Vedder is an international business-focused law firm serving sophisticated clients of all sizes and industries from offices across the U.S. and in the UK and Asia.

A Business Focused Law Firm With a Global Reach | Vedder

The attorneys of Vedder’s Executive Compensation &amp; Employee Benefits group assist our clients in recruiting and retaining their most important asset—their employees.

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We work with public and private companies and their boards and management teams to create tax-compliant compensation and benefits programs that incentivize their workforce and differentiate them in the marketplace.

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Executive Compensation

Our Executive Compensation practice works with companies, boards, individual executives and management teams to design and implement programs that align leadership incentives with business objectives and shareholder interests. We advise on employment agreements, equity and incentive plans, deferred compensation, severance and change-in-control arrangements, indemnification, restrictive covenants, and related SEC and tax matters.

We work closely with compensation committees to create programs that are practical, strategically aligned and tailored to the company’s goals. At the same time, our experience representing individual executives ensures arrangements attract, motivate and protect top talent.

We also assist private equity firms and management teams with complex compensation structures for LLCs, limited partnerships and other specialized entities, including equity rollovers and incentive alignment.

We combine market insights with a clear understanding of governance obligations and executive priorities to help clients anticipate risks, navigate regulatory requirements and achieve measurable results. Our approach is collaborative, focused on actionable guidance and designed to support effective decision-making across the executive compensation lifecycle.

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Employee Benefits

Retirement and welfare benefits are an important part of total employee compensation and we advise clients in ways that balance employee satisfaction with the realities of the current business climate. We guide clients through every stage of plan design, administration and ongoing compliance, addressing tax, fiduciary, and federal and state benefits regulations, as well as reporting, disclosure and litigation considerations. At the same time, we focus on the practical implications for the organization, from financial management to clear, effective employee communications.

We advise a wide range of organizations, including public and private companies, financial institutions, health care entities and non-profit organizations, on compliance and regulatory issues relating to 401(k) plans, welfare benefit plans, fringe benefits and HIPAA privacy. Our attorneys also bring experience across legacy benefit matters, including pension de-risking, retiree medical coverage and employer participation in multiemployer plans, offering solutions tailored to each client’s business goals and operational realities.

In addition, we counsel investment committees and collaborate with plan fiduciaries, investment managers and advisors on complex ERISA plan asset matters. Our thorough understanding of regulatory requirements and pragmatic approach to client objectives help organizations manage risk, enhance plan effectiveness and achieve outcomes that support both business priorities and participant interests.

ERISA Litigation

Vedder handles high-stakes executive compensation and employee benefits claims and litigation matters with a record of success. Our advice and goal is to help our clients avoid litigation. However, when litigation is necessary, our attorneys are well-equipped to handle complex ERISA and compensation matters. Vedder has won many cases in the ERISA and compensation field, including two Supreme Court cases and dozens of others at various courts.

Vedder Works Employment Law Series Chicago, IL 2023

Christopher T Collins to Speak at PLI Session Drafting and Negotiating Employment Agreements

Vedder Works Employment Law Series Chicago, IL 2024

Vedder Works Employment Law Series Rosemont, IL 2024

Vedder Price Recognized in <i>Chambers USA</i> in 2023

Vedder Price Recognized in Chambers USA in 2024

Amal Rafiq Selected as President-Elect of South Asian Bar Association Board of Directors

Vedder Price Bolsters Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Group in New York with Addition of Shareholder Susan Niver

Vedder Price Practice Areas and Attorneys Recognized in The Legal 500 United States in 2025

Vedder Price Recognized in Chambers USA in 2025

Texas Federal Court Strikes Down DOL Rule Increasing Salary Threshold for Overtime Exemptions

Susan Niver to Present Fireside Chat at HR Leadership Executive Summit Hosted by Opal Group

Treasury and IRS Finalize Regulations for Roth Catch-Up Contributions Under Secure 2.0

California’s Latest Salvo to Protect Employee Mobility – What Employers Need to Know

Vedder Price Represents Bancorp Financial, Inc. in Merger with Old Second Bancorp, Inc.

