Robert Adelson, Esq.
  • Blog
  • About

Executive Retention Packages – Terms and Negotiations

10/12/2022

0 Comments

 
On October 7, 2022, the executive career advancement website IvyExec published an article I wrote on “Executive Retention Packages – Terms and Negotiations.”

This new article is designed for CEOs, CMOs, CSOs, CTOs and other C-suite and senior executives in technology and life sciences, and in other areas of the economy.  This article  might also be of benefit to many directors and mid-level executives.  In each case, this article is directed to executives being recruited and who have now or anticipate soon receiving, an attractive offer to move on, yet who, at the same time, are also critical to their current company.  It is in that circumstance this article suggests how your current company might provide a significant retention package for you to stay or to at least work with them to delay the full impact of your complete departure.

This frequently occurs when the company is “in play”. However, besides this change of control situation, my article discusses a number of other circumstances where executive retention negotiations occur, including where:
  • The company is nearing a critical milestone, necessary for a funding round,
  • The company is planning its IPO and needs an executive lockup,
  • The executive has close relationships with key accounts and the company fears a significant loss of business,
  • The executive has close relationships with key management and performers in the company and fears a significant attrition,
  • The executive as an inventor, innovator and technologist has a critical role in product creation, maintenance or development, or
  • The executive has achieved a level of notoriety such that his or her loss could have a negative impact on perception of the company within the customer or business community where the company operates.
My article also discusses how to raise the issue of executive retention, how to negotiate and frame the executive retention package as a mutually beneficial “win-win” for the executive and the company, and finally the key terms to seek in your executive retention agreement.

To see my full IvyExec career advancement website article, go to LINK: https://www.ivyexec.com/career-advice/2022/executive-retention-packages-terms-and-negotiations/

Or on my website at https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/executive-retention-packages-terms-and-negotiations/

IvyExec hosts articles and webinars from experts in the career, leadership, and business spaces who wish to share their knowledge with our audience. In April 2021, I was invited to write for IvyExec since it seeks original content on the topics of career development, leadership, and business strategy as it applies to senior-level and C-Suite professionals. IvyExec blog posts and webinars are shared with its community of more than 2 million members on its website, in its newsletter, and on its social media channels. https://www.ivyexec.com/career-advice/write-for-us/
IvyExec claims a “Community of 2.5M+ Leaders”.

See also – https://www.ivyexec.com/

It is my hope that this article will be helpful to CEOs, CMOs, CSOs, CTOs and other C-suite and senior executives in technology and life sciences, who are being recruited and have now, or anticipate soon receiving, an attractive offer to move on, yet are also critical to their current company, where the current company might provide a significant retention package for the executive to stay. If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at rob@attorneyadelson.com.
0 Comments

A Change of Control Agreement Saves the Day When Your Company Is In Play

12/29/2021

0 Comments

 
Two and a half weeks ago, on Thursday December 16, 2021, the website Ivy Exec published under executive “Advancing” an article I wrote on “A Change of Control Agreement Saves the Day When Your Company Is in Play”.
​

This new article is designed not only for C-level and senior executives, but even for many directors and mid-level executives, whose companies are now “in play” — that there may be a sale of the company with new owners and to some extent a whole new successor employer.
Signing a Change of Control Agreement
My article first discusses this situation faced by the executives, then advocates self-assessment of your role and importance in the pre-deal and post deal environment, and finally the importance of establishing your role and rights in a retention / change of control agreement. Among the key elements of that agreement are the following:
  • Significant equity of the target company to the executive
  • Liquidity for the executive on the levels of liquidity offered owners
  • Properly structured equity, tax favored for capital gain taxation
  • Proper severance in the event of early termination after the acquisition
  • Ability to trigger severance if the executive’s position or responsibilities are reduced
  • Proper structuring to avoid potential excise tax for parachute payments under IRC §280G.

