Benjamin E. Thomas

Professional Experience

Ben Thomas was born in Minot, North Dakota, and raised in Ontario, Canada. In 1982, he returned to the United States to attend the University of North Dakota. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, and in 1989 received his Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law. As a law student, Ben studied in Oslo, Norway, as part of the UND law student exchange program.

Ben has been in private practice in Fargo since 1989. He served as President and Managing Partner of Wold Johnson, PC. from 2003 to 2023. His practice is devoted primarily to employment law and civil litigation.

Ben is a frequent lecturer on topics relating to employment law. His audiences typically include lawyers, human resource personnel, managers, and business owners. Ben’s employment law materials have been published by the Council on Education in Management, Lorman Education Services, and Minnesota CLE.

In 2012, Ben was designated by the Minnesota State Bar Association as a Board-Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist. The certified specialist designation is earned by leading attorneys who have completed a rigorous approval process, including an examination in the specialty area, peer review, and documented experience. Certified attorneys have demonstrated superior knowledge, skill, and integrity in their specific field. This achievement has been earned by fewer than 3% of all licensed Minnesota attorneys.

In 2013, Ben completed training as a Certified Arbitrator from the American Arbitration Association.

In 2014, Ben was appointed by the North Dakota Office of the Attorney General to serve as Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of North Dakota.

Ben has been selected as a Great Plains Super Lawyer by SuperLawyers.com each year since 2009. Ben has been selected by his peers for inclusion in each annual edition of The Best Lawyers in America since 2005. Ben was a “Lawyer of the Year” award recipient from The Best Lawyers in America for 2017.

Ben has served as President of the Cass County Bar Association, as Chair of the Inquiry Committee Southeast for the North Dakota Disciplinary Board, and has served on the Board of Directors of the North Dakota Bar Foundation.

Since 1996, Ben has served as a Temporary Administrative Law Judge, presiding over contested workers’ compensation hearings involving North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance.

Ben served as President of the Rose Creek Neighborhood Association from 2006 to 2009. Ben and his wife, Gwen, live in Fargo. When not working, Ben can frequently be found running with one of his three dogs or playing baritone saxophone in two local jazz bands.

Bar Admissions

• North Dakota
• Minnesota
• U.S. District Court – District of North Dakota
• U.S. Court of Appeals – Eighth Circuit
• Special Assistant Attorney General, North Dakota
• Fort Berthold District Court – Licensed Tribal Attorney

Primary Areas of Practice

• Employment Law
• Civil Litigation