New Year, New Limits! More Room to Save in 2026: The Numbers Are In

Vedder Price Represents HBT Financial, Inc. in its Acquisition of CNB Bank Shares, Inc.

2026 Wage Updates for New York State

AB 288: California Attempts to Step In as Federal Labor Enforcement Stalls

Colorado Supreme Court Shortens the Statute of Limitations for Colorado Minimum Wage Act Claims  

New Jersey Prohibits Employers from Holding Mandatory Meetings on Labor Organizing

Treasury Department Issues List of Jobs Qualifying for New Tip Income Deduction Under “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act

Health Plan Tobacco Surcharge Litigation

Sixth Circuit Splits with EEOC and Other Circuits as to Employer Liability for Harassment by Non-Employees Under Title VII

Alternative Investments and 401(k) Plans

Seventh Circuit Departs from Traditional Two-Step Collective Certification Framework in FLSA and ADEA Cases

UK Employment Rights Bill Update: the Implementation Roadmap

Cunningham v. Cornell University

The Second Circuit Holds That Reasonable Accommodations Under the ADA May Be Required Even When Not Necessary to the Performance of the Job

Acting NLRB General Counsel Pulls Back Memoranda

You Can’t Miss a Shot If You Don’t Show Up to the Game: Union Pulls Petition to Unionize Dartmouth Basketball Team

Approaching Deadline to Post Last Year’s Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses

DOL Returns to Prior Dual Jobs Regulation for Tipped Employees

DOL Reaffirms That Managers And Supervisors May Not Participate In Tip Pools

Illinois Enacts New Pay Stub Requirements for Employers

lllinois Employers May Still Face Unpaid Wage Claims

New Jersey Passes Wage Transparency Law

Colorado Requires Holiday Incentive Pay to Be Included in the Regular Rate of Pay

Colorado Supreme Court To Decide What Limitations Period Applies To Colorado Minimum Wage Act Claims

Seventh Circuit Weighs in on Jurisdiction in FLSA Collective Cases

Illinois’s Freelance Worker Protection Act Took Effect July 1, 2024

EEOC Updates Anti-Harassment Guidance for First Time in 25 Years

Supreme Court Rules that Cases Subject to Arbitration Must Be Stayed

Motion Seeking to Stay or Enjoin FTC Final Rule Banning Employer-Employee Non‑Competes Set for Ruling by July 3, 2024

Key Changes Impacting UK Employment Law From April 2024

The Deal That Ended the SAG-AFTRA Strike

Ringing in the New California Laws

New York City Bans Employers from Creating Height and Weight Requirements

New Law in New York State Impacts Settlement Agreements

UK Supreme Court Ruling:  A Look at the Changes to a Series of Unlawful Deductions

Major Changes Proposed to Non-Competes in the UK

New Law Requires Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area Employers to Provide Pre-Tax Transit Benefits

New York State and City Labor and Employment Updates

California Increases Requirements for Paid Sick Leave

California Approves Minimum Wage Increase for Health Care Employees

California Fast Food Workers Look Forward to Pay Increases

A Rise in DSARs: Why Can Data Subject Access Requests Be Such a Burden?

NLRB Continues to Rewrite the Rules to Limit Employers’ Authority

Just Dropped: IRS Provides Relief on Roth Contributions for HCEs

Unionization Upon Demand:NLRB Announces Most Significant Change to Labor Law in 50 Years

New UK Employer Duty to Prevent Sexual Harassment to Be Watered Down

DOL Returns to Prior Davis-Bacon Act Wage Definition for Construction Industry

EEOC Proposes Regulations for Implementation of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

NLRB to Start Scrutinizing Employer Policies More Closely

CCPA Relief at Risk:  California Attorney General Announces New Investigative Sweep

New York City Law Tackles AI Bias in Employment

The California Supreme Court Sets Viking River Cruise Decision Adrift

A Welcome Delay in CCPA Regulations Enforcement

Illinois Governor Expected to Sign Pay Transparency Bill into Law

AI “Hallucinations” Can Inflict Real-World Pain

Minnesota Enacts Ban on Non-Competition Agreements

NLRB Refashions Independent Contractor Test

Calculating FMLA Leave:  What Happens on Holidays?