To see my full IvyExec Career Advice website article, go to LINK https://www.ivyexec.com/career-advice/2021/a-change-of-control-agreement-saves-the-day-when-your-company-is-in-play/
Or on my website at https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/a-change-of-control-agreement-saves-the-day-when-your-company-is-in-play/

IvyExec hosts articles and webinars from experts in the career, leadership, and business spaces who wish to share their knowledge with our audience. In April 2021, I was invited to write for IvyExec since it seeks original content on the topics of career development, leadership, and business strategy as it applies to senior-level and C-Suite professionals. IvyExec blog posts and webinars are shared with its community of more than 2 million members on its website, in its newsletter, and on its social media channels. https://www.ivyexec.com/career-advice/write-for-us/

It is my hope that this article will be of benefit to VPs, directors and senior executives who have are trying to navigate a change in control in their companies. My article suggests terms and approaches to each of you and thus I hope will provide you a benefit in your negotiations.
​
Feel free to tweet or share this article. If you or any colleague of yours needs assistance in negotiating a change of control situation, please do reach out to me.
0 Comments

Adelson & Associates, LLC: New law firm and address, but Continuity in my Growing Law Practice for 2020 and Beyond

1/14/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
We begin this new year 2020 with a new law firm and a new downtown Boston address, but, at the same time, with full continuity for my growing law practice, which saw its best year in 2019.

Here is more information on the new firm:

Robert A. Adelson is now the Principal of Adelson & Associates, LLC.  For fifteen (15) years, from October 2004 through December 2019, Robert Adelson practiced law as a partner of Engel & Schultz, LLP, and at the same time referred legal work to his associates, that is to trusted and experienced colleagues of Mr. Adelson’s including several of his former law partners. However, in December 2019, the lead partners of the Engel & Schultz LLP law firm announced they would go into semi-retirement, go their separate ways, and the office lease would expire in January 2020.  In response, Robert Adelson formed Adelson & Associates, LLC in December 2019 and commenced the new law firm’s operations on January 1, 2020, with the new law firm, Adelson & Associates, LLC, from that date and going forward, taking over all current Robert Adelson clients and matters, as well as all referral of legal work to associates of Robert Adelson.

Commencing tomorrow, 1/15/2020, the address for the new law firm Adelson & Associates, LLC will be 101 Federal Street, Suite 1900, Boston, MA 02110 (another premier Class A office building across the street from our prior building, One Federal Street, with our new offices, this time, on the 19th floor rather than the 21st floor).
The office phone number (617-951-9980 ext 205) and fax number (617-951-0048) are, for the present, those of Engel & Schultz LLP.  However, by the end of January 2020, it is expected the new office phone and fax for Adelson & Associates, LLC will be in place.  If any question arises in this period, when trying to reach Robert Adelson by phone, please use the direct Mobile phone number which remains unchanged and will continue in full use now and going forward  (617-875-8665).

The email for Robert Adelson ( radelson@engelschultz.com ) is, for the present, his  Engel & Schultz LLP email.  The new domain for Adelson & Associates, LLC has been established, and Robert Adelson’s new email is rob@attorneyadelson.com.  However, the seamless migration of radelson@engelshultz.com to rob@attorneyadelson.com  has not yet been completed.  By the end of January 2020, it is expected that the email migration will be completed.  So, until you are advised that the email migration has been completed or you begin to receive email from the new email address, please continue to use radelson@engelshultz.com for all email communications to Robert Adelson.

Our website remains essentially unchanged, with the same internet address – www.executiveemploymentattorney.com.  In marketing, our new shingle and brand will give greater emphasis to my website and marketing emphasis:  “Adelson & Associates, LLC – Executive Employment Attorney.”  The webpage, established for me at CEOWorld magazine, too will remain largely unchanged.  The web address remains –http://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/ .  At that address, you will have a link to over twenty-five (25) articles Robert Adelson has written over the last few years and published in CEOWorld magazine.  These are articles on executive job offers, restricted stock and stock options, RSUs, executive bonus structures, change of control, executive retention agreements, wrongful termination and constructive termination and many other subjects of interest to CEOs, CFOs, CSOs, CTOs, COOs, VPs and other senior executives in industries ranging from financial institutions, retailers and manufacturers to software, medical devices and biotechnology companies.  From his contributions, Robert Adelson has been recognized by the magazine as an opinion columnist and authority in this field for the CEOWORLD Magazine.

At the same time, Robert Adelson continues to represent a number of small companies, company founders, entrepreneurs and independent consultants.  That will not change. Robert Adelson will continue those representations and accept new clients in those areas who seek me out. However, the Adelson & Associates, LLC marketing emphasis and the majority of its law practice growth is expected to occur in the representation of CEOs, C-level and senior executive in executive employment, executive equity compensation, retention and separation situations.

