Stephanie Bruce is a member of the firm’s employment, executive compensation and employee benefits practice. She advises employers on a wide range of labor and employment issues, including employee discipline and discharge, discrimination and harassment, wage and hour law compliance, workforce reductions, disability leave and accommodations, restrictive covenants, employment agreements, separation agreements and employee handbooks.
Stephanie focuses on representing clients in corporate transactions, advising on labor and employment issues material to mergers, acquisitions and sales. In particular, she regularly guides clients on non-compete and worker classifications issues that arise in transactions.
Stephanie also has extensive experience defending employers against numerous employment-related claims, including discrimination and retaliation actions, as well as claims under the FLSA, FMLA and ERISA. She has successfully represented employers at every level, from pre-litigation settlement negotiations through trial and appeal, before state and federal courts, as well as administrative agencies.
Experience
- Represented TPG Capital as part of a deal team in the investment in DirecTV with AT&T.
- Represented HIG Capital as part of a deal team in the acquisition of St. Croix Hospice, a provider of hospice care across the Midwest United States.
- Represented HIG Capital as part of a deal team in the acquisition of Continental Battery Holding Corp., a distributor of aftermarket batteries to the electric utility vehicle (EUV), automotive, commercial, marine and industrial markets.
- Represented New Mountain Capital as part of a deal team in the investment in Inframark, an infrastructure services company focused on operation and maintenance of water and wastewater systems.
- Represented Planview, a portfolio company of TPG Capital and TA Associates, as part of a deal team in the add-on acquisitions of Clarizen, a global leader in enterprise collaborative work management, and Changepoint, a leading enterprise portfolio management provider.
- Represented TPG Capital and TA Associates as part of a deal team in their $1.6 billion joint acquisition of Planview, a software company providing portfolio management and work management solutions.
- Represented Golden Gate Capital as part of a deal team in the acquisition of Bob Evans Restaurants, the operator of family restaurants in 18 states, primarily in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States.
- Represented Charlesbank Capital and HDT Global as part of a deal team in the acquisition of DRS Environmental Systems, Inc., a manufacturer of rugged and transportable mobile enclosures, environmental control units, power generators and other ground support systems.
- Represented NewQuest Capital Partners as part of a deal team in the acquisition of Integreon, Inc., a global legal, document, business and research outsourcing firm.
- Represented Bain Capital as part of a deal team in the strategic investment in Navicure, a provider of cloud-based claims management and patient payment solutions for physician practices and hospitals.
- Represented Thomas H. Lee Partners as part of a deal team in the acquisition of Healthcare Staffing Services, a healthcare staffing firm.
- Represented EMCOR Group as part of a deal team in the acquisition of Ardent Services and Rabalais Constructors.
- Represented TPG as part of a deal team in the sale of Par Pharmaceuticals.
- Represented TPG as part of a deal team in the acquisition of a majority stake in Cirque du Soleil, the world-renowned live artistic entertainment producer.
- Represented Pfizer as part of a deal team in the acquisition of Hospira for approximately $17 billion.
- Represented Audax Group as part of a deal team in the acquisition of a media company.
The following transactions were completed prior to joining Ropes & Gray:
- Successfully obtained summary judgment for employers in several federal and state court cases involving various discrimination and harassment claims based upon race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability and religion, as well as claims of retaliation, defamation, breach of contract, and claims under the FLSA, FMLA, and ERISA.
- Successfully opposed an appeal before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals of a decision granting summary judgment to an employer on plaintiff’s reverse gender and race discrimination claims.
- Served as second-chair trial counsel on a week-long jury trial and obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of client sued for intentional interference with contract, having previously obtained summary judgment for same client on additional claims for sexual harassment and sex discrimination, as well as dismissal of second client from case.
- Served as second-chair arbitration counsel for a major financial institution before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and obtained a defense win involving claims for failure to pay commissions and defamation related to a Form U-5 filing.
- Served as second-chair trial counsel for a university and obtained a defense win on a retaliation claim by its former basketball coach in a lengthy public hearing before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD).
- Successfully defended a national retailer against claims of race discrimination and harassment, retaliation, and violations of the FLSA, convincing the district judge to grant defendant’s summary judgment in its entirety, despite the magistrate judge’s recommendation to deny summary judgment as to the FLSA claim.