Fisher Phillips Acquires Blue Pencil Box and Brings on Founder, Jonathan Crook, as Partner

Fisher Phillips, an international labor and employment law firm representing employers, is pleased to announce that it has acquired Blue Pencil Box, a legal technology company providing knowledge management solutions to assist companies in drafting, administering, and analyzing non-compete agreements and other restrictive covenants. And, as part of the acquisition, Fisher Phillips welcomes Blue Pencil Box founder, Jonathan Crook, to the firm as a Partner.

Blue Pencil Box offerings will fall under fpSOLUTIONS, an innovative new venture that provides easy access to cost-effective HR solutions, including customizable documents, checklists, forms, handbooks and compliance toolkits powered by Fisher Phillips and backed by a comprehensive suite of consulting services including human resource support.

 “We have seen unprecedented regulatory efforts targeting non-compete agreements and other restrictive covenants. Employers have a challenging task in staying ahead of the shifting legal landscape to successfully draft, administer, and analyze these critical business protection agreements,” said John Polson, Chairman and Managing Partner of Fisher Phillips. “By acquiring Blue Pencil Box, we can now provide the best available knowledge, tools, and technology to help employers protect their most valuable assets while remaining legally compliant in a difficult regulatory environment.”

“I am thrilled to join forces with Fisher Phillips and fpSOLUTIONS. The firm is a national employment law powerhouse and a true leader in legal innovation. We share a commitment to improving the practice of law through technology,” said Jonathan. “I am excited to bring Blue Pencil Box and my combination of legal and business experience to Fisher Phillips’ international market.”

As founder of Blue Pencil Box, Jonathan built innovative solutions and cutting-edge knowledge management in restrictive covenant law, all while managing the business challenges of a new startup. Before founding Blue Pencil Box, Jonathan was an associate at one of the big four labor and employment law firms where he was responsible for both prosecuting and defending against unfair competition claims and drafting restrictive covenant agreements for clients across a broad range of industries. While at that firm, he went on to serve as a knowledge management attorney spearheading national restrictive covenant drafting and review projects and developing internal best practices.

At Fisher Phillips, Jonathan will work closely with the firm’s Employee Defection and Trade Secrets (EDTS) Practice Group representing employers in restrictive covenant and trade secrets matters. Using his business and legal experience, he will craft bespoke restrictive covenant programs and help implement frameworks to anticipate, prevent, and detect employee theft.

Jonathan was selected to North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars from 2019 to 2023 and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America in 2021 for Labor and Employment Law - Management. He graduated magna cum laude from Elon University School of Law where he served as Online Editor for the Elon Law Review. Jonathan served as a law clerk at the North Carolina Court of Appeals before going into private practice.