Brian West Easley

Partner-in-Charge Minneapolis

Minneapolis + 1.612.217.8845 Chicago + 1.312.269.4230

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Brian Easley has more than 25 years of experience representing employers in complex labor and employment matters, with a focus on labor management relations. Brian has represented employers in the manufacturing, oil and gas, energy, mining, automotive, aerospace, railroad, transportation, private equity, media, retail, telecommunications, technology, hospitality, financial services, health care, and construction industries. Brian has successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements on behalf of clients throughout the United States and has represented clients in connection with strike contingency planning and strike response, union organizing and decertification proceedings, unfair labor practice litigation, arbitration proceedings, and labor litigation.

Brian also advises employers on the labor and employment issues that arise in mergers and acquisitions and bankruptcy proceedings. He has advised corporate and private equity clients on hundreds of mergers and acquisitions — including multihundred million and multibillion dollar transactions — and he advised the City of Detroit through bankruptcy proceedings and restructuring efforts. Brian also maintains an active pro bono practice, having represented organizations such as the Grant Park Orchestral Association and the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra in collective bargaining negotiations. Brian is an active member of the American Bar Association Committee on Practice and Procedure under the National Labor Relations Board.

Brian is a frequent speaker on labor and employment topics. He is a contributing author to the PLI Labor Management Law Answer Book 2012-2019 as well as to the labor law treatises The Developing Labor Law and How to Take a Case Before the NLRB.

Experience

  • MPE Partners acquires London listed Renold plcJones Day advised MPE Partners in the £186.7 million acquisition of London listed Renold plc, a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of premium, high specification industrial chain and torque transmission products.
  • AAR acquires ADI American DistributorsJones Day advised AAR Corp. in the $146 million acquisition of ADI American Distributors Holding Co., LLC, a leading distributor of components and assemblies.
  • Direct lender provides $76 million senior secured credit facility to precast concrete producer in connection with acquisition of new precast concrete facilityJones Day advised a direct lender, as agent, in connection with a $76 million senior secured credit facility, consisting of a $45 million term loan, $23 million delayed draw term loan, and $8 million revolver, provided to a precast concrete producer in connection with its acquisition of a sixth precast concrete facility.
  • AAR sells non-core landing gear overhaul businessJones Day advised AAR Corp., a leading provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators, MROs, and OEMS, in the divesture of its landing gear overhaul business.
  • Affiliates of Centre Lane Partners acquire substantially all of the assets of Hardinge Inc. and its subsidiaries, including the Kellenberger, USACH, SuperPrecision, and Workholding business linesJones Day advised affiliates of Centre Lane Partners in the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Hardinge Inc. and its debtor subsidiaries, a global leader and provider of advanced machine tool, manufacturing and workholding solutions, as part of chapter 11 proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
  • Norwest Equity Partners acquires MDC Interior SolutionsJones Day advised Norwest Equity Partners in the acquisition and financing of MDC Interior Solutions, LLC, a leading commercial interior wallcoverings and design solutions company.
  • Valmet acquires process gas chromatography business of Siemens AGJones Day advised Valmet Oyj in the €102.5 million acquisition of the process gas chromatography business of Siemens AG.
  • NEP Group sells SOS Global to Rock-it CargoJones Day advised NEP Group in its sale of SOS Global (SOS) to Rock-it Cargo, the global leader in end-to-end logistics for live events and high net worth goods.
  • MPE Partners acquires P&S Detail ProductsJones Day advised MPE Partners in the acquisition and financing by portfolio company Appearance Technology Group of P&S Detail Products, a leading designer and manufacturer of branded, consumable car care liquid chemicals for professional and do-it-yourself ("DIY") users.
  • Cardinal Health merges its Outcomes™ business into Transaction Data SystemsJones Day advised Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) in connection with the combination of its Outcomes™ business to Transaction Data Systems, a portfolio company of BlackRock Long Term Private Capital and GTCR, in exchange for a minority stake in the combined entity.
  • Home Point Capital sells wholesale originations business to The Loan StoreJones Day advised Home Point Capital Inc. in the sale of certain assets of its wholesale originations channel to The Loan Store, Inc., a national wholesale lender headquartered in Tucson, Arizona.
  • AAR acquires TraxJones Day advised AAR CORP. in the acquisition of Trax USA Corp., a leading independent provider of aircraft MRO and fleet management software, for a purchase price of $120 million in cash, plus up to a $20 million earn-out payment based on specified adjusted revenues in calendar year 2023 and 2024.
  • Global internet infrastructure provider acquires nine data centersJones Day advised a global internet infrastructure provider in the acquisition of nine data centers, including colocation and related network services.
  • Coalition of railroads achieve successful results in national collective bargainingJones Day was counsel for the U.S. railroad industry in one of the largest and most consequential labor matters of 2022, helping to avoid threatened work stoppages by 100,000 workers that would have gravely imperilled the U.S. economy and drew the personal attention of President Biden.
  • General Mills acquires TNT CrustJones Day advised General Mills in the acquisition of TNT Crust Intermediate Holdings LLC from private equity firm Peak Rock Capital. As part of the acquisition, General Mills also acquired two manufacturing facilities in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and St. Charles, Missouri.
  • Polaris sells Transamerican Auto Parts business to Wheel ProsJones Day is representing Polaris Inc. in the sale of its Transamerican Auto Parts business to Wheel Pros, a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of proprietary branded aftermarket vehicle enhancements for light trucks, SUVs, passenger cars, and ATVs/UTVs, backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P.
  • Centre Lane Partners portfolio company acquires Fiskars' North American watering businessJones Day advised Centre Lane Partners, LLC in connection with the acquisition and financing by its portfolio company Lawn & Garden, LLC of Fiskars Corporation's North American watering business including the Gilmour and Nelson brands.
  • Procter & Gamble Company acquires TULA LifeJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company in its acquisition of TULA Life, Inc. from L Catterton Partners and L Catterton Europe SAS.
  • HCI Equity Partners-backed SDS Rx acquires Mission Critical Delivery SolutionsJones Day advised HCI Equity Partners in the acquisition and financing by portfolio company SDS Rx of Mission Critical Delivery Solutions, headquartered in Bangor, Maine.
  • Wabtec acquires Nordco for $400 millionJones Day advised Wabtec Corporation in its $400 million cash acquisition of Nordco, a leading North American supplier of new, rebuilt, and used maintenance of way equipment with a broad product and service portfolio including mobile railcar movers and ultrasonic rail flaw detection technologies, from Greenbriar Equity Group LP.
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    July 2024 White Paper

