James Benjamin Gontarski is a dedicated legal professional with deep expertise in whistleblower protection, labor & employment, and public interest law. James has served as a law clerk for The Cochran Firm in Washington, D.C., contributing to high-stakes personal injury and civil rights litigation, advocating aggressively for victims of injustice. At the Government Accountability Project, James protected federal employees’ rights to report waste, fraud, and abuse, co-authoring a Whistleblower Protection Act complaint to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel that triggered a Congressional oversight hearing.
James also excelled as a trial litigation intern at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Regional Solicitor, drafting motions and supporting settlement negotiations in workplace misconduct cases, and as a legal intern at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, ensuring compliance in FOIA appeals. Through UDC Law’s Whistleblower Protection Clinic, he shaped NGO advocacy strategies for whistleblower cases, and in the Youth Justice Clinic, he secured favorable outcomes for indigent clients in housing disputes.
James holds a J.D., Magna Cum Laude, from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (2025), a B.A. in Political Science from Coastal Carolina University (2020), and an A.S. in Criminal Justice from Ocean County College (2017). Committed to defending the underdog, James combines rigorous legal analysis with a passion for transformative change.
At Lento Law Group, James works as part of the Student Discipline Defense team, serving as an advocate and advisor to protect students’ rights in educational disputes.