Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Munsch Hardt), is proud to announce attorneys Sameer Karim and Ben Wheatley recently received board certifications to further their Labor & Employment and Construction practices, respectively.
“The Munsch Hardt culture fosters an environment of learning and professional development,” said Phil Appenzeller, CEO of Munsch Hardt. “Ben and Sameer join an elite group of professionals worldwide who currently are certified in their areas of practice. By going through the rigorous certification process, they will be better equipped to serve their clients and assist attorneys throughout our firm.”
Wheatley, a shareholder in the Construction practice group who was recently elected to serve as Managing Shareholder of the Austin office and on the firm’s Management Committee, was part of the inaugural class of attorneys to receive Board Certification for Construction Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS). He has more than 25 years of experience in complex construction and environmental litigation matters. Wheatley’s practice focuses on negotiating and drafting design and construction contracts, all phases of the construction dispute resolution process, and serves American Arbitration Association’s Roster of Construction Neutral Aribtrators. In addition, he has served as in-house counsel to a large architectural/engineering firm and worked on issues concerning project design and construction in all 50 states, Mexico and South America.
Karim, an attorney in the firm’s Houston office, received Board Certification for Labor & Employment Law from TBLS. He is a member of Munsch Hardt’s the Litigation section and the Labor & Employment special industry group. His practice focuses on all aspects of commercial litigation, with an emphasis in employment law. Additionally, Karim regularly counsels on non-compete agreements, protection of confidential information and trade secrets, development of employee handbooks and policies, and general compliance with state and federal employment laws and regulations.
TBLS Board Certification is a mark of excellence and a distinguishing accomplishment. Board Certified lawyers earn the right to publicly represent themselves as a specialist in a select area of the law. In fact, they are the only attorneys allowed by the State Bar of Texas to do so. This designation sets them apart as being an attorney with the highest, public commitment to excellence in their area of law. With more than 100,000 attorneys licensed to practice in Texas, less than 7.5% are Board Certified.