Sullivan & Cromwell boasts a leading executive compensation practice. The Firm advises companies, boards of directors, compensation committees, management teams and individual executives.
S&C’s advice comprises the range of compensation and benefit arrangements in extraordinary corporate events, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, IPOs, bankruptcies and leveraged buyouts in transition and succession planning. The Firm also advises on corporate governance, securities, disclosure and tax considerations.
More than 20 executive compensation group lawyers work closely with members of the Firm’s General Practice and Tax groups when special expertise might be needed.
M&A
Executive compensation and other “social issues” are often the most critical and highly negotiated aspects of a transaction. The Firm relies on its expertise in mergers and acquisitions activity, including negotiation of postmerger management structure and employment terms, implementation of new plans and evaluation of future benefit plan liabilities.
Regulatory
S&C advises clients on the impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act on executive compensation. The Group also collaborates with the Firm’s labor and employment litigators to assist clients with a range of employment issues that confront today’s businesses.
Employee Benefit Plans
Group lawyers also deploy extensive experience in the design and implementation of tax-qualified employee benefit plans and in advising on related compliance and fiduciary matters under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code. The practice includes ongoing advice to plan sponsors and advice on plan termination, mergers and other transitional issues that arise in the transactional context.