Education

• Charleston School of Law JD 2009
• College of William and Mary BS 1991

Biography

Ben comes to the Maurer School of Law’s Family Office Program after years as a litigator, mediator, negotiator, and adjunct professor in Charleston, South Carolina. He previously designed and taught innovative curricula in legal skills, integrating behavioral economics, game theory, and complexity science. He also served as a coach of the Charleston School of Law’s award-winning Transactional Law Team.

A recipient of the South Carolina Bar’s 2024 Cotton Harness Peace Award for outstanding contributions to dispute resolution, Ben has mediated hundreds of cases and litigated dozens to verdict, with work spanning business, employment, and personal injury matters. His teaching emphasizes interdisciplinary strategy, communication, and systems thinking to prepare students for complex legal and organizational environments.

Ben’s continuing research explores the intersection of complex adaptive systems and legal skills. He has presented continuing legal education seminars and professional workshops on strategic communication, mediation, and operational effectiveness in law practice.

Beyond academia, Ben has led pro bono mediation initiatives to reduce community violence and improve police–citizen relations, and has served on boards supporting youth mentorship, literacy, and conflict resolution. A former broadcast meteorologist and journalist, he brings a unique and broad perspective to his teaching, and to connecting students, Family Offices, and law firms.

Ben earned his J.D. from the Charleston School of Law, his B.S. from the College of William & Mary, and a Certificate of Geosciences from Mississippi State University.