MIAMI – Ford & Harrison, a national labor and employment law firm, is pleased to announce that William R. Radford, Managing Partner of the Miami office, has been named “Mentor of the Year” by the South Florida Regional Black Law Students Association.
On Saturday, April 14, the South Florida Regional Black Law Students Association (BLSA) held its first annual gala where it celebrated outstanding mentors to the University of Miami School of Law, St. Thomas University School of Law and Florida International University College of Law. The BLSA at the University of Miami School of Law selected Mr. Radford as its “Mentor of the Year.”
Mr. Radford began his involvement with the South Florida Regional BLSA in 2005 when he attended a Minority Mentoring Picnic for minority law students. He was so impressed with the group he started hosting “Minority Mentoring Luncheons” for University of Miami Law School’s minority students at Ford & Harrison’s Miami office. He wanted a forum where his mentees could ask open questions. Now, two years later, Mr. Radford meets with students periodically and the firm hosts luncheons twice a year for law students from the University of Miami, St. Thomas and FIU law schools. He has placed three students with jobs, including two placements with Federal Judges. “I want to guide these students in any way I can whether it be through discussions about law, law school, life or just helping them in any way I can,” he humbly says.
Mr. Radford has practiced employment law solely on behalf of management for more than 35 years. He provides counseling to employers on compliance with federal and state employment laws, including preparing internal policies and programs for clients and developing strategies for defense of charges of employment discrimination and their operational impact. He also provides defense and advice to employers covered by the National Labor Relations Act regarding their rights and obligations, and union avoidance programs.
Mr. Radford was recognized by Florida Trend magazine as one of “Florida’s Legal Elite” and was named a Florida Super Lawyer. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and is AV® Peer-Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He received his undergraduate degree, with honors, from Wittenberg University (1963) and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School (1965).