Joanne R.Bush

Partner

Houston + 1.832.239.3782

Joanne Bush represents employers in complex employment and traditional labor law matters. She represents companies in single plaintiff and class action discrimination lawsuits, wage and hour collective actions, and harassment, retaliation, whistleblower, and breach of contract matters. Joanne also has significant experience advising and representing clients in restrictive covenant and theft of trade secret disputes. Joanne regularly advises on and negotiates the labor and employment aspects of corporate transactions, with a particular focus on the energy industry.

Working with clients to establish best practices, avoid litigation, and accomplish corporate goals, Joanne provides strategic advice and day-to-day counseling on a variety of employment issues. She reviews personnel policies, drafts and negotiates employment agreements and severance agreements, and conducts manager training, pay equity audits, and internal investigations.

Joanne also maintains a robust traditional labor practice that includes negotiating collective bargaining agreements, representing employers in labor arbitration and unfair labor practice proceedings, and providing strategic advice to companies regarding complex labor issues.

In recognition by Chambers USA, clients have praised Joanne as "an excellent lawyer, who is incredibly intelligent and able to find solutions to the hardest challenges" and "brilliant and a great strategist." Joanne has also been recognized as a "Next Generation Lawyer" (The Legal 500) and one of the "Most Powerful Employment Attorneys" in the U.S. (Lawdragon/HR Executive magazine).

Joanne leads the Labor & Employment Practice in the Houston Office. She is an editor-in-chief of the PLI Labor Management Law Answer Book and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Harvard Law School Alumni Association.

Experience

  • Laser science company wins jury verdict and attorney fees totaling more than $6.7 million, and permanent injunction against former employee for trade secret misappropriation and other claimsJones Day client Physics, Materials and Applied Mathematics Research LLC ("PM&AM"), a laser science government contractor, won a jury trial on all claims and $4.4 million in damages against its former employee and his company for trade secret misappropriation, breach of his employment agreement, fraud, unfair competition, breach of his duty of loyalty, and unjust enrichment.
  • Chevron sold its Hawaii refining, distribution, and retail assets to Island Energy Services, LLCJones Day advised Chevron U.S.A. Inc. in its sale to Island Energy Services, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of One Rock Capital Partners, LP, of all of Chevron's refining, distribution, and retail assets located in Hawaii, including the 58,000 barrel-per-day refinery in Kapolei, interests in a network of 58 retail service stations, four product distribution terminals on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island, pipeline distribution systems, and other related downstream assets statewide.
  • BNSF obtains unanimous defense verdict in whistleblower lawsuit brought under Federal Railroad Safety ActJones Day client BNSF Railway Company secured a unanimous defense verdict in a case involving claims brought under the whistleblower protections of the Federal Railroad Safety Act.
  • BNSF wins dismissal of three former employees' whistleblower claims following five-day hearingFollowing a five-day hearing before a U.S. Department of Labor administrative law judge, Jones Day obtained a complete dismissal of three former employees' Federal Railroad Safety Act ("FRSA") whistleblower claims against BNSF Railway Company.
  • BNSF wins Eighth Circuit affirmation of dismissal of former employee's whistleblower claimsThe Eighth Circuit affirmed a U.S. district court decision completely dismissing Federal Railroad Safety Act ("FRSA") whistleblower claims brought by former employees against Jones Day's client BNSF Railway Company.
  • IBM prevails in case alleging "off-the-clock and on-call" claims under FLSAJones Day represented IBM in a case alleging off-the-clock and "on-call" claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state law.
  • Dallas Symphony Orchestra reaches new collective bargaining agreement with American Federation of MusiciansJones Day served as chief negotiator on behalf of the Dallas Symphony Association, Inc. in its collective bargaining negotiations with the Dallas-Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association, Local Union 72-147 of the American Federation of Musicians for a successor agreement.
  • Hawkwood Energy acquires East Texas assets from Halcon Resources for $500 millionJones Day advised Hawkwood Energy, LLC in connection with the $500 million acquisition and related financing of producing and non-producing oil and gas assets from Halcon Resources Corporation.
  • Enable Midstream Partners acquires Align Midstream, LLC for $300 millionJones Day advised Enable Midstream Partners, LP, an owner, operator, and developer of strategically located natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets, in connection with its $300 million acquisition of Align Midstream, LLC from Tailwater Capital.
  • MPLX and Marathon Petroleum Corporation acquire MarkWest Energy for $20 billion, creating fourth-largest MLPJones Day advised MPLX LP and Marathon Petroleum in MPLX's acquisition of MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P.
  • Fortune 500 life sciences company acquires medical device developerJones Day advised a Fortune 500 life sciences company in its acquisition of a developer and manufacturer of medical devices for approximately $300 million cash.
  • BNSF earns dismissal in Federal Rail Safety Act whistleblower complaintJones Day represented BNSF Railway Company in a Federal Rail Safety Act whistleblower complaint filed by an employee who was disciplined for violating company rules. 
  • St. Jude Neuromodulation Division obtains injunctive relief against competitor and former employeesJones Day represented Advanced Neuromodulation Systems in an action alleging that two former employees violated agreements with ANS and improperly retained confidential information.
  • OMNOVA Solutions acquires New Fluid SolutionsJones Day advised OMNOVA Solutions Inc. in its acquisition of New Fluid Solutions, Inc., a producer of oil and gas drilling fluid additives and other products based in Houston, Texas.
  • CenterGate Capital acquires The Oil & Gas Asset ClearinghouseJones Day advised CenterGate Capital, L.P. in its acquisition of Marketplace Holdings, LLC, which conducts business as The Oil & Gas Asset Clearinghouse, the only oil and gas acquisition and divestiture advisory firm that offers a complete line of auction and negotiated transaction services, which are technically supported through online and digital data delivery systems.
  • Kansas City Southern Railway defeats grievance in scope of work disputeJones Day successfully defended Kansas City Southern Railway before a Special Board of Adjustment in a scope of work dispute with the Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen.
  • BAP Ventures, SEP Capital, and KWL Ventures acquire stock of Contech Control ServicesJones Day advised BAP Ventures, LLC, SEP Capital, LLC, and KWL Ventures, LLC in connection with their acquisition of the stock of Contech Control Services, Inc., a provider of specialized construction and engineering services primarily for the energy and chemical process industries.
  • Exchange Income acquires Regional OneJones Day advised Exchange Income Corporation, a public Canadian company with operations in the industrial products and transportation sectors, in connection with the acquisition of Regional One, Inc., a privately-owned company that provides aircraft and engine aftermarket parts to regional airline operators.
  • Granite Construction acquires Kenny Construction for $130 millionJones Day advised Granite Construction Inc. in the acquisition of Kenny Construction Company, a national contractor and construction manager specializing in the power, tunnel, water, and civil markets, for $130 million.
  • IBM decertifies class of call center employees in Fair Labor Standards Act collective actionOn behalf of International Business Machines Corporation, Jones Day successfully moved for decertification of a class of call center employees in a Fair Labor Standards Act collective action.
  • The Washington Post obtains dismissal of refusal to bargainOn behalf of The Washington Post and Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild Local No. 32035, Jones Day obtained a dismissal of refusal to bargain allegations central to the General Counsel's Complaint.
  • IBM defends against statewide class action alleging denial of overtime and other wage and hour issuesJones Day defended International Business Machines Corporation in this putative statewide class action.
  • IBM defends against nationwide FLSA action alleging misclassification of sales representationJones Day represented International Business Machines Corporation in purported nationwide FLSA action alleging misclassification of sales representation.
  • IBM defends against statewide class action alleging overtime violations under California lawJones Day represented International Business Machines Corporation in purported statewide class action alleging overtime violations under California law.
  • IBM settles FLSA and ERISA class action involving technical support workers' exempt statusJones Day represented International Business Machines ("IBM") in litigating and settling this lawsuit, which was filed in January 2006 on behalf of a putative class consisting of IBM's technical support workers nationwide.
  • Additional Speaking Engagements

