Benjamin W. Bard Attorney At Law

Ben is of counsel in the Firm’s Tampa office handling all matters related to labor and employment law for both public and private sector clients, including businesses, governmental entities, as well as religious and educational institutions. Ben has dedicated his practice to management-side labor and employment law since entering private practice in 2012, representing clients in federal and state court litigation, labor arbitrations, as well as proceedings before administrative agencies. He additionally advises clients on employment policies, internal investigations, and personnel actions. 

Prior to entering private practice, Ben served a two-year term judicial clerkship with the Honorable Francisco A. Besosa, United States District Judge, as well as a one-year term judicial clerkship with Honorable Marcos E. López, United States Magistrate Judge, in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.

• Background

  Ben earned his bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Central Arkansas. He went on to receive his juris doctor, magna cum laude, from Tulane University School of Law. During law school he worked on the Tulane Law Review as an Articles editor, served as a Legal Research and Writing Senior Fellow, and graduated as a member of the Order of the Coif.  Ben is originally from Arkansas and moved to Florida following the completion of his judicial clerkships in Puerto Rico.

• Education
  • University of Central Arkansas, B.A. (summa cum laude, 2005)
  • Tulane University School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude, 2008)

  
  
• Admissions
  • Florida
  • Arkansas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, District of Puerto Rico
• Professional Associations & Memberships
  • The Florida Bar
    • Labor and Employment Section, Member
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
  • East Hillsborough County Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association
• Awards & Recognitions
  • Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star
    • Labor and Employment Law, 2018-2020
• Languages
  • Spanish
• Civic
  • Lecturer, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University of South Florida
  • Benchmarks: Raising the Bar for Civics Education

  
  
• Articles & Publications
  • Author, “NLRB Restores Previous Standard for Establishing Section 7 ‘Concerted Activity’ under the NLRA,” The Checkoff, The Florida Bar Labor & Employment Section, April 2019