It has been our pleasure to serve you over the past 15 years under the firm name Engel & Schultz LLP, and we very much look forward to continuing to serve you under our new shingle, Adelson & Associates, LLC.

If you have a question or comment on my new law firm, please don’t hesitate to call or email Robert Adelson.  Also, if business or pleasure finds you in the Post Office Square area of Boston’s downtown Financial District, and you would like to check out our new offices, please give a call or shoot us an email, and, as Ernie Boch Jr would say, “Come on down!”

Best regards,
Rob Adelson
ROBERT A. ADELSON, ESQ.
Adelson & Associates, LLC / Executive Employment Attorney
101 Federal Street, 19th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Office: (617) 951-9980 EXT. 205
Mobile :  (617) 875-8665
FAX:  (617) 951-0048
E-mail:  radelson@engelschultz.com
Blog:  https://robadelson.wordpress.com/
Twitter:  @AttorneyAdelson
Webpage : www.executiveemploymentattorney.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-adelson-b8a1557/

0 Comments

Negotiating Executive Retention Agreement Terms to Protect Your Interests

5/13/2019

0 Comments

 
On April 26, 2019, CEOWorld magazine published an article I wrote on “Negotiating Executive Retention Agreement Terms to Protect Your Interests” The magazine advised me that I can use “Featured in the CEOWORLD magazine” and the CEOWORLD “Logo” on my website. 
Picture
This article is designed for CEOs, CMOs, CSOs, CTOs and other C-suite and senior executives in technology and life sciences, who are being recruited and have now, or anticipate soon receiving, an attractive offer to move on, yet are also critical to their current company, where your current company might provide a significant retention package for you to stay.

This frequently occurs when the company is “in play”.  However, besides this change of control situation, my article discusses a number of other circumstances where executive retention negotiations occur, including where:
  • The company is nearing a critical milestone, necessary for a funding round,
  • The company is planning its IPO and needs an executive lockup,
  • The executive has close relationships with key accounts and the company fears a significant loss of business,
  • The executive has close relationships with key management and performers in the company and fears a significant attrition,
  • The executive as an inventor, innovator and technologist has a critical role in product creation, maintenance or development, or
  • The executive has achieved a level of notoriety such that his or her loss could have a negative impact on perception of the company within the customer or business community where the company operates.

My article also discusses how to raise the issue of executive retention, how to negotiate and frame the executive retention package as a mutually beneficial “win-win” for the executive and the company, and finally the key terms to seek in your executive retention agreement.

To see my full CEOWorld magazine. article, go to LINK:  https://ceoworld.biz/2019/04/26/negotiating-executive-retention-agreement-terms-to-protect-your-interests/
Or on my website https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/executive-retention-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 CEOs, CMOs, CSOs, CTOs and other C-suite and senior executives in technology and life sciences, who are being recruited and have now, or anticipate soon receiving, an attractive offer to move on, yet are also critical to their current company, where the current company might provide a significant retention package for the executive to stay.   If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at
radelson@engelschultz.com.

Robert A. Adelson, Esq. is a business and tax attorney, and partner in the firm Engel & Schultz LLP in Boston, MA.  He has an advanced LLM degree in the law of Taxation from NYU and has for more than 20 years represented CEOs, C-Suite and senior executives across the country in issues of senior executive employment including terms of equity, executive compensation package, severance agreement, change of control, restrictive covenants and other key executive issues. 
0 Comments

Change of control agreements – A quick guide for CEOs, CFOs, and other senior executives

12/27/2018

0 Comments

 
You are a C-suite officer or senior executive and your company is "in play" and may be acquired.  How do you protect yourself  or even advance your position in the event of a "successful" acquisition and change in control of your company?
My article on this subject was published March 1, 2016 by CEOWorld magazine.
The article first discusses this situation faced by CEOs. COOs, CTOs, CMOs and other C-Suite and senior executives, then advocates self-assessment of your role and importance in the pre-deal and post deal environment, and finally the importance of establishing your role and rights in a retention / change of control agreement.
Among the key elements of that agreement are the following:
  • Significant equity of the target company to the executive,
  • Liquidity for the executive on the levels of liquidity offered owners
  • Properly structured equity, tax favored for capital gain taxation
  • Proper severance in the event of early termination after the acquisition
  • The ability to trigger severance if the executive's position or responsibilities are reduced
  • Proper structuring to avoid potential excise tax for parachute payments under IRC §280G.
To see my full article, go to LINK: http://ceoworld.biz/2016/03/01/change-of-control-agreements-a-quick-guide-for-ceos-cfos-and-other-senior-executi
or my website at https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/change-of-control-agreements-a-quick-guide-for-ceos-cfos-and-other-senior-executives/
If you or one of your colleagues is in a change of control situation, I am glad to assist.  Please do reach out to me at radelson@engelschultz.com.