    Minnesota Legislature Enacts Pay Transparency Law and Updates Paid Sick Leave and Other Employment Laws

    January 2024 White Paper

    January 2024 Updates to Minnesota Employment Laws and Next Steps for Employers

    OCTOBER 2023 Commentary

    Proposed IRS Regulations on Tax Credits for Renewable-Energy Investments Include Wage and Apprenticeship Requirements

    May 2023 Commentary

    Prevailing Wages and More: Developer and Contractor Obligations in CHIPS Act-Funded Construction Projects

    September 2022 Commentary

    Navigating Labor Shortages in the Food Industry and the Effects of Relying on Contingent Workers

    February 2022 White Paper

    2022 & Beyond: Continued Challenges in the Automotive Supply Chain

    May 2020 White Paper

    Avoiding Pandemic-Related Employment Litigation and Disputes

    August 2017 Commentary

    Without WARN-ing: Third Circuit Clarifies WARN Act's Unforeseen Business Circumstances Exception

    December 2016 Commentary

    Second Circuit Overturns NLRB Unit Determination and Admonishes NLRB for Misapplying Specialty Healthcare Standard

    November 2016 External Publications

    Robust Midwest Markets Fuel Strategic Expansion, Metropolitan Corporate Counsel

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    Additional Speaking Engagements

