UK Employee Incentives and Benefits

Transcription

1 UK Employee Incentives and Benefits

2 About our UK Employee Incentives and Benefits Team The UK Employee Incentives and Benefits team at Bird & Bird design, draft and implement employee share plans and other incentive arrangements in the UK and globally and advise on the incentives aspects of corporate transactions. The team is a key part of the firm s global multi disciplinary employee incentives and benefits practice which consists of over 40 lawyers and works closely with the firm s employment, tax and business immigration groups. Cross-border incentives projects are coordinated by the UK team. The team has been ranked in the UK editions of Chambers and the Legal 500 since What people say about us The team: is known for its capacity in handling complex international mandates, particularly on behalf of technology sector clients is adept at implementing new share scheme plans and at advising upon the share plan aspects of corporate transactions contains a number of quality individuals and is doing some impressive international work are pragmatic in their advice [and] recognise what we need to do in order to get to a favorable outcome are very knowledgeable about the different alternatives open to us and provide us with very appropriate advice Chambers and Partners 2014 The team has a great understanding of share option [plans] and offers excellent service Chambers and Partners 2011 Knowledge Zone Our clients have free access to International HR Knowledge Zone (knowledgezone.twobirds.com). This cutting edge website contains information on employee share plans as well as on employment law and business immigration. The employee share plans section covers options, restricted stock and RSUs and tax advantaged plans in all the jurisdictions in which we have employee incentives capability. The content is updated regularly by practitioners in our international employee incentives and benefits group.

3 Team profiles Colin Kendon Partner Fax: +44 (0) Colin is considered to be a real expert and helps us to lead the field as opposed to following it. Chambers and Partners UK 2014 Colin is easy to work with, gives clear and concise advice, is astute and knowledgeable about the specific issues and has empathy towards the key commercial issues of all relevant parties and advises accordingly. Chambers UK 2013 Colin has a detailed and up-to-date knowledge of employee share schemes as well as a fast and efficient turnaround of advice and documentation. Colin heads the UK Employee Incentives and Benefits Team. Colin has specialised in employee incentives since he qualified as a solicitor in January Colin previously worked at Clifford Chance and prior to that at KPMG. He moved to Bird & Bird in January Colin acts for a wide range of international and domestic companies advising on: Employee share plans: design, performance targets, corporate governance, remuneration committee support, corporate law and regulatory issues Corporate transactions: incentives aspects of acquisitions, disposals, IPOs, re-structuring and fund-raisings Tax-efficient share based plans, remuneration, PAYE/social security issues, corporate tax, transfer pricing, HMRC negotiations and employee share ownership plan trusts Carried interest arrangements for management of venture capital funds. Colin co-authored the second edition of Internet Business Commerce and Tax published by Jordan in The book contains a substantial section on share based incentives for private e-commerce and technology companies. Colin is a member of the share schemes committee of the Quoted Company Alliance and sits on several adviser groups of ifs ProShare - a leading UK not for profit organisation whose aim is to promote wider employee share ownership. Colin is a member of the Global Equity Organisation and of the Share Plan Lawyers Group; he is a regular conference speaker on employee incentives issues and has written several articles on employee share markets and private company acquisitions. Colin has been ranked as a leader in the field for employee share plans by Chambers since 2009 and Bird & Bird s UK Employee Incentives and Benefits practice is also ranked by Chambers and the Legal 500. Chambers UK 2012

4 Fleur Benns Legal Director Fax:+44 (0) Fleur is a Legal Director in the Employee Incentives and Benefits Team. She qualified as a solicitor in 2000 and has specialised in employee incentives and benefits throughout her career at Olswang, Taylor Wessing and Baker & McKenzie. Fleur moved to Bird & Bird in October Fleur acts for a wide range of international and domestic companies advising on: The design and implementation of both approved and unapproved employee share plans including performance targets, corporate governance, corporate law and regulatory issues Corporate transactions including the incentives aspects of acquisitions, disposals, IPOs, restructuring and fund-raisings PAYE/social security issues, corporate tax, transfer pricing The formation, use and termination of employee benefit trusts Cross border issues relating to employee share awards, particularly in relation to US in-bound companies. Fleur sits on several adviser groups of ifs Pro Share a leading not for profit organisation whose aim is to promote wider employee share ownership. Fleur is a member of the Global Equity Organisation and of the Share Plan Lawyers Group and is a regular conference speaker on employee incentives issues. Dan Sharman Associate Fax: +44 (0) dan.sharman@twobirds.com Dan is an associate in the Employee Incentives and Benefits Group, based in London. He advises both domestic and international companies on the design, implementation and administration of employee share plans (covering HMRC approved, qualifying and unapproved plans); employment taxes (including PAYE/NICs); the formation, use and termination of employee benefit trusts; and other employee incentives, such as the recently introduced Employee Shareholder Status (also referred to as Shares for Rights ). Before joining us in 2013 and specialising in EIB, Dan spent time training in a variety of other departments, including Tax, Corporate and Employment. Dan was also seconded to Tesco, working with their UK Employee Policies team, which provided first-hand experience of what clients are looking for from their legal advisors.

5 About Bird & Bird Bird & Bird is an international legal practice with more than 1,000 lawyers and legal practitioners in 25 offices worldwide. We specialise in combining leading-edge expertise across a full range of legal services including advice on employee incentives, employment, business immigration, tax, commercial, corporate, EU and competition, intellectual property, dispute resolution, finance and real estate matters. We are a full service law firm in all our offices and in addition to employee incentives, employment, business immigration and tax, we have extensive experience of advising on commercial, corporate, competition, dispute resolution, employment, finance and real estate matters. As an international firm we excel in providing global advice. Our lawyers deliver expertise based on our in depth local knowledge, excellent understanding of the law and crossborder experience. We apply a one firm approach and work collaboratively across our extensive network of offices to meet our clients needs. Ability, affability and availability are three qualities that Bird & Bird has in abundance. Chambers and Partners 2009 twobirds.com Abu Dhabi & Beijing & Bratislava & Brussels & Budapest & Copenhagen & Düsseldorf & Frankfurt & The Hague & Hamburg & Helsinki & Hong Kong & London & Lyon & Madrid & Milan & Munich & Paris & Prague & Rome & Shanghai & Singapore & Skanderborg & Stockholm & Warsaw Bird & Bird is an international legal practice comprising Bird & Bird LLP and its affiliated and associated businesses. Bird & Bird LLP is a limited liability partnership, registered in England and Wales with registered number OC and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Its registered office and principal place of business is at 15 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1JP. A list of members of Bird & Bird LLP and of any non-members who are designated as partners, and of their respective professional qualifications, is open to inspection at that address