This was my 25th article published in CEOWORLD. Earlier this year, the editor advised that I can add CEOWORLD magazine in my LinkedIn profile’s “Experience Section” as an “Opinion Columnist.” and authority in the field.
​See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/

This article, my most recent, published October 30, is designed for CEOs, C-level and senior executives, for whom equity can often be the most valuable part of their executive compensation package.  The article addresses the question – what happens to that equity position if you face employment termination – and offers tips for severance negotiations over equity, including

• What to include in your offer letter or executive employment agreement when you join the company?
• What to seek in a change-of-control / retention situation?
• What to negotiate for on employment termination?
• The importance of equity in your severance negotiations.

In discussing equity severance negotiations at the time of employment termination, my article raises using your leverage in employment separation negotiations including

• Legal claims you may have against your company related to wrongful termination of employment,
• Termination transition services and support the company may desire from you,
• Cooperation to sign a lock-up agreement or other documents or actions post-termination.

To see my full CEOWorld magazine. article, go to LINK:
     https://ceoworld.biz/2019/10/30/executive-equity-compensation-in-severance-negotiations/

Or on my website at 
     https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/executive-equity-compensation-in-severance-negotiations/

With more than 12.4+ million-page views, CEOWORLD magazine is the world’s leading business magazine written strictly for CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, senior management executives, business leaders, and high net worth individuals worldwide.

     https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceomagazine/

The editor has also advised that I can add CEOWORLD magazine in my LinkedIn profile’s “Experience Section” as an “Opinion Columnist.” and authority in the field. 

     See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/

It is my hope that this article will be helpful to CEOs, COOs, CMOs, other C-Level and senior executives to provide for appropriate terms to protect their equity rights in any present or future severance negotiations.  If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at [email protected].

Last week, on March 27, 2019, CEOWorld magazine published an article I wrote on “From Founder-CEO to CTO or CSO:  Key Protections in Succession Planning When You Face the Founder’s Dilemma” The magazine advised me that I can use “Featured in the CEOWORLD magazine” and the CEOWORLD “Logo” on my website.  

This article is designed for founder or co-founder  CEOs of successful companies in the innovation economy who may be asked and even pressured by VCs to let a “professional” CEO take your place at the helm to scale the company to the next level, with you to then step aside to fall back to take a CTO or CSO position in what had been your company.

This article discusses how and why this situation called the “Founder’s Dilemma” occurs, and then goes on to offer advice to the founder CEO who will transition to the CTO or CSO role.  My article suggests key Founder protections including:

• Minority shareholder protections including for information, against dilution and cash-out rights;
• Exercise rights over options, vesting of shares;
• Back licenses of technology, office support;
• Board representation or observer rights,
• Severance pay, post-termination benefits, coverages and consulting,
• Negotiation of non-compete, non-solicitation, other restrictions.

​My article also discusses protections for the founder CEO and the company in choice of your Board, choice of investors and the founder taking a big role in selection of your successor CEO and transition.

To see my full CEOWorld magazine. article, go to LINK:  https://ceoworld.biz/2019/03/27/from-founder-ceo-to-cto-or-cso-key-protections-in-succession-planning-when-you-face-the-founders-dilemma/
Or on my website at
https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/from-founder-ceo-to-cto-or-cso-key-protections-in-succession-planning-when-you-face-the-founders-dilemma/

On January 28, 2019, CEOWorld magazine published an article I wrote on “Negotiating Your CSO or CTO Employment Agreement”  The magazine advised me that I can use “Featured in the CEOWOLRD magazine” and the CEOWORLD “Logo” on my website. 

This article was designed for Chief Technology Officers or Chief Technical Officers (CTOs) of  software, robotics, e-commerce or other technology-based companies or for Chief Scientific Officers or Chief Medical Officers (CSOs) of a biotechnology, medical device, healthcare or other life science companies, who, when negotiating a new  job offer or employment contract or terms of executive compensation need to give attention to essential employment terms relevant to their critical C-level positions in these fast growing and changing industries.

Among the important terms for CTO and CSO employment contracts discussed in the article are the following:

• Scope of authority, levels of support, interface with related enabling departments,
• Company reputation, mission, financials and other representations on which you are relying to take this job offer,
• Equity compensation in scope and form matched to your position, stage of company and potential tax issues and
• Protection to assure that inventions, software tools and ideas developed on your own are not transferred to the new employer without special consideration.

Finally, at the end, this article is demarcated as a guide primarily to the CSO or CTO with a new job offer.

In the late Spring 2019, I plan to write a separate article whose target audience is also CSOs and CTOs, but this time company founders and former CEOs.  These are executives who moved to the CSO or CTO position after a successful launch was achieved, VC money invested and a new “professional” CEO has been or is to be, recruited to scale the company to the next level of growth.  That Spring article will focus on the key protections such founder CTOs and CSOs should seek in this corporate transition.

To see my full CEOWorld magazine. article, go to

LINK:  https://ceoworld.biz/2019/01/28/negotiating-your-new-cso-or-cto-employment-agreement/ 
or on my website at https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/negotiating-your-new-cso-or-cto-employment-agreement/

With more than 12.4+ million page views, CEOWORLD magazine is the world’s leading business magazine written strictly for CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, senior management executives, business leaders, and high net worth individuals worldwide.

It is my hope that this article will be helpful to CSOs, CTOs and other senior executives who are in tech and life science industries who are negotiating new job offers, employment contracts or executive compensation packages and should pay attention to the essential contract terms discussed in my article. If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at [email protected] or call 617-875-8665.


About Robert A. Adelson, Esq.
Robert A. Adelson, Esq. is a corporate and tax attorney and partner at Engel & Schultz LLP, Boston, Massachusetts. He represents C-Level executives and key employees in negotiations over executive employment terms, equity, compensation, relocation, retention and separation agreements, severance packages, and where necessary suits over wrongful termination. 

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