Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits

Our Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits attorneys bring unique expertise and experience that is drawn from legal, consulting and accounting backgrounds. We understand the various challenges organizations face in providing compensation programs that are competitive, tax efficient and in compliance with applicable rules and regulations. Our attorneys understand the critical role retirement and health & welfare programs play in attracting and retaining talented employees and executives, and the complexities of maint­aining the tax and ERISA compliance of the Company and plan fiduciaries.

Executive Compensation

Our attorneys advise on the strategy, design, and implementation of innovative executive compensation programs. We advise on a number of executive compensation arrangements and related issues, including:

  • Executive Employment Agreements
  • Cash-Based Compensation Plans
  • Equity Compensation Plans
  • Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans
  • Change in Control and Severance Arrangements
  • Corporate Governance and Regulatory Compliance

Employee Benefits

We also advise on the implementation and operation of executive and employee retirement and health & welfare plans, and assist with any resulting controversies, including ERISA litigation. If litigation does arise, our Employee Benefits attorneys leverage the strength of our multi-practice firm, working closely with our Employment & Labor and ERISA Litigation Practices to defend employers, plan sponsors, fiduciaries, insurers, and service providers in litigation. We counsel clients on a wide range of benefits matters, including:

Qualified Retirement Plans, such as defined benefit pension, 401(k), employee stock ownership (including ESOPs) life insurance funded executive retirement arrangements, and other defined contribution plans; and

Health & Welfare Benefit Plans, such as healthcare and medical expense, life and disability insurance, dependent care, severance pay, educational assistance and fringe benefit plans.

Transaction Support

As executive compensation and employee benefits issues often arise in many corporate transactions, our attorneys work seamlessly with our Corporate Practice in mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions. Our attorneys assist in the due diligence and post-transaction integration. Our goal is to help clients achieve their business objectives and at the same time comply with all applicable tax and regulatory requirements.