Employment Agreements & Non-Competition Waiver Negotiation
Deane has represented me in the negotiation of two C-level employment agreements and one very challenging (and successful) negotiation to waive a non-competition agreement. Her experience and skills are impressive and her approach direct, confident, and efficient. I will always turn to Deane for counsel and highly recommend that others do the same.
Employment Contract
Deane Brown is one of the most professional, thoughtful attorneys that I have encountered. She helped me negotiate a 16 page employment contract for a CEO position with many intricate, difficult clauses. She helped me clarify my goals, my dealbreakers, and my negotiation points. She also highlighted several Watch Outs and potential points of litigation that I had not thought of. She was able to help me negotiate the deal that worked best for me and my family.
Deane Brown brings to the table that rare and highly coveted quality in a lawyer – the ability to highlight legal risk while also thinking like a businessperson. I highly recommend her services to any C Suite executive looking for a partner in negotiating a sophisticated employment contract.
FMLA Discrimination
My ex-employer, based in Silicon Valley let me go due to performance related reasons, after I requested parental leave following the birth of my child. Deane and her team worked with me and took over the conversation with my ex-employer’s HR department. They requested my employment files and made me feel taken care of. Over a handful of sessions, we documented my time working, projects I was in charge of, and people I managed. In the end, we figured out there wasn’t any real performance related reasons I was let go, but instead it was discrimination against my rights as a parent to take leave under FMLA. Deane and her team were able to recover a large, multi-month compensation package I would have not received based on the severance I was originally offered. My family is forever grateful for all her help in serving justice through employment law. I would highly recommend Deane and her team anytime you’re dealing with losing a job wrongfully or even negotiating terms of a new job.
Wrongful termination / Discrimination
Deane helped me tremendously through some of the darkness periods of my life. She is true expert in her field and I would strongly recommend her to protect your career while fighting for your rights. She is not just any lawyer; she cares deeply about people and has the right emotional intelligence needed to navigate you through very painful processes. I’m forever grateful to Deane and wouldn’t call on anyone else to serve me again.
Discrimination and unfair dismissal
I was referred to Deane through words of mouth. Deane is experienced and competent; more importantly, she is relatable and empathetic to her clients. She has this amazing ability to build trust from our first phone conversation, in my most distressed moment. Throughout our exchanges, Deane remains extremely professional and responsive. I also felt she had my interest at heart and watched out for me to maximize my benefit. My case settled satisfactorily. I would recommend Deane to anyone in a heartbeat.
Employment
What was I looking for in an attorney to represent me and my interests? Exceptional knowledge in their field, proven track record, creativity, objectivity, and transparency. I had the absolute pleasure of working with Deane and her team on an employment dispute. I spoke to 2 other attorneys before retaining Deane. I chose her as other attorneys gave pretty lazy advice and did not appear to have creativity or legal grasp of how to apply the law in a nuanced way. Deane is an expert in her field and was very responsive, responding to emails normally in an hour or less. She provided sound, objective advice which ultimately resulted in an acceptable settlement for my case. She is an excellent negotiator and has a good grasp as to how far we can stretch those negotiations. I’m certain I would not have achieved the desired results without her on my side.
Employment Contract Related
From my very first conversation with Deane, I felt like I was in good hands. She patiently listened to the issue on hand and requested additional information which I provided. From there, she steered the conversation to sharing with me the options available to me and pros/cons of each. She was logical, supportive and gave me the best advice when I requested an opinion. More than anything, I have found her to be knowledgeable and extremely responsive no matter when I emailed/called her. Deane is a rockstar and I couldn’t recommend her enough! All my friends know who to call should they ever need someone to represent them. THANK YOU Deane!
Employment matter
Deane was knowledgeable, helpful, and communicated promptly with me throughout the matter. She explained things very well so that I could make informed decisions and carefully and thoroughly guided me through the process. I highly recommend Deane.
Disability, Gender and Age Discrimination
Several colleagues recommended Deane Brown to me when I found myself a victim of disability, gender, and age discrimination. During a very stressful time, Deane was compassionate and empathetic while explaining the process and next steps. She skillfully assisted with severance negotiation to reach a very favorable resolution. What I appreciated most about Deane was her impeccable responsiveness and follow up. Deane is very experienced in representing senior executives in all types of employment matters and I would highly recommend her.
