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Jordan W. Cowman Co-Chairs the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice’s International Employment, Immigration & Workforce Strategies group. A long-time U.S. business representative to the United Nations’ International Labor Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland, Jordan is sought after by businesses when issues arise concerning international and cross-border employment matters, corporate social responsibility, international corporate campaigns and other international labor and employment matters that arise. He has assisted clients with business combinations, merger and acquisition due diligence, and has advised clients on supply chain issues and the eradication of forced labor. Jordan is sought after by clients around the world for insight on their worldwide operations and direction on matters related to managing a global workforce. Jordan has experience tackling legal issues in 50+ countries, including Europe, Africa, South America and Asia. In the U.S., Jordan handles management-side labor and employment law advice, counseling, and litigation for a broad range of organizations. During more than two decades of practice, he has gained a national reputation for his practical, strategic approach to employment law issues.

Jordan handles diverse employment matters, including employment discrimination and wrongful termination cases, wage and hour compliance, labor arbitration cases, trade secret and non-competition cases, as well as internal corporate investigations. He also counsels employers concerning day-to-day human resources issues as well as myriad legal requirements in the workplace, particularly related to significant operational changes such as mergers, acquisitions, business relocations and reductions in force.

Concentrations

  • Corporate compliance
  • Cross-border transactions
  • International regulatory
  • Labor & employment counseling and litigation
  • Privacy and data security
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)

Capabilities

Experience

  • Institutes of Higher Learning: Assisted major university in cross-border employment matters related to international student programs.
  • Fortune 10 Company-Global Technology and Payment Processor: Representation in day-to-day international corporate compliance matters; prepared and conducted a comprehensive 18-country audit of employment practices and developed strategies to address gaps and issues; advised on implications of EU directives and changes affecting employment issues in EU and worldwide operations; advised on EU-wide works councils issues; assisted in setting up a global employee privacy and data security compliance framework with respect to cross-border data flows; advised on multi-jurisdictional employee v. independent contractor issues.
  • Large Retailer: Representation in day-to-day cross-border legal matters; revamped expatriate administration program; prepared cross-border legal documents involving expatriate movement around the world; designed and built global employment company in Hong Kong to house and administer globally mobile expatriate executives; designed cross-border attorney-client privilege protocol.
  • Software Company: Handled employment and related pre-and post-merger due diligence issues incident to a multi-jurisdiction business combination in Europe and the Far East.
  • Re-Insurance Company: Handled a 14-country reduction-in-force and incident social issues in business combination.
  • eCommerce Company: Representation in day-to-day international compliance matters; advised on and prepared global codes of conduct, EU and other data privacy directives compliance, EU works councils issues and corporate social responsibility plans.
  • Defense Contractors: Advised clients regarding treaty interpretations in the Middle East and EU-wide works council advice; European Union social law compliance, including EU directives and regulations throughout the various EU member states; business combinations, social insurance, data protection and security, strategies for maintaining attorney-client privilege in cross-border matters.
  • Energy Services Companies: Advised transnational energy services company on labor, employment and immigration laws of six Middle Eastern countries.
  • Sports Teams: Advised clients on labor and employment and compliance matters in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe and China.
  • Online Book and Retail Merchant: Advised client on international employment matters incident to sub-contractors’ actions, employee misclassification, and joint employer issues.
  • Financial Services and Communications Company: Advised client regarding international requirements for employee data privacy and achieving compliance with all the requirements in 45 worldwide locations.
  • Fruit and Food Company: Advised client on international employment matters incident to termination of executives in Central America.
  • Packaging Wholesaler: Advised client with respect to collection, use, and disposal of employee personal information and the transfer of personally identifiable information out of EU countries under the EU Data Protection Directive and Safe Harbor framework between the EU and the U.S.; handled employment litigation and administrative matters in Europe, Far East, Europe and the Middle East.
  • Sovereign Governments: Advised clients on international policy issues, including combating human trafficking, necessary changes in law and regulations; drafted changes to laws, and advised on implementation.
  • Private Equity Investment Firms: Advised client on employment aspects of acquisition of defense-industry contractor and conducted 40+ country due-diligence.
  • Mining Company: Advised client on legal and practical strategies to reduce risk of business and legal exposure in Africa; handled expatriate litigation.

°The above representations were handled by Mr. Cowman prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

  • Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • Adjunct Professor of International Business, The University of Texas at Dallas, Jindal School of Management, 2011-present

Recognition & Leadership

  • Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Labor and Employment; Employment Law - Management, 2012-2024
    • Texas' Best Lawyers, 2013
  • Listed, Chambers USA Guide, Labor & Employment, 2022-2023
    • "America’s Leading Lawyers," 2007 and 2021
  • Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Texas Super Lawyers, 2003-2006, 2008-2010 and 2016-2023
  • Listed, D Magazine, 2002, 2020
    • "Best Lawyers in Dallas," 2020
    • "Best Lawyers Under 40," 2002
  • Listed, Who’s Who Legal: Labour, Employment & Benefits, "Labour & Employment," 2016-2019, 2023
  • Team Member, a Law360 "Employment Practice Group of the Year," 2011 & 2013
  • Team Member, Corporate Board Member magazine and FTI Consulting Inc., one of "America’s Best Corporate Law Firms," 13th Annual Legal Industry Study, 2013
  • Listed, Prominent Practitioner, Practical Law Company - Which Lawyer? International Labour and Employment Law, PLC’s Labour & Employee, Benefits Handbook, 2009-Present
  • Listed, "Texas' Top Rated Lawyers," 2012
  • Listed, "Top 40 Lawyers Under 40," Texas Lawyer, 2001
  • Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0

°AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell DistinguishedSM and Martindale-Hubbell NotableSM are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell® certification procedures, standards and policies.

  • Member, State Bar of Texas
  • Member, American Bar Association
    • Vice Chair, Section of International Law, International Employment Law Committee, 2020-2021
  • Pro Bono Counsel, United Cerebral Palsy of Dallas (now Ability Connection Texas), 2003-Present
  • Pro Bono Counsel, The Confucian Lyceum, 2009-Present
  • Adjunct Professor of International Business, The University of Texas at Dallas, Jindal School of Management, 2011-present
  • Member, U.S. Council for International Business, International Labor and Employment Law Committee 2001-Present
  • Appointed Observer, International Labor Organization, "ILO Project for the Development of ILO Guidelines on Training in the Port Sector," Geneva, Switzerland, 2011
  • US Employers Delegation Business Advisor, United Nations, International Labor Organization’s Annual Labor Conference, Geneva, Switzerland, 2002-2004 and 2013
  • Presidential Chairman-Elect, Texas Business Hall of Fame, 2013-2014; Director, 2003-Present
  • Co-Founder, Exchange Program with the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China, 2005-Present
  • Board of Directors, The Dallas Assembly, 2006-Present
  • Board of Directors, The Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, 2005-Present
  • Past Chairman, Texas Lyceum Association, 2005
    • President, 2004
    • Director, 1998-2004
  • Former Board Member, Dallas Mayor’s Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities, 1996-2006

Credentials

Education
  • J.D., The University of Texas School of Law
  • B.A., The University of Texas at Austin
Clerkships
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Admissions
  • New York
  • Texas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of International Trade
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas