Ben Widener

Senior Director, Employment Law @Kyowa Kirin, Inc.- U.S.

Princeton, NJ, US

As Senior Director, Labor & Employment Law at Kyowa Kirin North America, I provide legal advice on a broad range of employment law, labor relations and benefits issues, and I am responsible for ensuring appropriate policy and operational compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws across all fifty states, including hubs in New Jersey, California and North Carolina. In this role, I help develop strategy with senior leadership on company-wide initiatives that impact Kyowa Kirin\'s workforce. I stay current on laws, regulations and enforcement activities governing the activities of employees in the life science and pharmaceutical industry.I support Human Resources and the business of Kyowa Kirin on all employment law issues, such as workplace investigations, restructurings, and the implementation & delivery of stakeholder training programs. I also provide legal support related to employee total rewards & benefits and executive compensation, including the drafting, negotiation and implementation of employment and severance/separation agreements, equity and equity-based compensation arrangements, and all types of incentive and deferred compensation arrangements. I draft, provide advice on, and negotiate employment-related documents, including contractor agreements, offer letters, nondisclosure and protective covenant agreements, and company policies and procedures. I lead employment law-related projects, including internal (FLSA and pay equity) audits and process reviews. I also assist in mergers and acquisitions and post-acquisition work, including the evaluation of employment issues related to proposed business integration and drafting appropriate employment provisions in related agreements.As a former litigator and trial attorney, I either independently handle or manage outside counsel, as appropriate, all employee-related pre-litigation and litigation matters, including administrative agency proceedings, mediations, arbitrations and lawsuits.

The Ohio State University

Bachelor's Degree, Political Science and Spanish

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

JD