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.

Two weeks ago, on Sunday April 20, 2022, CEOWorld magazine published an article I wrote on “Negotiating Favorable Executive Equity Terms in an LLC – Capital vs. Profit Interests”

This new article is designed for CEOs, C-level and senior executives, who receive a job offer from a limited liability company where LLC equity will comprise an important component of your executive compensation package. Most senior executives are familiar with executive stock and stock options, including ISOs and non-qualified option grants offered by corporation employers.  But how do you evaluate equity that is not stock or stock options? What issues should you be concerned about when your executive equity package is comprised of LLC “member units”, called profits interests or capital interests?  

This article will cover issues important to the executive when your equity compensation is units in an LLC, including

• The difference in rights of the two kinds of LLC interests – profits interests and capital interests,

• The difference in taxation of profits and capital interests,

• The advantages that an LLC profits interest can offer over a corporation’s equity interest, whether stock or options, if significant equity appreciation is likely,

• The importance of determination of profit interest threshold amount,  

• Important protections to assure your share of the value appreciation if the LLC succeeds,

• Other valuable protections to assure your right to a cash payout with others if the LLC succeeds.

My article concludes with discussion of key terms to watch for in the LLC operating agreement.  My article stresses the importance of negotiating in your own equity grant, job offer or employment contract that those key fixed Operating Agreements terms will be applied in a manner to assure your reasonable protections and the benefit of your bargain in accepting the job offer with this LLC.

To see my full CEOWORLD magazine. article, go to LINK:
https://ceoworld.biz/2022/04/20/negotiating-favorable-executive-equity-terms-in-an-llc-capital-vs-profit-interests/

Or on my website at https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/negotiating-favorable-executive-equity-terms-in-an-llc-capital-vs-profit-interests/

This was my 37th article published in CEOWORLD since 2016.  Previously, the editor advised that I can use “Featured in the CEOWORLD magazine” and the CEOWORLD “Logo” on my website and add CEOWORLD magazine in my LinkedIn profile’s “Experience Section” as an “Opinion Columnist.” and authority in the field.  

On its own initiative, CEOWORLD magazine created on their website a library of Robert Adelson published articles. You can peruse this library and/or read as many of my 37 published articles as you wish. See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/

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/

It is my hope that this article will be of benefit to CEOs, C-level and senior executives who, at some point in your career, are offered equity interests in an LLC and need to know what to watch out for also what opportunities LLC interests can offer. Feel free to tweet or share this article. If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at 617-875-8665.

This was my 26th 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. The magazine has also created a library of my articles on its website, where you can click on and access any of my more than 20 articles with CEOWORLD, published in recent years beginning in 2016.  See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/

​This article, my most recent, published March 31st, is designed for CEOs, C-level and senior executives, especially those who receive an executive job offer or employment contract for their first CEO or C-level position.  The article provides answers and explanations on these important questions:

• What is an executive employment agreement?
• Why is this agreement important to the company?
• Why is this agreement important to you?
• What are the key terms and conditions that you should focus on?
• How do you achieve success in negotiating these executive contract terms?

The article also includes a brief discussion of key terms to seek in a CEO or C-suite employment agreement including terms on the following:

• Position, duties and authority,
• Executive compensation and bonus structure,
• Tax-favored executive equity and/or LTIs,
• Severance terms and triggers,
• Noncompete and other restrictive covenants.

To see my full CEOWorld magazine. article, go to LINK:
https://ceoworld.biz/2020/03/31/executive-employment-agreement-an-overview-for-the-newly-minted-ceo-or-c-suite-executive/
Or on my website at https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/executive-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.
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 newly-minted CEOs, COOs, CMOs, other C-Level and senior executives to understand the importance of their first executive employment agreement and to aid them in the negotiation for appropriate terms commensurate with the position each is offered. If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at rob@attorneyadelson.com.

Author: Robert AdelsonRobert Adelson has been a corporate and tax attorney since 1977. He began as an associate at nationally prominent New York City “mega” law firms, first at the Wall Street firm Dewey Ballantine Bushby Palmer & Wood and later at the Park Avenue firm Weil Gotshal & Manges. In 1985, Adelson returned home, where he has since established himself as a respected Boston business attorney. He has attained partner at several small and midsize Boston law firms, most recently at Lawson & Weitzen LLP and then Zimble Brettler LLP, where he was a partner from 1994 to 2004 before becoming a partner at Engel & Schultz LLP from 2004 to 2019. With the breakup of that firm over semi-retirement of senior partners, Robert Adelson formed the firm Adelson & Associates, LLC, where he is the principal, that commenced operations 1/1/2020.