Pages

Saturday, May 30, 2020

Triggering Executive Severance to Protect Your Interests in Case of COVID-19 or Other Changed Circumstances

Six days ago, on May 27, 2020, CEOWorld magazine published an article I wrote on Triggering Executive Severance to Protect Your Interests in Case of COVID-19 or other Changed Circumstances”.  The magazine advised me that I can use “Featured in the CEOWORLD magazine” and the CEOWORLD “Logo” on my website.

This was my 28th article published in CEOWORLD. Earlier this year, the editor advised that I can add CEOWORLD magazine in my LinkedIn profile’s “Experience Section” as an “Opinion Columnist.” and authority in the field.  See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/

This article, my most recent, published May 27th, is designed for CEOs, C-level and senior executives, especially those who, once on the job, may find that their chances for success become daunting because changed circumstances beyond their control.  For many such executives, the severe economic downturn arising in connection with the COVID-19/coronavirus crisis may cause great reductions in expected base, bonus, equity and LTI compensation and reduced duties and responsibilities as well.​


ambitious executive

However, the article is not limited to COVID-19.  The article also discusses other circumstances where clients of the author have also experienced such negative effects, as result of dashed expectations, including where the executive accepted his or her job offer for a CEO, C-level or other senior executive position in reliance on any of these company actions:
  • Keeping a major customer account,
  • Retaining the services of a key man or woman executive,
  • Keeping or achieving regulatory approval,
  • Keeping or retaining a key source of funding,
  • Company possessing the positive financial position represented to you, a position on which you can build for growth.

The article then concludes with proactive steps the executive can take in your executive employment and job offer negotiations to protect yourself in the event of such changed circumstances in the future.  This includes the crafting of severance terms with triggers tailored to your situation in the event of dashed expectations. Thus, the executive would have an executive contract that provides that if circumstances change, such that the job is no longer what you bargained for, you can move on to a new opportunity and still be made whole as you do so.

To see my full CEOWorld magazine. article, go to LINK:
https://ceoworld.biz/2020/05/27/triggering-executive-severance-to-protect-your-interests-in-case-of-covid-19-or-other-changed-circumstances/

Or on my website at https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/triggering-executive-severance-to-protect-your-interests-in-changed-circumstances/

With more than 12.4+ million-page views, CEOWORLD magazine is the world’s leading business magazine written strictly for CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, CSOs, senior management executives, business leaders, and high net worth individuals worldwide.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceomagazine/

The editor has also advised that I can add CEOWORLD magazine in my LinkedIn profile’s “Experience Section” as an “Opinion Columnist.” and authority in the field.  See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/

It is my hope that this article will be helpful to suggest a potential remedy in job offer negotiations to CEOs, COOs, CMOs, other C-Level and senior executives who are considering a new executive position or giving up other opportunities, and, acting in reliance on the promises made by the employer, and seek protection against potential changed circumstances, whether from a pandemic, loss of a key customer, loss of key personnel, a negative regulatory ruling, loss of financing  or otherwise, so the executive can if that happens move and be made whole. If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at rob@attorneyadelson.com.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Has a New Employer Withdrawn Your Executive Job Offer? How “Promissory Estoppel” can give you a legal remedy

Six days ago, on April 28, 2020, CEOWorld magazine published an article I wrote on “Has a New Employer Withdrawn Your Executive Job Offer? How “Promissory Estoppel” can give you a legal remedy”.  The magazine advised me that I can use “Featured in the CEOWORLD magazine” and the CEOWORLD “Logo” on my website.