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. 
​ 
0 Comments

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017

    Categories

    All
    Benefit Corporations
    Biotech Executive
    Biotechnology Executives
    Board Of Directors
    Career Advancement Covenants
    Career Prospects
    CEO Bonus Compensation
    CEO Compensation
    CEO Compensation Package
    CEO Contract
    Ceo Contract Terms
    Ceo Employment Agreement
    CEO Employment Contract
    CEO Equity Compensation
    Ceo Job Offer
    CEO Job Offer Letter
    Certified B Corps
    CFO Compensation Package
    CFO Contract
    CFO Employment Agreement
    CFO Employment Contract
    CFO Job Offer Letter
    CFO Severance Agreement
    Change Of Control
    Change Of Control Agreements
    CIO
    Clawbacks
    C-level Equity Compensation
    C Level Executive Pay
    C-level Executive Pay
    CMO Employment Agreement
    CMO Employment Contract
    Companies
    Competition
    Contractors
    COO
    COO Compensation
    Coo Compensation Package
    COO Employment Agreement
    COO Employment Contract
    COVID-19
    CSO
    Cso Compensation
    CSO Compensation Package
    CSO Contract
    CSO Employment Agreement
    CSO Employment Contract
    CSO Severance Agreement
    C-suite Executive Compensation
    CTO Compensation Package
    CTO Contract
    CTO Employment Agreement
    CTO Employment Contract
    CTO Severance Agreement
    Defamation
    Disparagement
    Employees
    Employment Contract
    Employment Discrimination
    Equity Compensation
    Executive Bonus
    Executive Bonuses
    Executive Career
    Executive Career Advancement
    Executive Careers
    Executive Compensation
    Executive Compensation Attorney
    Executive Compensation Negotiation
    Executive Compensation Package
    Executive Consulting
    Executive Contract
    Executive Contract Negotiation
    Executive Contract Terms
    Executive Employment
    Executive Employment Agreement
    Executive Employment Agreement Lawyer
    Executive Employment Contract
    Executive Employment Lawyer
    Executive Employment Terms
    Executive Equity
    Executive Equity Compensation
    Executive Job Offer
    Executive Job Offer Letter
    Executivepay
    Executive Pay
    Executive Performance Compensation
    Executive Relocation Package
    Executive Retention Agreement
    Executives
    Executive Salary
    Executive Separation
    Executive Severance Agreement
    Executive Severance Lawyer
    Executive Severance Package
    Executive Severance Terms
    Executive Stock Compensation
    Executive Stock Options
    Executive Termination
    Family Businesses
    Female Executives
    Founder CEO
    Founders
    Incentive Stock Options
    Interim CEO
    IRC Section 1202
    Market Niche
    Massachusetts Employment Law
    Massachusetts Non Compete Agreement
    Massachusetts Non-compete Agreement
    Medical Devices
    Mutual Nondisparagement
    Negotiations
    Non Compete Agreement
    Non-compete Agreement
    Non Compete Agreement Attorney
    Non-compete Agreement Attorney
    Non-disparagement
    No Rehire Clause
    Phantom Stock
    Promissory Estoppel
    Remote CEO
    Remote Executive
    Remote Work
    Restricted Stock
    Restricted Stock Units
    Restrictive Covenants
    Retention Agreement
    Retention Bonus
    RSU
    RSUs
    Section 83(b)
    Senior Executives
    Severance Triggers
    Social Entrepreneurship
    Startup
    Startup CEO
    Startup Equity
    Startup Funding
    Stock Options
    Taxation
    Termination For Cause
    Toxic Executives
    Turnaround CEO
    Women Executives
    Womeo CEOs
    Wrongful Termination

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog
  • About