Overview
Peter Mee practices transactional labor and employment law by assisting clients on national and international corporate transactions, negotiating and drafting complex employment agreements, onboarding executives, conducting reductions-in-force, and managing executive separations. His practice covers all employment-related items arising during the lifecycle of mergers and acquisitions. Peter specifically works on due diligence, employment components of purchase agreements, transition services and contribution agreements, and other supportive deal documents relating to employee migration and retention.
Peter also counsels clients on a variety of employment law compliance matters including harassment prevention, anti-discrimination, litigation avoidance, restrictive covenant enforcement, and wage and hour matters. He regularly assists clients with matters and investigations arising in the "me-too" era, including avoidance of and response to executive wrongdoing. Peter draws upon his significant background in employment litigation in his transactional and counseling practices. He is a key member of Kirkland’s COVID-19 task force and advises clients on numerous compliance matters in this evolving landscape. He is adept at helping clients navigate complex issues associated with the pandemic, including returning employees to work after government shutdowns, addressing vaccine compliance issues, implementing workforce reductions, ensuring employment law compliance, evaluating safety measures, and minimizing liability risk.
Experience
Representative Matters
Since joining Kirkland & Ellis, Peter has been involved in the following:
Counseling Representations
- COVID-19 compliance, including operational advice, litigation avoidance, risk mitigation, vaccine compliance and mandates, regulatory interpretation and guidance, dispute resolution, and return-to-work efficiencies.
- Executive performance and disciplinary measures.
- Complex employee and partnership separation agreements.
- Advice regarding multiple discrimination-based and wage/hour litigation matters.
- Voluntary and involuntary reductions in force.
- Managing internal investigations regarding C-Suite misconduct, sexual harassment, and fiduciary duty violations.
- Wage and hour audits and compliance, including reclassification of employees and independent contractors.
- Drafting and enforcement of restrictive covenants in multiple jurisdictions.
- Coordination of multidisciplinary counseling exercises in partnership with Kirkland specialists in Executive Compensation, Employee Benefits, Government Contracts, Environmental, Healthcare, and Litigation.
Corporate Transaction Representations
- National and International mergers and acquisitions for leading private equity firms.
- Public and private strategic transactions.
- Carve-outs and joint ventures.
- SPAC and DE-SPAC transactions.
Exemplar Transactions include:
- Guidon Operating LLC in the divestiture of all leasehold interests and related assets to Diamondback Energy, Inc. for a mixture of cash and shares of Diamondback common stock.
- Robert Redford, the actor, filmmaker and conservationist, and his affiliate Sundance Partners in connection with the sale of the Sundance Mountain Resort to Broadreach Capital Partners and Cedar Capital Partners.
- CC Capital and Motive Partners on their acquisition of Wilshire Associates.
- ABRY Partners in its growth equity investment in Tuck.com, an online mattress and health referral website operator of sites including tuck.com, sleep.org and testing.com.
- Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. and its affiliates, in its Chapter 11 restructuring in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
- Collier Creek Holdings, a special purpose acquisition company, on its agreement to combine with Utz Quality Foods, LLC, a leading U.S. manufacturer of branded salty snacks, to form Utz Brands, Inc.
- Clearhaven Partners LP in its acquisition of TimeTrade Systems, Inc.
- 3i Group plc in its investment in Magnitude Software, Inc., a provider of unified application data management solutions.
- Tailwind Capital acquisition of International Sports Sciences Association, an e-learning platform for the fitness and wellness industry, from the BERKS Group.
- Nordic Capital Fund X with the signing of its agreement to acquire United Veterinary Care, a collection of veterinary hospitals across the U.S.
- E2open Parent Holdings, Inc. on its acquisition of BluJay Solutions, a leading cloud-based logistics execution platform.
- Nordic Capital and Astorg Partners in their joint agreement to acquire Cytel, Inc., a leading global provider of clinical trial design technology, biometric services, and advanced analytics.
- Bain Capital Tech Opportunities in its investment in When I Work, a leading SaaS employee scheduling, time-tracking and team messaging platform.
- ABRY Partners in its acquisition of Best Lawyers, a global digital media company that provides ranking and marketing services to providers of legal services, from Levine Leichtman Capital Partners.
- H.I.G. Capital and Audax on H.I.G.’s strategic investment in Mobileum, Inc. to help the company accelerate technology investments and growth enabled by the rollout of 5G technologies and private networks across the world.
- Parthenon Capital on its strategic investment in Cherry Bekaert’s business advisory practices through an alternative practice structure.
- MHS Global and Fortna on their combination to form a multibillion-dollar, multinational company providing parcel, warehouse and distribution, and lifecycle services.
- Oak View Group on its acquisition of Spectrum Catering, Concessions & Event Services – a food service and hospitality company that specializes in major sporting events, music festivals, and artist and tour catering — to grow its OVG Hospitality division.
- TZP Group in the sale of its portfolio company Family Entertainment Group Holdings to H.I.G. Capital. Family Entertainment group is a leading designer, developer, and operator of amusement facilities.
Pro Bono Representations
- Drafted Executive Employment Agreement for NYC-based organization devoted to the advancement of women in corporate America.
- Assisted with internal investigation for prominent entertainment industry organization.
- Developed employee handbook and ancillary policies for Chicago, Illinois student engagement enterprise.
- Ongoing COVID-19 compliance advice for national organization housing and educating at-risk youth.
- Policy development and risk mitigation advice for Boston, Massachusetts community enrichment center.
- Advised on personnel matters for California school focusing on providing opportunities for socially and economically disadvantaged youth.
- Member of the Board of Directors of Special Olympics Massachusetts.
Prior Experience
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Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
Courts
- United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
Education
- Northeastern University School of LawJ.D.2009
- Boston College2004