Negotiating Terms of Your Corporate Relocation Package - A Guide for Executives

 

April 2026 Edition

I hope you are enjoying the longer days and later sunsets that beckon the arrival of spring. In April we will have the running of the Boston Marathon and also the 251st anniversary of the starting battle of the American Revolution. A year ago on April 19, I attended “AmRev250” In Lexington. There I witnessed minutemen reenactors recall the seminal events of April ‘75…. 1775, when the embattled farmers stood and fired the shot heard round the world … the Battle of Lexington and Concord, where it all began.

April 3rd also saw a glorious home opener to the Red Sox season at chilly Fenway Park. With strong starting pitching by Sonny Gray, the Sox triumphed 5–2. It was similar in the season opener behind strong starting pitching by ace Garret Crochet and wise use of the new Automated Balls & Strikes (ABS) system by Roman Anthony to change a 9th inning strikeout to a walk that led to two more runs in a 3–0 win at Cincinnati. But other than those two openers, the Sox have lost all their other games. With a 2–8 record, our Red Sox have the worst record of 30 MLB teams. Fortunately, there remain 152 games for Alex Cora to get our club to winning form.

On a much brighter note, both Boston winter teams appear playoff bound. With 4 games to go, the Bruins are on good position for an Eastern Conference Wild Card birth. And the Celtics even better!

Also with 4 regular season games to play, the Celtics appear locked for the 2nd seed in their Eastern Conference. The C’s are hot — 10 wins in the last 12 games. The club had been sparked not only by the fabulous return of star Jayson Tatum, but also the continued strong MVP style play all season by Jaylen Brown, plus strong contributions by veterans Derrick White, Payton Prichard and our “big man” Neemias Queta (the NBA’s first ever player from Portugal). So, if we can stay healthy, hopes are high, the C’s may reach the finals and potentially a 19th championship banner to raise to the rafters of TD Garden. We shall see.

As for Newsletter items, last week, eight days ago on March 30, IVYEXEC career advancement website published an article of mine on negotiating your corporate relocation package. Further into this April Newsletter, item #3 is an older article of mine published in CEOWORLD magazine on the issue of incentive compensation misalignment for CEOs and senior executives, particularly vs the interest of investors in an M&A, turnaround or change of control future event. The 4th Newsletter item is another older article of mine published by CEOWORLD on negotiating a custom executive compensation package when you, as C-level or senior executive, get a new job offer or a retention situation. The last Newsletter item, item #5 is a special offer on negotiation of C-level and senior executive job offers.

As always, I hope some of these items might be of interest and benefit… and best wishes to all for the rest of April!

1. Terms to Seek in Your Relocation Package

Relocation can involve significant risks to you and your family, especially if the job turns out to be not at all what you expected it to be or, in any case, it just does not work out, and you are left high and dry in a place you do not want to be. My article new published by CEOWorld, offers risk mitigation strategies, as well as important tax and business terms to seek in your relocation package. 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. Protecting yourself against Executive Compensation Misalignment

Are you a C-level or a senior executive with performance compensation based on cliff vesting? Is your performance opportunity subject to discretionary actions of an owner, a Board of Directors or the investors, whose interests might at some point become averse to your own? That situation — executive compensation misalignment — was the root cause of the biggest scandal in US sports history. Due to that misalignment, star players of the Chicago White Sox fixed the 1919 World Series. That example and others are discussed in my article published by CEOWORLD Magazine 3/31/2021 to coincide with MLB Opening Day. My article is reposted now to coincide with April, the first full month of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, to offer ways for you, as a CEO or other top executive, to avoid such harmful misalignment in your own executive compensation negotiations. Read the Article Here

4. Negotiating a Custom Executive Compensation Package

Do you have a job offer as CEO or C-level executive with a startup company? Or in a turnaround situation? Or in a situation where you fill critical needs of the new employer? My CEOWORLD article, published in November 2020, suggests the terms you should seek in negotiating a custom executive compensation package, how much equity to seek, and how best to secure company acceptance for a custom compensation package. Read the Article Here

5. 4/2026 Offer: Good until April 28th

This 3-week value-packed offer, is as a way to get introduced to my law work: Executive Employment Job Offer Law Diagnostic — this offer is good through 4/28/26. 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
E-mail : rob@attorneyadelson.com
Blog: https://robadelson.wordpress.com/
X: @AttorneyAdelson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-adelson-b8a1557/
Website: www.executiveemploymentattorney.com

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.

