grievance administration, and strategies for maintaining positive labor relations. Ben prepares employers for hearings before the National Labor Relations Board for both unfair labor practice disputes and representation proceedings.

Ben also regularly supports buyers and sellers on employment-related diligence, strategic employee transfers, and employment agreements for transactions of all sizes and complexities. Within 2025 alone, Ben has advised on labor and employment transactions collectively exceeding $1.2 billion, including reviewing purchase agreements to secure more favorable terms for clients, identifying compliance risks for potential buyers and sellers, and assisting with post-closing considerations to seamlessly transfer employees.

In addition to his traditional labor law and transactional practice, Ben enjoys assisting with counseling services for a range of employment law matters, including discrimination, wage and hour disputes, leave and accommodations (including under the Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and state leave laws), reductions in force and the WARN Act, and employment agreements (including separation agreements and noncompetes).

Prior to law school, Ben worked in human resources and labor relations in Fortune 50 companies in New York, California and London where he helped ensure compliance with U.S. and European regulations, created disability accommodation controls, managed the employee lifecycle, developed diversity, equity and inclusion strategies, assisted with labor arbitrations, conducted grievances and provided support for labor negotiations in the entertainment and hospitality industries. This experience provides Ben with an understanding of the practical realities companies and HR professionals face when handling labor and employment issues.