January 2026 Executive Employment Law Newsletter
I hope this email finds you and your family in good health. We are now well into our first full Winter month. We have had our cold days and some snow. There has been more snow in northern New England ski country. My hope is that there will be lots of snow in ski country and not so much in Boston and the urban areas. So, if you are a winter sports enthusiast, I hope there will great winter conditions for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing or ice fishing the next couple months. And for those, like me, who prefer the warmth, I hope you will be able to take at least some vacation time to warmer places.
In sports, the Patriots continue their magical season finishing the regular season as division champs and 2nd seed in the AFC, and then two nights ago to win their first playoff game 16-3 over San Diego. QB Drake May, Coach Mike Vrabel, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, stellar Pats’ defense all shown so well. We can hope this roll will continue and we will see how far the Pats might advance in these 2026 NFL Playoffs – with the Feb. 2026 Super Bowl in Santa Clara, CA not beyond the realm of possibility. Fingers crossed. And even while the Pats have played so well commanding our attention, our Boston winter teams have also been doing well of late. The Celtics 9-3 in recent games, are 3rd in the Eastern Conference and just behind the Knicks in the Atlantic Division standings. The Bruins too have won 5 of the last 6 games to also climb in the standings. In college hockey, Boston University has improved of late and February’s Beanpot tournament looks to be quite competitive with all four Beanpot schools ranked in the USA top 20 (as of 1/12/26), led by Northeastern (12), then Boston College (14), BU (18) and Harvard (20). https://www.espn.com/mens-college-hockey/rankings
As for Newsletter items, eight days ago, IVYEXEC career advancement website published my article on using the implied covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing to protect what you have earned when you are terminated by your employer in bad faith, with an article link provided in item #1. A link to an earlier article of mine, on negotiating a compensation package right for you, published in CEOWORLD magazine, appears in items #3, Additionally, a link to another earlier article of mine published in CEOWORLD, this one on the subject of negotiating your first C-level employment agreement, appears in item #4, plus a special offer as item #5. I hope some of these items might be of benefit… and my best wishes to all for the rest of January!
1. Protecting Your Earnings from Unfair Dealing by Your Employer
As a C-level or senior executive, have you ever faced employment termination or other employer action to prevent you from receiving a bonus, stock vesting or other benefit you earned from your successful achievement of a target objective for the company? My article published eight days ago on Jan.5, by IVYEXEC career advancement website, discusses an important duty or implied covenant in the law that can enable you, even if you are an employee “at will”, to have a valid enforceable claim against your employer to be made whole for what you earned and were deprived of .. Read the Article Here
2. Work with CEOs, C-Suite and Senior Executives, exclusively.
Robert Adelson is an attorney specialized in the representation of CEOs, C-level and senior executives. He no longer represents companies or employers. Learn about Robert Adelson’s work with CEOs, C-level and senior executives to advise on and improve job offers, employment contracts, stock, RSUs, options, bonuses and other executive compensation matters, plus advice and aid on issues of wrongful termination, severance, exit terms, retention, change of control, other executive issues and more … More Details Here
3. Negotiating the Right Executive Compensation Package for You
Whether you have just received a job offer, have a chance to renegotiate your current contract, or are facing a change of control or termination situation, my article published by CEOWORLD magazine in 2018 and still relevant today, may benefit you, as I discuss key payment, equity, benefits, and other terms to negotiate in your executive compensation package and how those negotiations can actually enhance your position in the company. Read the Article Here
4. Negotiating your first C-Level Executive Employment Agreement
Are you a newly-minted CEO or another C-level executive? Did you receive your first C-level job offer or employment agreement? My article published in CEOWORLD magazine, in March 2020 and still relevant today, may benefit you, as I discuss why the agreement is important to the company and to you, and key terms – equity, bonus structure, severance among them – on which to focus in your negotiations.. Read the Article Here
5. 1/2026 Offer: Good until Jan. 27th
This 2-week value-packed offer, is as a way to get introduced to my law work: Consulting Between Executive Positions Law Diagnostic -- this offer is good through 1/27/26. More Details Here
It’s always a pleasure to get back in touch with you and other clients, friends, and colleagues. I hope the links and information provided will be useful to you and that there will be an opportunity for me to work with you on legal matters in the near future.
Let’s keep in touch!
Best regards,
Rob
Robert Adelson
*Adelson & Associates, LLC
Executive Employment Attorney
101 Federal Street, 19th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
(617) 204-5601 Law Firm
(617) 204-5602 Direct
(617) 204-5604 Fax
Email : rob@attorneyadelson.com
Website: www.executiveemploymentattorney.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-adelson-b8a1557/
Blog: https://robadelson.wordpress.com/
X: @AttorneyAdelson
Note on Adelson & Associates, LLC:
* Robert A. Adelson is the Principal of Adelson & Associates, LLC. For fifteen (15) years, from October 2004 through December 2019, Robert Adelson practiced law and referred legal work to associates of his, trusted and experienced colleagues, as a partner of Engel & Schultz, LLP. In December 2019, the lead partners of the firm announced they would go into semi-retirement, go their separate ways, and the office lease would expire in January 2020. In response, Robert Adelson formed Adelson & Associates, LLC in December 2019 and commenced the new firm’s operations on January 1, 2020, with the new firm taking over, on that date and going forward, all current Robert Adelson clients, matters and operations, as well as all referral of legal work to associates of Robert Adelson. Since 1/1/2020, the firm’s offices have been and remain at 101 Federal Street, 19th Floor, across the street from the pre-2020 offices at One Federal Street, 21st Floor, in Boston’s Financial District.
