Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz advises a prominent client base on executive compensation and employee benefits matters, regularly acting on complex domestic and cross-border transactions, as well as high-profile corporate restructurings. The firm recently led compensation and benefits structuring for Capital One’s $35.3bn acquisition of Discover and Diamondback Energy’s $26bn acquisition of Endeavor, focusing on leadership retention, equity structuring, and compliance with Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code. The practice also played a key role in the $20bn merger between Smurfit Kappa and WestRock, providing strategic counsel on executive retention, incentive planning, and benefits integration across multiple jurisdictions. Headed by Jeannemarie O’Brien , the team frequently collaborates with the firm’s mergers and acquisitions and tax departments, ensuring comprehensive coverage of regulatory and strategic considerations during deal execution. Adam Shapiro and David Kahan , both based in New York, who are recognized for their expertise in high-value compensation structuring and regulatory compliance. While Michael Schobel focuses on matters advice on designing and implementing compensation arrangements, negotiating executive employment agreements, and handling corporate governance and disclosure issues.