The Employee Incentives Group is a dedicated team of experts who specialise in implementing and advising on all areas of employee incentivisation.

The Employee Incentives Group is led by partner, Michael Carter, and is a dedicated team of experts that specialises in advising on the design and implementation of remuneration structures and incentive plans, providing assistance in their operation and advising and handling the impact of corporate transactions on the rights of participants. Chambers Legal Directory 2010 quotes client sources as stating that the team provides "the most responsive, friendly and approachable service I have come across". 

The new economic climate has created a public and political spotlight on remuneration. Motivating and incentivising senior executives and employees whilst at the same time ensuring their rewards are aligned with those of shareholders and other stakeholders has become a major challenge. In many cases, share options are underwater and share awards under long term incentive plans are failing to vest as underlying performance targets are missed. We have been working closely with our clients to help them meet the challenges they are facing.

How we can help

We can help you to:

• assess whether your reward programmes are market competitive and effective
• link incentive plans to the company's underlying commercial objectives and define good performance
• ensure that your incentives are compliant with current legislation and corporate governance codes
• review the company's corporation tax deductibility and social security position relating to share plans and other incentive arrangements
• understand how institutional investors are responding to the new economic climate and assist with shareholder discussions
• design and implement a new international share plan
• communicate your incentive programmes effectively to your participants

How we can support you

We combine our legal, tax and compensation capabilities to work with clients to develop practical solutions that work from both a business and a cultural perspective. The complex issues involved in employee incentives require professionals with both breadth and depth. We combine detailed technical knowledge of these issues with practical experience of developing and implementing new structures and arrangements.

Clients and experience

The client base of the Group encompasses listed and other publicly traded companies, small and medium sized unquoted companies and venture capital houses.

The Group acts for a wide range of clients including:

• Assura Group plc
• Black & Veatch Corporation
• Britvic plc
• Carnival plc  
• Coors Inc.    
• Dart Group plc 
• The Davis Service Group plc 
• Moss Bros Group plc 
• N Brown Group plc 
• Rathbone Brothers plc
• Rexam plc
• Rockhopper Exploration plc
• Stagecoach Group plc 
• Volga Gas plc  

The Group also advises on the share incentive and employee tax implications of a wide range of corporate events, such as mergers and acquisitions.

The Group publishes a quarterly update and holds regular seminars and briefing sessions. Please email if you would like to receive the quarterley update or an invitation to our seminars.

Reputation

Addleshaw Goddard is ranked as a leading adviser in this area by both of the main legal directories.