March 2025 Executive Employment Law Newsletter

I hope this email finds you and your family in good health.  We are now into March, with this executive employment law newsletter reaching you on March 4th, which date has a place in US history. On this date, on a cool mostly cloudy afternoon in Washington D.C. 92 years ago, March 4, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt took the oath of office to become the 32nd U.S. President.  He told a nation, during some of the worst days of the Great Depression, that the “only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. With his courage, candor, intelligence, and indomitable spirit, he would go on to lead America through those hard days and then through World War II that would follow, as our nation’s longest serving President.  See link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khFwYWWF6Tc

Meanwhile winter continues.  For those like my wife who relishes her winter sports, I do hope there will be sufficient snow and ice this last month of winter.  For those like me who look forward to warmer weather, perhaps you will get a chance to sneak off for time in the sun in warmer places.

March madness will soon begin and to all with your brackets and betting favorites, and for those out there with alma maters in the NCAA Basketball Tournament  – all best of luck! For my two tournament-eligible alma maters, this has not been the best of years, but both still do nurse their slim NCAA Tournament chances. Boston University – with four Patriot League wins in its last five games, the Terriers will host Navy in a first round PL tournament game at the “Roof” this Thursday.  Northwestern, after recent 20-win seasons, has been well below that this season, near the bottom of the 18-team “Big Ten.”  However, with 3 recent Big Ten wins, the Wildcats may finish among the top 15 to at least compete in the Big Ten Conference Tournament, March 12-16 in Indianapolis. So, hoping both BU and NU can stay hot through their respective Conference Tournaments though both are long shots for the 2025 Big Dance.

Meanwhile in men’s college hockey, BU won the Beanpot 4-1 in an upset over BC at TD Garden on Feb. 10, but BC remains firmly no.1 atop the college ice hockey national rankings. Hockey East remains strong with five New England college teams ranked among the top ten in national polls. So perhaps we will see a rare all-Eastern final at the Frozen Four in St. Louis April 10 to 12. All the while, in our professional winter sports, the Bruins are struggling and the Celtics are having a solid season and we can hope both will make the playoffs with a decent playoff run for the Celtics beginning next month. The Celtics will be defending their NBA championship but competition will be stiff.

As for Newsletter items, last week, CEOWORLD magazine published an article of mine on FAQs – my answers to Frequently Asked Questions that I receive on executive compensation, executive equity and negotiations.  Further into this March Newsletter, items #3 and #4 are two older articles of mine, both published in IVYEXEC career advancement website,#3 published in 2022 on leveraging  your strengths in negotiating for key terms in executive retention packages, #4 published in 2023 on terms to negotiate for in your new job offer or employment contract as a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or a Chief Information Officer (CIO). Item #5 is a special offer also on executive retention. As always,  I hope some of these items might be of interest and  benefit… and my best wishes to all for the rest of March!

1.       Answers to FAQs on Executive Compensation and Equity Packages

My article published a week ago, on Feb. 25, in CEOWORLD magazine, gives answers to a series of frequently asked questions over executive compensation, equity packages and negotiations.  These include when to seek and what to seek for a signing  bonus, how much to seek and how to structure your executive equity, what terms to seek for triggers and benefits in severance, plus my answers to other key questions C-level and senior executives have asked me… questions that you have as well. 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.         Executive Retention Packages – Terms and Negotiations

Do you have now, or Do you soon expect an attractive job offer to leave your CEO or senior executive position?  Is your company “in play”?  Are you nearing a funding milestone?  Are there other reasons why your company has dependence on you and strong desire for you not to leave now.  My article, published in 2022 by IVY EXEC career advancement website, discusses the negotiation and terms for retention agreements in those and other circumstances, where you, as the executive have leverage, and seek to realize important protections and benefits in connection with the company’s need to retain your services.  Read the Article Here

4.       Negotiating terms of Your CTO or CIO Job Offer

If you have a new job offer or employment contract as a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or a Chief Information Officer (CIO) in a tech or life sciences company or another company involved with the internet or innovation economy, my February 2023  article published in IVYEXEC career advancement website,  advises on terms for authority, interface and support for your position, protection of your own ideas and inventions, compensation, equity and other essential terms to negotiate   Read the Article Here

