Benjamin F. (Ben) Wilson, Beveridge & Diamond’s Chairman, has announced he will retire from the practice of law and the firm effective January 1, 2022. Kathryn E. (Kathy) Szmuszkovicz will continue her leadership role as B&D’s Firmwide Managing Principal. “It has been a true privilege to partner with Ben on behalf of the firm, our clients and our colleagues who mean so much to both of us. All of us at B&D will miss the passion Ben brings to our work every day. His legacy through the colleagues he has mentored and his extraordinary service to the profession and to client service will endure for many years to come,” said Szmuszkovicz.

Wilson’s announcement caps a remarkable career that spanned more than 40 years – most of them spent at B&D where he joined and became the firm’s first minority principal after working in the U.S. Department of Justice and another law firm. He went on to lead numerous major matters, including longtime representations of the water utilities of Chicago, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C., and as Court-Appointed Monitor in the Duke Energy coal ash spill proceeding and as Deputy Monitor-Emissions & Environmental in the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” matter.

Ben will continue to lead the Diverse Partners Network (to be renamed the Diverse Lawyers Network). He will also continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of the Environmental Law Institute and serve on the Boards of Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company, PG&E Corporation, APCO Worldwide, and the DC Bar Foundation. Ben will also continue to teach environmental law at Howard University, where he was instrumental in founding the environmental law program.

Numerous legal media outlets covered Ben’s announcement:

• Ben Wilson Looks Back on 35 Years at Beveridge & Diamond (Reuters)
• Retiring Beveridge & Diamond Chair Reflects on Legal Career (Law360 Pulse – subscription may be required)
• Beveridge & Diamond Chairman Ben Wilson Announces Retirement (Bloomberg Law – subscription may be required)
• After More Than a Decade at the Helm, Beveridge & Diamond’s Ben Wilson Will Step Down Next Year (The American Lawyer – subscription may be required)
• Outgoing Beveridge Chair Driven by Chance to Set Example for Black Lawyers (Reuters)

Ben, all of your friends at B&D thank you for being who you are. We wish you the best on this milestone in your distinguished career. While we’ll miss you, we know you will enjoy spending more time with Merinda, Rachel, and other members of your family, and in your other pursuits.

Please contact Nathan Darling ([email protected], 202.789.6142) with any questions.