Executive Separation
Deane helped me navigate a thorny executive separation. She’s not only an expert in her field but also a highly skilled negotiator. She knew exactly how and when to use leverage to our benefit and held my hand every step of the way. Above all, though, Deane was a fierce advocate for me. I knew she had my back and wanted the best outcome as much as I did. She is a true champion for women in the workplace.
P.S. Her reputation definitely precedes her. The opposing counsel knew Deane and the negotiation went flawlessly.
Employment
Deane is a legal advocate you want in your corner. She advised and supported me during a very difficult severance negotiation. Empathetic and incredibly responsive, Deane understood all the nuances involved and any downstream or tangential impact of an end result. She keeps you focused on the end goal yet balances this with her kind understanding of a challenging situation. I always knew Deane was rooting for my personal and professional success.
Unjustified Termination of Partner - No Prior Notifications or Evidence of less than ideal performance
I was unexpectedly notified of my termination as a partner in a large international firm. I was provided a horrible severance package after numerous years of service and strong track record of success. I originally had another well-known attorney in town, but this person delegated to a very junior person and I did not feel that I was in capable hands. Deane was referred to me as the person opposing counsel dread to have across the table because of her excellent reputation for fighting for her clients. This is exactly what Deane did for me. I went from having an attorney where I felt helpless to one who was there every step of the way and consistently provided good counsel. She was upfront in telling me that she will only take cases where she feels that there is an outcome of success in excess of her fees. She is a candid partner that will completely champion for her clients to get the best outcome and also, guide you through this painful process with confidence. I had a significantly better outcome with Deane as my counsel and can not say enough about her professionalism, skill and tenacity. I have referred her to three other individuals as a result of my experience and they engaged her with similar outcomes.
Employment Law (Severance Negotiations, Employment Discrimination Claims and Retaliatory Discharge)
I found Deane to be extremely diligent, thorough, and resourceful. During negotiations, she took a practical and balanced approach in discussing the pros and cons of the case from all perspectives. Her research and historical overview of similar cases was spot on. I also appreciated the efforts of Clayton “Tex” Pasley in assisting her with the case. Both staff worked quickly through the process of researching and resolving my case. My case was put on a brief hiatus (several months) when my employer made some short-term concessions; once it became clear that we would eventually be parting ways, Deane and her team picked up where we had left things and moved rapidly toward a speedy resolution.
I was very surprised (and grateful) when Deane also offered advice on how the payout and medical insurance should be executed to give me the maximum benefit. Overall, I truly felt as if I was treated as a multimillion dollar client.
Wrongful Termination, Employment Discrimination
Deane is phenomenal. During what was easily the most stressful situation of my professional career, Deane not only represented me with determination and tenacity, she also supported and encouraged me throughout the entire ordeal. The written products her team produced were outstanding and represented me authentically. Deane helped me feel empowered to approach these difficult circumstances with courage and confidence. The end outcome in my situation was as positive as possible, and I was very pleased with the final settlement. Deane helped me retain and even boost my professional reputation and integrity against difficult odds. Despite the severity of the situation, I am so pleased that I connected with Deane and benefitted from her stellar legal counsel. I was enormously grateful to have Deane in my corner. For any future employment legal matters (hopefully more positive ones ahead!) Deane will be the first person I call.
Age Discrimnation
Deane was extremely knowledgeable and professional in every aspect. Her guidance and counsel were always outstanding and spot on resulting in a very favorable conclusion. I would highly recommend Deane as one of the best in her profession!
Employment
I had the pleasure of working with Deane and Margaret during a very difficult time in my career. Both of them made it more bearable by responding to emails quickly and keeping me well informed of all the processes that took place, as well as my options. I highly recommend working with them both and have referred several individuals to them. Hopefully I never need an employment attorney again, but if I do, I will surely return here.
