Joanne R. Bush

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.