Kenneth A. Jenero is the National Business Development Partner for Holland & Knight's Labor, Employment & Benefits Practice Group, Leader of the Practice Group's Health and Life Sciences Team, and Co-Leader of the Practice Group in the firm's Chicago Office. Mr. Jenero is an experienced trial lawyer and business advisor, who has devoted his entire professional career to litigation and client counseling in all areas of labor and employment law, including:
- Union avoidance, collective bargaining, and union-management relations
- employment discrimination, civil rights and affirmative action
- wrongful discharge, retaliation and common law employment torts
- trade secrets, non-compete agreements and other post-employment restrictive covenants
- wage and hour law
- occupational safety and health
- business immigration
Labor Relations Experience. Mr. Jenero has over 29 years of traditional labor law experience. He has conducted comprehensive union avoidance training for national and regional employers; worked closely with company executives in developing and implementing union-free strategies; successfully represented employers in multiple union organizing campaigns and related representation proceedings; negotiated collective bargaining agreements; helped employers respond to strikes, picketing and other concerted activity; and represented employers in unfair labor practice proceedings, representation cases, arbitration hearings, and related federal court lawsuits.
Mr. Jenero serves as labor counsel for the Illinois Landscape Contractors Bargaining Association (ILCBA) and several of its member companies. He represents the ILCBA in collective bargaining negotiations with Local 150, International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 703, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and Local 707, National Production Workers Union. The collective bargaining agreements set the standard for unionized employers in the landscape construction and maintenance industry in Northeastern Illinois. Mr. Jenero counsels the employer members of the Joint Grievance Committee, which is responsible for resolving grievances under the ILCBA contracts. He also provides ongoing advice to the ILCBA and its members on a wide variety of labor issues, including jurisdictional disputes, strikes and picketing, prevailing wage disputes, project labor agreements, and trust fund audits and litigation.
National Practice. Mr. Jenero represents private and public sector employers on a nationwide basis before arbitrators, administrative agencies, and state and federal courts at all levels. He has successfully represented employers in labor and employment litigation, unfair labor practice proceedings, arbitration hearings, and non-compete cases in twenty-four states, including Illinois, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, Kansas, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Ohio, Oklahoma, Missouri, New Mexico, California, Oregon, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Nevada.
Representative Industries. Mr. Jenero's practice has encompassed many industries, including manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, temporary staffing, transportation and inter-modal operations, construction, landscaping, environmental services and recycling, security, insurance, financial services, not-for-profit organizations, commercial printing, retail, travel and tourism, hospitality, restaurants and food service, and professional services. Throughout his career, Mr. Jenero has served as outside labor and employment counsel for a wide range of business clients, including large publicly-held companies, middle market companies, and family-owned businesses.
Healthcare Experience. Mr. Jenero is the leader of the Labor & Employment Practice Group's Health & Life Sciences Team and a member of the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys. He has represented a wide variety of health care clients, including hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, home health providers, vocational and residential service providers, pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers. His experience includes drafting employment agreements, employee leasing agreements, and staffing agreements for health care employers; conducting labor and employment due diligence in connection with the acquisition of health care companies; representing health care employers in employment-related litigation in state and federal courts, labor arbitrations, and government enforcement actions; working with health care employers to develop and implement union-free strategies; and drafting and enforcing health care industry non-compete agreements.
Representative Engagements