Christen Sewell counsels private and public companies and executives on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation.

Christen has a particular focus on benefits issues for start-ups and emerging growth companies, including:

• Advising on the design, compliance, and administration of stock options and equity-based plans and arrangements.
• Drafting and negotiating executive compensation arrangements, including, employment, retention, change in control, and separation agreements.

Christen also advises clients on:

• Tax-qualified retirement plans
• Health and welfare plans
• Non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements
• Bonus and incentive plans
• Corporate transactions (M&A, joint ventures, financings, spin-offs, public offerings, SPACs)

Christen’s expertise covers:

• Code Section 409A deferred compensation rules
• Tax rules governing equity compensation
• Golden parachute rules under Code Section 280G
• ERISA
• COBRA
• PPACA
• GINA
• HIPAA