(February 1, 2023) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has named three new office managing shareholders (OMS) in Birmingham, Cleveland and Fresno, effective January 1, 2023. Charles Powell succeeds Jay St. Clair in Birmingham; Ryan Morley succeeds Bonnie Kristan in Cleveland; and Ryan Eddings succeeds Gary Bethel in Fresno. All outgoing OMSs will continue to maintain their active legal practices and other firm responsibilities.
“Charles, Ryan and Ryan are the ideal candidates to take over the OMS role in their respective markets as they each possess the leadership qualities needed to oversee office operations,” said Erin Webber, Littler’s managing director and president. “On behalf of the firm, I thank Jay, Bonnie and Gary for their numerous contributions and dedicated efforts, as they have been instrumental in the success of their respective offices.”
Charles Powell has represented employers throughout the Southeast against employment discrimination and harassment, non-competition, and wage and hour litigation lawsuits for over three decades. He has a strong record of successfully defending employers against various employment and wage and hour claims. Additionally, Powell offers counseling on compliance with federal and state labor and employment laws to numerous types of employers, ranging from small businesses to publicly held companies. His leadership experience includes serving as a hiring shareholder for the firm’s Birmingham office, and on the boards of the McWane Science Center and Create Birmingham. Powell earned his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, his M.P.A. from the University of Alabama and his B.A. from Vanderbilt University.
Ryan Morley focuses his practice on representing employers in complex and single plaintiff litigation before state and federal courts. Morley’s litigation experience includes defending collective and class actions under state and federal wage and hour laws, prosecuting and defending employers in matters involving alleged race, disability, harassment, age and religious discrimination. He also conducts management and supervisory training. Morley has held several firm leadership positions, including currently serving on Littler’s Shareholder Compensation Committee. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Quinnipiac University School of Law and his B.A. from Miami University.
Ryan Eddings represents management in all aspects of labor and employment law, including collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, harassment, discrimination and retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hours issues. He devotes a substantial amount of his practice to advising clients in all aspects of employment relationships, and regularly appears before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, among others. Eddings is a proven leader who currently serves as a hiring shareholder for the Fresno office. He earned his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.
About Littler
With approximately 1,700 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our diverse global team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow.
