We offer unsurpassed depth and breadth of experience and exceptional, personalized client service. We focus on providing practical, strategic solutions to addressing legal and compliance issues in these complex specialty areas. 

Our Prestigious Client Base

Vedder Price is proud to boast a client base that reads like a “who’s who” of public and private companies, along with their boards and compensation committees, management teams and individual executives. We also have extensive experience with middle-market companies and high-potential start-ups. In addition, we serve investment managers and advisers who count on us for skilled guidance on complex issues related to the management of retirement plan assets. 

Executive Compensation

We have exceptional knowledge and skill in all areas of executive compensation, including employment agreements, equity-based and other annual and long-term incentive plans, deferred compensation, severance and change-in-control arrangements, indemnification matters, restrictive covenant issues, SEC disclosure and tax considerations. 

We have extensive experience guiding companies, boards and compensation committees in the design of effective, shareholder-sensitive compensation programs that meet the needs of the company, management and shareholders. We combine a solid understanding of the compensation committee’s fiduciary duty with an equally solid understanding of the concerns of top-tier executives due to our extensive representation of individual executives. 

We assist private equity firms and management teams in the negotiation, design and implementation of executive compensation arrangements. These arrangements are often complex, involving LLCs, Limited Partnerships, or other specialty entities, and are often heavily focused on equity-based rollover and incentive compensation.

Employee Benefits

Employee benefit plans represent significant payroll dollars and are a critical component of a company’s human resources strategy. We work with our clients to help them structure and administer their retirement and welfare benefit plans, not only with a focus on navigating a myriad of compliance matters, such as tax, fiduciary, securities, federal and state substantive benefits regulations, reporting and disclosure, and litigation risk, but also with consideration of the financial and human resources implications of these plans, including effective employee communications. 

We focus on employee benefits issues connected to mergers and acquisitions, corporate spin-offs and workforce reductions. Our attorneys have rich and unique experience in legacy benefit issues, including matters related to pension de-risking, retiree medical coverage and employer participation in, and withdrawal from, multiemployer plans. 

We also work with both investment committees and with investment managers and advisors on complex issues associated with managing ERISA plan assets.

Thought Leadership and Industry Recognition

Vedder Price is recognized by our clients and the industry for providing invaluable thought leadership in the fields of executive compensation and employee benefits. We continually receive national and state recognition from leading industry groups and publications, such as The American Lawyer – Am Law 250, The Legal 500, Chambers USA, U.S. News – Best Lawyers’ “Best Law Firms,” Who’s Who Legal, Fellows of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, The College of Labor & Employment Lawyers and Leading Lawyers. Whatever the challenge, Vedder Price brings a wealth of experience and industry-leading capabilities, together with a practical approach to meet the compensation and employee benefits goals of companies, compensation committees and senior executives.