William E. Hannum III

William Hannum is regarded as not only “technically excellent” but also “responsive, easy to work with and an excellent listener.” ~ Chambers USA

Will is Partner, Senior Status at Schwartz Hannum PC. 

Will represents employers in the full spectrum of labor and employment law matters, and he represents independent schools, colleges and universities in a broad range of labor, employment, and education matters.  Will also regularly counsels non-profit boards on governance issues, acting in the role of general counsel, and also leading board orientations and governance retreats.

In the area of labor and employment law, Will handles the full range of employment litigation, government investigations, union avoidance, labor relations and collective bargaining, employment counseling, and workplace investigations, as well as conducting workplace training on a broad range of labor and employment law topics. He has represented union and non-union employers (including for-profit and non-profit organizations) throughout the United States in a variety of industries, including communications, construction, education, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, insurance, retail, staffing and transportation.

In the area of education law, Will handles the full range of education law issues, including litigation, government investigations, labor matters, education and employment counseling, and investigations.  Will also regularly provides training to educational institutions, addressing school governance with school boards, leading orientation for faculty and staff on appropriate boundaries, and educating students on topics such as bullying, cyber-bullying, and sexting.

Since 2012, Will has been recognized by Chambers USA as a leading attorney in Labor and Employment Law.  Chambers publishes guides worldwide on law firms and lawyers and is a highly recognized leader in its field. Chambers and Partners praised Will for his client service, and regarded him as “very thoughtful, very responsive and thorough.” He has comprehensive expertise in the labor and employment field and counts a number of educational establishments among his client base.

Chambers’ sources have also described that Will is “adept at handling high-profile employment matters, and is praised for his ability to work with all parties to find the best solution.”  Clients often comment that he “is respectful and responsive, and people respond to that.”  Will is not only “technically excellent” but also “responsive, easy to work with and an excellent listener.”

Will is AV^®Preeminent™ Rated by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings.  Will holds a 5.0 out of 5.0 rating. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

In 2015 BTI Consulting recognized Will as a “BTI Client Service All-Star,” one of 29 labor and employment lawyers in the U.S. to receive such recognition. In 2016, he was recognized as a “BTI Client Service All-Star MVP.”

Will has also been selected as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer^® as a top Labor and Employment attorney in Massachusetts every year since 2004. These listings have been published in Boston Magazine, in New England Super Lawyers, and in Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition.

Will is a frequent speaker and author on labor, employment and education law, including presentations at the American Employment Law Council, bar association and MCLE programs, Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and National Business Officers Association (NBOA), and he has been a guest lecturer at Harvard Law School.

Prior to joining the Firm, Will was an associate in the Labor and Employment Law Section in the New York office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.