DLA Piper announced today that Janine Guzman has joined the firm’s Employment practice as a partner in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Guzman counsels corporate clients on labor and employment matters, including hiring; wage and hour issues; statutory licenses and employee benefits; performance, discipline and termination; business restructurings; reductions in force and relocations; drug testing programs; discrimination; sexual harassment; affirmative action; employee privacy; confidentiality and restrictive covenants; defamation; safety in the workplace; and immigration. She advises a wide range of businesses covering a number of sectors, such as retail, wholesale, education, hotels and leisure, international banking, communications and manufacturing.
“Janine’s impressive skill set and deep knowledge of the laws and regulations that impact companies doing business in Puerto Rico will allow us to meet the growing demand for employment counsel in the region,” said Brian Kaplan, chair of DLA Piper’s US Employment practice and co-chair of its global Employment practice. “She brings decades of experience handling labor and employment matters at the federal, state and local levels and defending claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Puerto Rico wage and hour laws, which will immediately strengthen our global Employment platform.”
Guzman also frequently advises clients on a number of aspects of the startup of operations in Puerto Rico. In addition, she conducts due diligence and assists in the disclosures of employee and labor matters in business mergers and acquisitions, either on the buyer or purchaser side, in stock or asset purchase deals. In recent years, she has participated in important transactions involving financial institutions, insurance companies, communications and marketing firms, and medical and hospital supplies distributors.
“As Puerto Rico’s economy continues to improve, we are focused on expanding our capabilities throughout the commonwealth and the larger region,” said Nikos Buxeda, managing partner of the DLA Piper’s San Juan office. “Janine’s wide-ranging experience will allow us to broaden our service offerings significantly and enable us to better serve the needs of our clients. She is a fantastic addition to the firm, and we are thrilled to welcome her.”
Guzman, who joins from Pietrantoni Mendez & Alvarez LLC, received her J.D. from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Law and her B.A. from the College of Mount St. Joseph.
Source: www.dlapiper.com
