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Brian Jebb

Partner

New York

Jebb Brian
Brian Jebb

Partner

New York

Brian is head of the U.S. Employment and Benefits practice, which has been ranked by Legal 500 as one of the best in the U.S. Brian was individually ranked by Chambers USA as one of the leading lawyers nationally in Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation.

Brian has particular expertise advising global employers on employment and benefits issues, and advising on cross-border transactions.

He specializes in cross-border and U.S. employment and employee benefit arrangements with particular expertise in advising global institutions on their international employment and benefits issues. Brian is valued by clients for his ability to advise clearly on complex matters, and is published regularly on employment and benefit matters. Brian has wide experience of all employment and benefit aspects of corporate transactions, including M&As, LBOs, spin-offs and IPOs. He advises public and private companies and private equity firms on, amongst other matters, the design and implementation of their annual and long-term incentive compensation plans, hiring and reduction of workforce, employment and separation agreements, restrictive covenants, equity incentive compensation arrangements, severance and retention arrangements, taxation, ERISA, securities and regulatory laws.

Brian advises private equity funds on executive compensation and ERISA issues in transactions. Brian also advises on ERISA issues in credit agreements, transactions and plan asset issues in venture capital arrangements.

Brian has been noted in the Legal 500 for his work with global clients. He has been named Employee Benefits Lawyer of the Year - USA by Finance Monthly in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, recognized as a Super Lawyer by Lawyer Monthly and named a Leading Expert in Employment & Benefits Law by Corporate Vision. Brian's practice is also ranked Band 2 for Employment Global by Chambers in 2022 and was awarded Employment & Benefits Law Firm of the Year by Superior Lawyers in 2022.

Brian is also a member of the Allen & Overy Recruitment Committee and Diversity Committee.

Related articles

Columns

Publications: 01 April 2024

New York City proposes multiple bills to ban non-competes

On February 28, 2024, members of the New York City Council proposed three bills that would restrict non-competes at various levels. 

Read more New York City proposes multiple bills to ban non-competes

News: 15 March 2024

Allen & Overy advises Zendesk on its acquisition of AI-powered service automation leader Ultimate

Read more Allen & Overy advises Zendesk on its acquisition of AI-powered service automation leader Ultimate

News: 15 February 2024

Allen & Overy advises Zendesk on its acquisition of AI-powered quality management platform Klaus

Read more Allen & Overy advises Zendesk on its acquisition of AI-powered quality management platform Klaus

News: 13 February 2024

Allen & Overy advises LPL Financial Holdings on its acquisition of Atria Wealth Solutions

Read more Allen & Overy advises LPL Financial Holdings on its acquisition of Atria Wealth Solutions

Experience highlights

Office

New York

1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York
NY 10020

View office →

Qualifications

Professional

Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales, 2024

Admitted: Bar of the State of New York, 2006

Formerly admitted to practice in New South Wales

Formerly admitted to practice in Western Australia

Academic

LL.M., New York University School of Law, 2005

LL.B., University of Western Australia, 1994

Other noteworthy experience 

Advising:

  • Drafting equity and incentive plans, including with a cross-border effect.
  • Hitachi Ltd. on its $1.4 billion acquisition of JR Automation Technologies, LLC, an automated manufacturing and distribution technology solutions company based in Holland, Michigan.
  • Macquarie Investment Management on its acquisition of Foresters’ Investment Management Business, the investment adviser of the First Investors funds, with approximately $12.3 billion in assets under management.
  • Greif, Inc., the NYSE-listed, Ohio-based global industrial packaging company, in connection with its acquisition of Caraustar Industries, a recycled paperboard and packaging solutions company, from H.I.G. Capital, for approximately $1.8 billion.
  • A multinational pharmaceutical corporation on managing the HR issues in a number of jurisdictions relating to the sale of its Emeryville, California-based Diagnostics Unit to Grifols, for US$1.7 billion.
  • A multinational media conglomerate on the sale of its Intellectual Property & Science Business to Onex and Baring for US$3.55 billion.
  • CSC on its approximately US$6 billion spin-off of CSRA and special dividend and the approximately US$2.3 billion merger of CSRA and SRA International.
  • Fresenius Kabi, the global health care company, in connection with its agreement to acquire Akorn, Inc., a Chicago-based manufacturer of prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, for approximately US$4.3 billion.
  • Imperial Tobacco on the US$7.1 billion acquisition of the Winston, Salem, Kool and Maverick cigarette brands and the blu e-cigarette brand and related businesses from Reynolds American in connection with the US$27.4 billion Reynolds-Lorillard merger.
  • Coca-Cola Iberian Partners on its approximately US$27 billion three-way merger with Coca-Cola Enterprises and Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetränke, to form Coca-Cola European Partners.
  • The Carlyle Group on the disposal of the Zodiac Pool Group to Rhône Capital.
  • ACH Food Companies, Inc. (a subsidiary of Associated British Foods) in connection with the sale of their spices business to B&G Foods for approximately US$365 million in cash.
  • Deutsche Börse AG in connection with the US$100 million purchase of Gain Capital’s GTX ECN business, a platform for institutional trading of foreign exchange. 
  • EQT Infrastructure on the sale of Fenix Marine Services, operator of one of the busiest port complexes in North America, to CMA CGM, for an enterprise value of USD2.3bn, located the Los Angeles, California.

Published work

  • The Banker: Reshaping bank compensation strategies, Aug 2022
  • Tax Management International Journal: Implementing Compensation Clawbacks in a Global Economy, Sep 2019
  • Bloomberg BNA: Implementing Compensation Clawbacks In a Global Economy, May 2019
  • Bloomberg BNA: How the Push for Greater Compensation Reporting Requirements Could Put Global Companies at Risk, August 2018
  • Bloomberg BNA: Governments are Increasingly Turning to Pay Disclosure Requirements in an Attempt to Even the Corporate Playing Field, June, 2018
  • Contributions to the A&O Employment Talk blog headed “Rethinking U.S. executive compensation to optimize tax-deductibility”, January 2018; "Salary history questions restricted in USA", July 2017; and "Happy birthday ERISA", October 2014.
  • Publication in HR Director magazine, "How President Trump is impacting US employment law", August 2017.
  • The Big Think 5th Edition, "Cybersecurity - the threat from within", September 2016.
  • The Big Think 4th Edition, "Working 9 to 5, What way will you make a living", focusing on flexible ways of working, December 2015.
  • Client Alert: Proposed Clawback Rules under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protections Act, July 2015.
  • Client Alert: SEC Proposed New Pay-Versus-Performance Disclosure Rules, May 2015.
  • The Big Think 3rd Edition, "Data with Destiny", focusing on data privacy, protection and the promise of high-value HR, February 2015.
  • The Big Think 2nd Edition, "When Two Becomes One", focusing on employment issues in mergers, May 2014.
  • "Spin-offs" co-author, Practical Law Company, 2010.

Recognition

Awards & accolades

Ranked Band 4, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation

Chambers USA 2022

Employee Benefits Lawyer of the Year

USA, Finance Monthly Legal Awards, 2019

Employee Benefits Law Firm of the Year

USA, Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards, 2018