EmmaSullivan

On July 2, Jenner & Block advised its client Theratechnologies Inc. in entering into a definitive arrangement agreement to be acquired by CB Biotechnology LLC, an affiliate of Future Pak LLC. Theratechnologies is a Quebec-based commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the commercialization of innovative therapies.

On June 11, Jenner & Block advised its client The Campbell Center in completing its merger with New Horizons. This merger marks a pivotal moment, uniting two San Fernando Valley, California based non-profits that have each served the neurodiverse community for 70 years. The Campbell Center supports adult individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities through supported employment, community integration services, and residential services.

A Jenner & Block team advised Saothair Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on investing in middle-market manufacturing and industrial companies, in their acquisition of a majority equity stake in Pioneer Window Holdings, Inc (“Pioneer”) through a newly-formed affiliate.

On August 20, 2024, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, in Ryan LLC et al. v. Federal Trade Commission, granted Ryan LLC and the US Chamber of Commerce’s motion for summary judgment and barred the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from enforcing its broad non-compete ban with nationwide effect. The FTC’s rule, which would have banned non-compete agreements in most employment contexts, was set to go into effect in two weeks, on September 4, 2024.[1]

Courts Have Not Yet Delayed the Effective Date of the FTC’s Non-Compete Rule

A cross-disciplinary Jenner team represented Omni Federal (Omni) in connection with an investment in the company by funds affiliated with Madison Dearborn Partners. Founded in 2017, Omni is a provider of innovative and intuitive mission and enterprise software solutions to the US Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC). 

On December 6, Jenner & Block client Canadian National Railway Company (CN) closed on its acquisition of Iowa Northern Railway Company, a critical transportation network operating approximately 275 miles of track serving a mix of agricultural and industrial shippers in Iowa. The transaction involved the deposit of the controlling equity of Iowa Northern into a voting trust at closing, pending approval by the US Surface Transportation Board to the transaction.

Employers have historically used non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions when resolving threatened or actual claims employees may pursue.  The logic of proposing such clauses flows from the reasonable desire to bring as much closure to disputes as is possible.  However, recent legal decisions have questioned whether and when such provisions may be permissible. 

A free new service is available for Chicagoans in need of social and health services. Jenner & Block’s pro bono partnership with United Way of Metro Chicago, including Andrew Vail’s role as pro bono General Counsel, assisted United Way’s collaboration and partnership with the City of Chicago and Cook County to bring 211 Metro Chicago to Chicagoland.

Faith in Place honored a multi-disciplinary, cross-office team with its 2022 “Volunteer of the Year” award. Faith in Place empowers people of diverse faiths and spiritualities to advance environmental and racial justice. Jenner & Block has supported this client, pro bono, on solar Initiatives, human resource issues, copyright issues, government procurement issues, tax issues, and corporate transactions. The team includes Partners Michelle McAtee, Gail Morse, Julie Shepard, Steve Siros, and Emm

On January 13, 2022, a divided Supreme Court stayed OSHA’s vaccine-or-test emergency temporary standard (ETS). Nat’l Federation of Independent Business v. Dep’t of Labor, OSHA , 595 U.S. ___ (2022). The matter came before the Court on a request for emergency relief after the Sixth Circuit granted an emergency motion by OSHA to dissolve a stay of the ETS previously issued by the Fifth Circuit.

Jenner & Block represented Synalloy Corporation in its acquisition of DanChem for $33 million. Synalloy is an industrials company focused on the production and distribution of piping, tubing, and specialty chemicals. DanChem is a leading, full-service specialty chemicals contract manufacturing organization with three production plants located on an owned 55-acre campus in Danville, Virginia. The DanChem facility is particularly unique, boasting the largest fleet of horizontal reactors in the ind

The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force) issued its much anticipated guidance to federal contractors pursuant to President Biden’s Executive Order 14042 (EO), which we covered here. Simply put: the Task Force imposes a broad requirement that contractor employees get vaccinated—whether they are full-time or part-time; whether they work at a contractor workplace, Federal workplace, or from their homes; and whether they work directly on a government contract, indirectly, or only at the s

Client Zebra Technologies announced its plan to acquire antuit.ai, a provider of artificial intelligence-powered Software-as-a-Service solutions specific to forecasting and merchandising for the retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries. Zebra is a world leader in innovative digital solutions including hardware and software that enable businesses of all sizes to intelligently connect data, assets, and people. The acquisition will expand Zebra’s growing retail and CPG software portfolio

On September 9, 2021, the Biden Administration announced additional measures to curb the ongoing spread of COVID-19. These measures include one executive order requiring all federal executive branch workers to be vaccinated and a second order extending this mandate to federal contractors.

Conducts Independent Reviews to Help Clients Address Underlying Cultural and Compliance Risks

On May 31, 2021, the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives unanimously passed Senate Bill 672 amending the existing Illinois Freedom to Work Act, 820 ILCS 90, and significantly expanding its scope. The current Illinois Freedom to Work Act prohibits employers from entering into covenants not to compete with “low-wage employees,” defined as employees whose earnings are less than the greater of $13 per hour or any applicable federal, state, or local minimum wage. As we describe below, the

In their article, Labor and Employment Practice Co-Chair Emma J. Sullivan and Associate Connor S.W. Rubin explore and analyze four nascent trends in employment law that have developed in the wake of the landmark US Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. The authors explain that understanding what effect the decision has had on discrimination claims so far will be important to help employers avoid liability and, just as importantly, create inclusive and positive work environments

Businesses around the United States are beginning to reopen and more and more will reopen in the coming months.  There is, however, no vaccine for the novel coronavirus and such a vaccine may not be available for more than a year.  Worse yet, many have warned that there may be a “second wave of COVID-19 cases in late fall” of this year.  One strategy to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus absent a vaccine is called “contact tracing”—identifying people who have been exposed to an individua

On March 26 and 27, the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued additional guidance on employee leave rights under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which will become effective April 1, 2020.