Employment, Compensation & Benefits
About
We understand the pressures that today's companies, boards of directors, compensation committees, management teams and individual executives face. We will help guide you through the myriad of challenges. Often the main challenge is complying with rapidly changing legal requirements that vary widely from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Our clients come to us for strategic, board-level advice on crucial employment, compensation and benefits-related issues, as well as day-to-day support on complex issues around the globe.
Matching your global needs
A large number of our clients are growing their businesses globally and we are heavily involved in helping them do so. We approach all our clients’ needs with one global team, whether these needs are employment, compensation or benefits-related, providing a seamless commercial approach that matches the way that our clients operate.
With around 50 ECB lawyers across 18 offices including New York, Silicon Valley, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Tokyo, and other key business locations, we partner with our clients to develop bespoke, state-of-the-art solutions to meet their critical business needs.
We advise across the full spectrum of employment, compensation and benefits issues, including advisory and transactional, contentious and non-contentious. This includes advising on issues from executive compensation, employment, incentives, labour, employee relations, disputes, HR policies and privacy, to restructuring, pensions and immigration.
We are at the cutting edge of industry trends and market practice, identifying legal and regulatory developments globally that may affect our clients' businesses. No matter how complex or challenging the issue is, our clients turn to us for our in-depth knowledge and proven track record of results.
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AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Listed: Tal Marnin, Henrik Patel
Lawdragon 2021 directory of 500 leading US Corporate Employment Lawyers
"The team members work hand-in-hand, thus very efficiently. Vast experience, profound knowledge, specialists per subject within the team. Great communication, pro-activity and immense dedication.""Global support from the whole practice, given our different jurisdictions. This is done in a seamless way."
"Employment law team works closely with the firm's M&A practice but is also intensifying its cooperation with the energy practice. Handling insolvency-related employment law work is another demonstration of the team's cross-departmental approach."
The Legal 500: Employment 2020
Experience
Digital Realty
Employment, compensation & benefits aspects of the US$874 million acquisition of eight premium European data centers
We represented Digital Realty, a leading global provider of data centre, colocation and interconnection solutions, on its acquisition of eight high quality, carrier-neutral data centres across Europe and subsequent sale of a further data centre to the seller. The Employment, Compensation & Benefits team advised on all relevant aspects of the transaction, including the transfer of employees in each jurisdiction.
Avast Software
Employment, compensation & benefits aspects of the purchase of AVG by Avast Software
We represented private equity-backed security software maker Avast Software on the purchase of AVG Technologies NV for $1.3 billion in cash, in a bid to add scale and technological depth. The Employment, Compensation & Benefits team advised on all relevant aspects of the transaction, including consultation obligations, executive incentive arrangements and due diligence.
Directors of City Link
Successful on major national first prosecution of its kind
We have advised the directors of City Link, the British next day courier company based in Coventry, who were found not guilty of a criminal offence under the Trade Union & Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. In this high profile case, which hit the national press in November 2015, our ECB team successfully defended the directors in the first prosecution that has ever been brought under the relevant section in the 23 years it has been on the statute books.
Evonik Industries
Global advisory on its employee share purchase plan
We provide ongoing advice to Evonik, one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals, on the design and global implementation of its employee stock purchase plan. The plan was awarded "The 2015 Best Plan Communication Award" by GEO, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding of equity compensation worldwide.
HgCapital portfolio companies
Employment, compensation & benefits aspects of HgCapital's acquisition
We have advised HgCapital, a sector-focused private equity firm that invests in the European middle-market, on the acquisition of The Foundry TopCo Ltd, a leading provider of award-winning software used globally by creative professionals. Advising on the employment and benefits aspects of the acquisition included conducting diligence, amending executive contracts of employment and providing post-transaction assistance on the recruitment of senior executives and guidance on consultancy arrangements.
Omnicare Inc.
Employment, compensation & benefits aspects of US$12.7 billion sale to CVS Health Corporation
We represented Omnicare Inc. in this transformative M&A transaction, for one of the leading companies in the health care industry. The Employment, Compensation & Benefits team was intimately involved in all relevant aspects of the transaction, including working to structure appropriate incentives to mitigate the impact of Section 280G on Omnicare's senior executives.
Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC
Employment, compensation & benefits aspects of US$2.65 billion acquisition of generic drug business of Boehringer Ingelheim
We represented global client Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (Hikma) on the employment, compensation and benefits aspects of its US$2.65 billion acquisition of the US-based generic drugs businesses, Roxane Laboratories and Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane from German drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim. Our team was heavily involved in the negotiation of the purchase agreement as well as amendment of various executive agreements in connection with this transaction.