    • November 2, 2022
      National Labor Relations Board Midterm Update: Key Issues, Initiatives, and Potential DevelopmentsImpacting Union and Non-Union Employers, 2022 Annual New York Labor & Employment Law Discussion Group
    • October 13, 2022
      National Labor Relations Board Midterm Update: Key Issues, Initiatives, and Potential DevelopmentsImpacting Union and Non-Union Employers, 2022 Annual New York Labor & Employment Law Discussion Group
    • June 17, 2016
      The R Case Process: Procedures and Impact of New Rules and Bargaining Unit Determinations after Specialty Healthcare, Hot Topics in Contemporary Labor Relations Law, Chicago-Kent College of Law
    • April 30, 2015
      PLI's Understanding Employment Law 2015 - Chicago
    • October 8, 2014
      2014 Labor & Employment Law Discussion Group
    • March 26, 2014
      Bargaining Benefits: Bargaining Health Care and Pension Changes
    • March 1, 2014
      The New Board: Recent Developments and What’s Next? And What Would An Ideal World Look Like? Academic, Union & Employer Perspectives, Midwinter Meeting, ABA Committee on Practice and Procedure Before the National Labor Relations Board
    • May 8, 2013
      PLI's Understanding Employment Law 2013 - Chicago
    • April 9, 2013
      2013 Government Contractor Labor & Employment Discussion Group
    • February 7, 2013
      The Noel Canning Decision - The D.C. Circuit's Holding That the President's Recess Appointments to the NLRB were Constitutionally Defective: Legal, Policy and Practical Considerations Webinar
    • December 13, 2012
      What to Expect From the NLRB During President Obama's Second Term: Impact on Both Union and Non-Union Workplaces
    • November 15, 2012
      Planning for 2013 Labor and Employment Law Change: The Impact of the Presidential Election on Your Workforce, Jones Day North Shore Wine Tasting and CLE
    • June 7 - 8, 2012
      Jones Day 2012 Railway Labor Act Symposium
    • May 10, 2012
      2012 Hospitality Labor & Employment Discussion Group
    • January 24, 2012
      2012 Speaker Series
      Social Media and Its Impact on the Workplace
    • April 14, 2011
      2011 Annual Hospitality Labor & Employment Discussion Group
    • March 2, 2011
      Update on NLRB Representation and Unfair Labor Practice Case Developments, Midwinter Meeting, ABA Committee on Practice and Procedure Before the National Labor Relations Board
    • October 29, 2010
      When Employee Support for a Union Wanes: Decertification, Deauthorization and Withdrawal of Recognition, American Conference Institute National Advanced Forum on Labor-Management Relations
    • November 4, 2009
      Recent Developments at the National Labor Relations Board, 2009-2010 Jones Day Federal Legislative and Regulatory Briefing
    • November 4, 2009
      2009-2010 Federal Legislative and Regulatory Briefing
    • April 30, 2009
      Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, ABA Section of Labor & Employment, Technology in the Practice & Workplace Committee, 2009 Mid-year Meeting, Seattle University School of Law
    • February 25-26, 2009
      Latest Developments in Anticipated Labor and Employment Legislation, Jones Day 2009 Labor & Employment Legislative Briefing
    • January 8, 2009
      Employee Free Choice Act Briefing - Los Angeles
    • December 12, 2008
      How to Avoid EEOC Claims and What to Do If You Can't, Lorman Education Services
    • April 27, 2007
      Significant Developments in Traditional Labor Law, Jones Day Labor & Employment Practice Group
    • December 5, 2006
      Labor & Employment Briefings: Electronic Communications and Data: The Impact on Employment Litigation
    • November 15, 2006
      New Frontiers in the Electronic Age: Blogging, the Internet, E-mail and Electronic Remedies, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Best of the 2006 Midwinter Meetings Teleconference Series
    • March 4, 2006
      Electronic Remedies and Other Electronic Issues Under the National Labor Relations Act, Midwinter Meeting, ABA Committee on Practice and Procedure Before the National Labor Relations Board
    • 2003-04
      Legal Writing, guest lecturer, DePaul University School of Law
    • December 2, 2004
      Overtime Issues in Today's Workplace: Fixing the Problem, Jones Day Wage-Hour Law Conference
    • October 15, 2004
      Recent Developments under the National Labor Relations Act
    • October 1, 2004
      Recent Developments under the National Labor Relations Act
    • June 22, 2004
      Overtime Issues in Today's Workplace: Fixing the Problem,  Jones Day Wage-Hour Law Conference
    • May 20, 2004
      Ten Things Employment Lawyers Ought to Know About the National Labor Relations Act
    • May 20, 2003
      Recent Developments in Union Organizing, National Tank Truck Carriers Association Annual Meeting
    • April 8, 2003
      Union Organizing: Preventive Strategies for a Union-Free Workplace
    • March 25, 2003
      Union Organizing: Preventive Strategies for a Union-Free Workplace
    • October 18, 2002
      Arbitration: A Nuts and Bolts Overview
    • September, 1998
      Religious Discrimination and Accommodation, Texas Employment Law Council Annual Meeting
    • November 8, 1995
      Federal Recordkeeping Requirements, Society of Human Resource Managers Annual Meeting
    • November 9, 1994
      Employment Discrimination Update, Austin Human Rights Commission
    • March 17, 1994
      Employer Compliance with Title I of the Americans With Disabilities Act, Texas Association of Business

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