    • September 18, 2024
      What to Expect in Your Next Trade Secret Dispute: A Guide for In-House Counsel
    • March 3, 2021
      American Bar Association P&P Committee Midwinter Meeting - “R” Case Review: Discussion of Recent Issues Arising in Bargaining Unit Elections under Section 9 of the Act
    • November 18, 2020
      Jones Day's Virtual Annual Labor & Employment Law Discussion Group Series: Strategies for Achieving ESG Priorities and Equity in the Workplace
    • May 21, 2020
      Return-to-Work Issues for Employers - Texas
    • May 15, 2019
      Gulf Coast Symposium on HR Issues - "Labor and Employment Laws Under the Trump Administration: Changes & Priorities"
    • March 1, 2018
      Leadership and the Law in the #MeToo Era
    • September 14, 2017
      The Opioid Epidemic: Protecting Employees While Protecting the Workplace
    • March 29, 2017
      Breakfast Series: Labor & Employment Hot Topics
    • March 28, 2017
      Breakfast Series: Labor & Employment Hot Topics
    • March 15-17, 2017
      NITA Financial Expert Testimony Program
    • January 26 - 27, 2017
      2017 Airline and Railway Labor and Employment Roundtable
    • May 7, 2015
      Turmoil in the Oil Patch: Risks and Opportunities for Oil & Gas Companies and Investors
    • February 27, 2015
      2015 Speaker Series: Drilling Down: Wage and Hour Claims in the Energy Industry
    • May 1-2, 2014
      Whistleblower Litigation: Recent Developments and Strategies, Jones Day Railway Labor Act Symposium
    • May 9-10, 2013
      Strategies for Whistleblower Litigation, Jones Day Railway Labor Act Symposium
    • January 15-16, 2013
      Important Regulatory Developments from the NLRB, the U.S. DOL, and the EEOC, Jones Day Health Care Enforcement and Compliance Seminar Preparing for Additional Government Scrutiny
    • June 7-8, 2012
      Whistleblower Litigation in the Rail and Airline Industries, Jones Day Railway Labor Act Symposium