Discrimination/Wrongful Termination
I am beyond thankful for Deane Brown. She helped me navigate through a really difficult time/situation. She actively would listen to my concerns and took the time to educate me throughout this entire process. She was a straight shooter and put my best interest first. Deane went to battle for me and did not let me get taken advantage of. I am truly thankful for Deane and highly recommend her and her team.
Separation Agreement
Deane is no nonsense and very knowledgeable. From day one I felt as though I had an empathetic leader of my cause. Excellent communicator and she’s appropriately aggressive with professionalism and drive.
Severance & Discrimination
I had a great experience working with Deane and her team on a difficult case during what was a very stressful situation for me. Deane was able to help me explore all of the possible paths forward and advocate for me where I otherwise wouldn’t have had a voice. She also impressively stayed on top of minute details of my case which I couldn’t even remember (quite impressive since I’m sure she has a large workload!). Deane was very professional, but also was supportive and empathetic to what I was personally going through. I have continued to reach out to Deane for other employment questions and have recommended her to several friends and colleagues.
Severance Negotiations
I worked with Deane Brown on different cases and we successfully resolved all of them. This was definitely attributable to her knowledge, experience being very methodical in her work, and making sure she left no stone unturned. As an employee, one feels overwhelmed to stand up to a big and resourceful corporation but working with Deane made me feel I had someone very strong that could successfully represent me and we did succeed.
I strongly recommend her.
Wrongful Termination
After talking to several lawyers, I knew Deane was the right one. She was referred to me by a friend, who is head of HR at his company, because she won so many cases! Deane walked me through the process, explained my options, and discussed the possible outcomes. She was very insightful and communicated at just the right level. Invoices were clear and billing was reasonable. Deane had a balanced approach – she held my hand when needed and pushed me when necessary. I was very happy with the outcome and have referred Deane to several friends.
Whistleblower/Wrongful termination
Deane is exactly the advocate I needed during a difficult time. She really knows her stuff and she tells it like it is. She’s compassionate, but realistic. When she was recommended to me I wasn’t sure how strong my claim was because it was so complicated. She listened, did a little research and got back to me with a plan in no time. I highly recommend Deane and HSPRD.
Employment
I was really fortunate to have been introduced to Deane at a low point in my 25+ year career. She really dug into the wrongful termination and helped me negotiate a favorable settlement package when I departed in 2021, and also reviewed new offers and provided great counsel. I would highly recommend her.
Workplace Harassment
Deane and her team did a fantastic job of walking me through the process. I was under a time constraint and her team moved quickly and we came to a mutually agreeable settlement. I have referred Deane to a few other people and have heard nothing but raves about the Deane Brown team!
Age discrimination
I had the pleasure of working with Deanne Brown when I was let go from my sales position after 25 years of service. I was a top sales producer. I was let go due to my age and Deane was the perfect attorney to represent me. She was professional, attentive and laid out my entire case beautifully. She responded quickly to all my questions and concerns. The company offered me the minimum severance until I retained Deane. She left no stone unturned and let this big company know what happened to me was not only wrong more importantly, it was illegal and we had evidence to prove it. I liked her direct no nonsense approach. I wound up settling for nearly double of the original offer. Her sound legal advice not only helped me get a severance that I was deserving, it also helped me move on during a painful period. I am married to a lawyer and he continues to applaud how Deane and her firm handled my case.
EEO infraction claim
Deane was, from the very start, approachable and engaged in my case. She did a thorough assessment of my situation and created a plan of attack in short order (required due to statute of limitations for filing). As the case unfolded, she stayed engaged and pressed for resolution when the other side was dragging their feet. Similarly, she called out red herrings, and incorrect /illogical statements made by the opposing party and leveraged these to obtain a better outcome for me. She was quite reasonable and, at no point did I feel as though she was wavering in her support for me. She is an attorney who fights for the worker, despite the size and heft of any corporate machine.
I wholeheartedly endorse her services.