5.      3/2025 Offer:  Good until March 31st  

This almost 4-weeks value-packed offer, is as a way to get introduced to my law work: Executive Employment Retention Law Diagnostic — this offer is good through 3/31/25.   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
E-mail :  rob@attorneyadelson.com
Blog:  https://robadelson.wordpress.com/
Twitter:  @AttorneyAdelson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-adelson-b8a1557/
Website: www.executiveemploymentattorney.com

Note on Adelson & Associates, LLC:
*As mentioned in bullet no. 2 of the January 2020 Business Law Newsletter, Robert A. Adelson is now 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.  The new firm’s offices, at 101 Federal Street, 19th Floor, are across the street from the prior offices at One Federal Street, 21st Floor, in Boston’s Financial District.

Gaming CEOs traded salary for stocks. Their ‘gamble’ is set to pay off

 Two weeks ago, on December 18, 2020, I was quoted on the utility of corporate CEOs taking restricted stock units (RSUs) in lieu of cash bonuses, in an article, with the title above, published in the  Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The newspaper that published this article, Las Vegas Review-Journal is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada and ranked as one of the top 25 newspapers in the United States by circulation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Review-Journal

The article was about casino company CEO compensation, and how a number of Las Vegas-based CEOs had reduced their salaries in exchange for RSUs amid the pandemic, with the reporter  wondering what their compensation might look like down the road.

In the course of our interview, I suggested a number of benefits from this exchange executive compensation strategy of a cash bonus exchanged for RSUs – both to benefit the executive personally but to benefit the company and company stakeholders, including the following:

• Deferral of taxation that would come from immediate payment of the bonus, and deferral of taxation on the unvested portion until vesting has later occurred.
• Leverage of the amount of bonus magnified by the growth potential of the RSU, still further enhanced by the current low value due to the pandemic
• Assurance of a future payout to the CEO by use of RSUs rather than options because RSUs after vesting always retain some value.  RSUs effectively have a floor on value. They can never go underwater and become worthless as often happens with stock options.
• Use of the extra RSUs / redemption strategy to minimize effective taxation as RSUs vest, where in this way the company would typically pay for or assist in payment of the taxation, and the executive is more willing to pay a portion of the taxes since vesting has occurred.
• The benefit to company morale from the “vote of confidence in the company’s future” by the CEO choosing company stock over cash.
• The potential cascading benefit to the company with current employees and future hires who are heartened by the example of the man or woman at the top choosing company equity over an immediate cash payout.
• Benefit to investors, alliance partners and other stakeholders by enhanced “alignment” of the CEO’s financial prospects tied to company growth.

To see this full article on CEO use of RSUs in the Las Vegas Review-Journal , go to LINK:

Gaming CEOs traded salary for stocks. Their ‘gamble’ is set to pay off.

 Or https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Attorney-Rob-Adelson-in-Casino-CEOs-trade-bonuses-for-stock-Las-Vegas-Review-Journal.pdf

The business reporter who authored this article, Bailey Schultz, said she had found me and reached out to me after reading an earlier article I wrote on RSUs that was published in CEO World.  That article, published February 28, 2017, was entitled “The Advantage of RSUs in Your CEO Compensation Package.” 

My 2017 RSUs article, targeted toward CEOs, C-Suite executives and other senior level executives, discussing the benefits of RSUs as a key part and often the most important part of their compensation package.  The article discussed how RSUs are most useful in mature companies where the CEO or C-suite executive takes a position where stock has considerable value, but growth is still expected in the public company or perhaps an IPO or liquidity event is not far off or in a turnaround situation in a mature company where there is no assurance of appreciation and the CEO needs assurance of a floor in his or her equity value.   

As part of my overall discussion of RSUs, my 2017 article covered these topics –

• What are RSUs?  When are RSUs paid out? 
• How are RSUs taxed?   How do you pay the taxes that come due on RSUs?
• When are RSUs most useful?  When are RSUs least useful? 
• What sort of RSU package should a CEO or C-suite executive look for? 
• Key Terms to negotiate in RSU grants

To see my full article, go to LINK:   http://ceoworld.biz/2017/02/28/advantage-rsus-ceo-compensation-package/   or http://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/articles-section/the-advantage-of-rsus-in-your-ceo-compensation-package/

It is my hope that this article will be of benefit to CEOs, C-level and senior executives who might benefit or whose companies might benefit from the use of RSUs as part of the executive compensation package. If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at rob@attorneyadelson.com.