Employers Face Minimum Wage Increases in Certain Cities and Local Areas

Canada’s Wildfires Are a Good Reminder of an Employer’s Duty to Provide a Workplace Free of Known Safety and Health Hazards

Colorado Bill Amends Equal Pay for Equal Work Act

Supreme Court Allows Employer to Sue Union. Is that a big deal?

Amendment to Chicago Human Rights Ordinance Protects Bodily Autonomy of Workers

Chicago Updates Its “Ban the Box” Rule to Limit an Employer’s Consideration of Conviction Records

Possible Bias in AI Selectivity?  EEOC Issues Guidance on Use of Artificial Intelligence in Employment Selection Procedures

New EEOC COVID-19 Updates

New York State Releases Its Finalized Updated Model Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy

Individual Arbitration Agreements and PAGA Representative Claims—Where Do We Stand Now?

NLRB Puts Employers On the Hook for Expanded Remedies for Unfair Labor Practices

The EU’s proposed Artificial Intelligence Act

A UK Perspective on Dealing with Alcohol Dependence in the Workplace

NLRB General Counsel Answers Questions on Severance Agreements in New Memorandum

Los Angeles City’s Fair Work Week Ordinance Provides Predictable Scheduling for Certain Retail Employees

WARNing:  Updates to the New Jersey Plant Closing Law Coming Soon

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Deadline Approaches for Chicago Employers

Third Circuit Signals Shift in Requirements for Releaseof FLSA Claims In Class Action Settlements

Nevada Supreme Court Holds That State Wage and Hour Laws Do Not Incorporate the Federal Portal-to-Portal Act

New York City’s Earned Safe and Sick TimeAct Is Amended to Include Paid Prenatal Leave

Preserving Workplace Culture Amidst the Threat of AI Deepfakes: Employer Considerations in the Wake of the Federal TAKE IT DOWN Act

Ninth Circuit Weighs In On Circuit Split Involving FLSA Collective Action Jurisdictional Requirements

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Relaunch & Expansion of Its Opinion Letter Program

New York State 2025 Budget Includes Limitation on Damages in Frequency-of-Pay Cases

U.S. Department of Labor Issues New FLSA Independent Contractor Guidance

Sixth Circuit Clarifies Requirements for a Salaried Employee to Be “Paid on a Weekly Basis” Under the FLSA.

The New Jersey Supreme Court Finds that Commissions Are Wages Under the New Jersey Wage Payment Law

Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits

Insights & Events

Susan Niver to Present on Head of School Contracts and Compensation

Amendment to New Jersey Family Leave Act Expands Coverage for Employees

Vedder Works Employment Law Series 2026

Vedder Works Employment Law Series Rosemont, IL 2026

Vedder Works Employment Law Series Chicago, IL 2026

Illinois Department of Labor Prepares to Issue Rules Clarifying Expanded Obligations Under the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act

Susan Niver and Fleming Ware Named to 2026 Crain’s New York Business’ Notable Women in Law List

2026 Wage Updates for New York State

Primary Contacts

Related Areas

Insights & Events

Susan Niver to Present on Head of School Contracts and Compensation

Amendment to New Jersey Family Leave Act Expands Coverage for Employees

Vedder Works Employment Law Series 2026

Vedder Works Employment Law Series Rosemont, IL 2026

Vedder Works Employment Law Series Chicago, IL 2026

Illinois Department of Labor Prepares to Issue Rules Clarifying Expanded Obligations Under the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act

Susan Niver and Fleming Ware Named to 2026 Crain’s New York Business’ Notable Women in Law List

2026 Wage Updates for New York State

Primary Contacts

Related Areas

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