Severance Package
I worked for a company for over 20 years, had a great career there and was promoted several times due to performance and leadership. Unfortunately, I was part of a workforce reduction in the middle of the pandemic. I quickly found out, it was not financial based as indicated. I was replaced immediately by a much younger woman from an overseas office, with no experience in my field of work, nor at the senior level. I received a simple standard severance package, and wasn’t even sure I had legal grounds to ask for more. Luckily, I was referred to Deane from an attorney who worked with my husband’s company. I appreciated Deane’s straight forward approach, her negotiations with my former employer and her advice. She was able to negotiate a much stronger package with higher compensation and benefits. I feel fortunate that a difficult situation worked out with a more positive outcome and I know that was possible because of her. I highly recommend Deane.
Harassment/Discrimination
I found Deane through a referral from another attorney who represented employers. I was looking for “the best” employee representative attorney in Illinois and Deane is that attorney. From the first conversation I had with Deane I knew she would help me to have a fair exit from a very difficult employment situation. Deane is a strong negotiator who kept me informed throughout the negotiation process. She was excellent at helping me understand my options and deciding what would be the best choice for my situation. Deane was very accessible and answered messages/calls seemingly 24/7. Deane has a quick witted sense of humor that I found enjoyable during this very stressful time in my life. I truly believe Deane cares about her clients.
I highly recommend Deane B. Brown to anyone who is seeking “the best” employee representative attorney in Illinois. You will be in good hands!
Claim
After finding myself in an unexpected situation having taken a job on good faith that was promised to be one thing and then turned out to be something else entirely, I found myself in a position I never expected to be in. I needed legal help.
Deane Brown was referred to me by a dear friend. From the time I engaged Deane to the time my situation was settled and beyond she was consistently empathetic and compassionate while providing me with a sound legal approach to this unforeseen circumstance. Deane and her team helped me to get to a much better place and put this situation behind me as she negotiated a suitable outcome for me.
If anyone finds themselves in a circumstance that lends itself to needing legal advice/support, I’d highly recommend Deane Brown and her team. She was highly strategic, confident, empathetic, responsive, and focused. She really helped me to navigate some very choppy waters during an incredibly difficult time in my life.
I am grateful to Deane and her team and I would highly recommend them for anyone who is needing legal support for employment issues.
Employment Discrimination and Wrongful Termination
After 9 years of service and a high level of performance, new executive management came in and started to systematically eliminate legacy employees. This was very unfair and I was lucky enough to get in contact with Deane. She was amazing right from our first call. When the time was right, she took over all communication with my employer and negotiated a severance package that was greatly in my favor! If you find yourself in a similar situation, you absolutely need to contact Deane.
Sr Executive Separation
Given a case with little in terms of a legal position, Deane achieved a remarkable and rare outcome.
She represented me, a retired executive who had joined a private company as a part time executive at the request of the CEO. My role which I held for 3 1/2 years was to help prepare the company with plans, strategies and investments for its eventual transition, for which I was paid a salary with full benefits including health insurance. No contracts, employment at will.
Upon the CEO’s unexpected death, my role was eliminated with an abrupt termination. With only expectations of long-term employment and benefits based on largely informal conversations with the late CEO, I came to Deane for help.
I essentially had no viable legal recourse, so my leverage had to come from intangibles such as reputation and confidentiality. Unfazed, Deane helped me devise a plan and approach that was perfectly balanced. I appreciated the time she took to understand the unique elements of the company and my relationship with it. In fact it was here were we found the nuances that ultimately led to the successful final resolution.
The total value of this resolution far exceeded any expectation I had, let alone one that any rational expert would have as well!
Finally, Deane was a pleasure to work with personally. She’s very professional and appropriately all-business when required, but engaging and caring as well. We had some laughs too! It was quite effective how, despite her aggressive leaning, she reigned me in to craft approaches and statements that were deft and impactful.
As I expect is the case with most clients, this was a difficult and emotional situation for me and I didn’t know what to expect. However from our first introductory call, Deane put me at ease with her straight-forward counsel, smart advice and great personality. The outcome she achieved was not only remarkable and honorable, but more importantly, protected the interests of my family in a very significant way.
I would recommend her to anyone.
Age and sex discrimination
Deane is a both a fierce advocate and a kind and empathetic person. When I messaged her at the crack of dawn on a Sunday, within minutes she messaged me back, asking that I call her. We spent probably a half an hour that very early morning discussing my case. I was astonished she would respond so quickly and with so much empathy. She knew I felt gutted. From that moment on I felt confident in her hands. She quickly educated me about the law in general and as it applied to my case. She always responded quickly to my calls. And she negotiated a stand-out settlement. There are many employment lawyers out there. I was fortunate to find one of the few who combines kindness with stellar skills. I will always feel thankful for what Deane did for me, and I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Two matters -- Employment discrimination and Board of Directors contract review
Deane Brown was highly recommended to me by a trusted colleague when I was faced with a very difficult situation at work. She was able to successfully guide me through the issues and resolve my concerns amicably. Today I am happily employed by the same firm primarily due to Deane’s expertise and professionalism.
A year later, I was offered an independent director board position and Deane was the first person I called. Again, she provided me with stellar advice regarding the director’s contract and negotiated very favorable terms for all parties.
I highly recommend Deane Brown for anything employment law related. Deane is extremely knowledgeable, personable and ethical attorney. I would trust her to represent me and my interests without hesitation.
Employment Agreement
Deane Brown is a no-nonsense, smart, extremely knowledgeable attorney. She reviewed and negotiated my employment agreement and secured everything I needed and wanted. She turned things around quickly and made sure I was protected. I highly recommend Deane for all employee matters. She is a rockstar!
Employment Issues
I have engaged Deane three times over the course of the past five years. Deane assisted me navigate some routine matters (employment agreements) as well as some unexpected and unwanted issues. I found her to be incredibly professional, responsive and crucial to my ability to achieve favorable outcomes.
I would highly recommend Deane and would employ her services again should the need arise.
Separation Agreement negotiation
Deane was a tremendous help to me during a stressful time. She provided balanced, practical and sound advice. I appreciated her direct and thoughtful approach. Deane was always available and responded timely. I attained the outcome that I was hoping for and attribute that outcome to Deane’s hard work.
I will look to leverage her expertise in the future.
Severance Agreement
Deane provided me great guidance and strategies with my severance agreement. Her knowledge and cool thinking achieved the outcome we were seeking. I highly recommend Deane she was amazing and would turn to her for future guidance and council.
Separation Agreement
Deane Brown is a passionate, caring, and savvy legal advocate for those who need the best, the brightest legal representation. You may find yourself at an unexpected professional crossroads. Deane will provide you with the legal facts to settle, arbitrate, or litigate the case. Separation agreements may include non-compete, non-solicit, confidentiality, and severance compensation. I highly recommend consulting Deane Brown regarding every aspect of executive employment.
Review and revisions to employment contracts
Deane did a great job working through each of the provisions in the proposed employment agreement as well as an equity agreement as part of some re-alignment of incentives. She was able to work through everything with counsel from the other side and we reached what I believe is a fair agreement. She was firm on things that were meant to protect my interests and did an excellent job getting those things as part of my agreements.
Employment
I am extremely happy that I reached out to Deane B. Brown when I was presented with an unsatisfactory employment separation agreement. Deane helped every step of the way, offering me meaningful advice and guidance as she negotiated with my employer, attaining a far better outcome than I could have achieved on my own. Throughout, her communication was outstanding; she was always quick to reply to my emails and was equally happy to schedule phone calls when needed. I unequivocally recommend Deane B. Brown to anyone who believes they’ve been treated less than fairly by their employer.
Separation Agreement
Excellent! Knew how to approach my case, suggestions on what has worked previously, was familiar with my company and contacts. Had the right suggestions on where we could push / be firm, and where it would be fruitless. Have made other recommendations to colleagues to work with Deane, the firm. Highly recommend.
Separation Agreement
Deane and Margaret demonstrated impeccable professionalism in assisting me with my separation agreement matter. It was a pleasure working with each of them during a very stressful time in my career – having their support gave me peace of mind that I was in great hands throughout the process.
Key highlights:
– Rapidly responsive to my questions
– Keen insight into the specific matter, with detailed research that supported our arguments
– Ability to ask the right questions to understand the nuances of a complex problem statement
– Terrific negotiators
I would not hesitate to provide my highest recommendation to Deane and Margaret.