This was my 27th article published in CEOWORLD. Earlier this year, the editor advised that I can add CEOWORLD magazine in my LinkedIn profile’s “Experience Section” as an “Opinion Columnist.” and authority in the field.  See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/
This article, my most recent, published April 28th , is designed for CEOs, C-level and senior executives, especially those who receive a job offer, then give notice to their current employer and later see the new offer rescinded or withdrawn due to the economic downturn or turmoil arising from the COVID-19 /coronavirus pandemic or other changes at the new employer.   With your old job now lost, this article discusses use of the legal doctrine of promissory estoppel as a remedy for the now out-of-work executive.
The article also indicates potential use of this promissory estoppel remedy in other cases where an employer does not honor other oral promises to the executive, on which he or she relied, including in these circumstances:
  • Executive’s acceptance of a job offer on the condition that he or she can attend a life cycle event and termination after you attend that event,
  • Executive gives up a lucrative position to join the new company on the promise of important responsibilities and leadership, with termination before that promise is ever kept,
  • Executives gives up other job offers to leave the employer on promise of new executive employment terms that are never fulfilled.
The article concludes on a cautionary note that while some major verdicts and settlements have been obtained by C-level executives using promissory estoppel against employers who failed to honor their promises, the doctrine is not universally upheld in the courts of all states. So, it is best to get your executive contract clear and in writing, but when you have not done that, consult with an experienced executive employment attorney and promissory estoppel may still give you a remedy.
To see my full CEOWorld magazine. article, go to LINK:
With more than 12.4+ million-page views, CEOWORLD magazine is the world’s leading business magazine written strictly for CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, senior management executives, business leaders, and high net worth individuals worldwide.
The editor has also advised that I can add CEOWORLD magazine in my LinkedIn profile’s “Experience Section” as an “Opinion Columnist.” and authority in the field.  See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/

Tweeting My new CEOWorld article on “Has a New Employer Withdrawn Your Executive Job Offer? How “Promissory Estoppel” can give you a legal remedy”

If you tweet and would like to Tweet my article, here is my three (3) tweets to retweet or to use in your own tweet –

It is my hope that this article will be helpful to suggest a potential remedy to CEOs, COOs, CMOs, other C-Level and senior executives who have been enticed to take a new executive position or to give up other opportunities, and, after acting in reliance on the promises made by the employer, find that the executive job offer is rescinded or withdrawn or the employer in some other way breaks an important promise made to you, on which you relied.   If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at rob@attorneyadelson.com.

Monday, April 6, 2020

Executive Employment Agreement – An Overview for the Newly-Minted CEO or C-Suite Executive

A week ago, on March 31, 2020, CEOWorld magazine published an article I wrote on “Executive Employment Agreement – An Overview for the Newly-Minted CEO or C-Suite Executive”.  The magazine advised me that I can use “Featured in the CEOWOLRD magazine” and the CEOWORLD “Logo” on my website.
CEO World magazine logo
This was my 26th article published in CEOWORLD. Earlier this year, the editor advised that I can add CEOWORLD magazine in my LinkedIn profile’s “Experience Section” as an “Opinion Columnist.” and authority in the field. The magazine has also created a library of my articles on its website, where you can click on and access any of my more than 20 articles with CEOWORLD, published in recent years beginning in 2016.  See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/


This article, my most recent, published March 31st, is designed for CEOs, C-level and senior executives, especially those who receive an executive job offer or employment contract for their first CEO or C-level position.  The article provides answers and explanations on these important questions:
The article also includes a brief discussion of key terms to seek in a CEO or C-suite employment agreement including terms on the following:
To see my full CEOWorld magazine. article, go to LINK:
With more than 12.4+ million-page views, CEOWORLD magazine is the world’s leading business magazine written strictly for CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, senior management executives, business leaders, and high net worth individuals worldwide.
The editor has also advised that I can add CEOWORLD magazine in my LinkedIn profile’s “Experience Section” as an “Opinion Columnist.” and authority in the field.  See https://ceoworld.biz/author/robert-adelson/
It is my hope that this article will be helpful to newly-minted CEOs, COOs, CMOs, other C-Level and senior executives to understand the importance of their first executive employment agreement and to aid them in the negotiation for appropriate terms commensurate with the position each is offered. If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at rob@attorneyadelson.com.

Author: Robert Adelson

Robert Adelson has been a corporate and tax attorney since 1977. He began as an associate at nationally prominent New York City “mega” law firms, first at the Wall Street firm Dewey Ballantine Bushby Palmer & Wood and later at the Park Avenue firm Weil Gotshal & Manges. In 1985, Adelson returned home, where he has since established himself as a respected Boston business attorney. He has attained partner at several small and midsize Boston law firms, most recently at Lawson & Weitzen LLP and then Zimble Brettler LLP, where he was a partner from 1994 to 2004 before becoming a partner at Engel & Schultz LLP from 2004 to 2019. With the breakup of that firm over semi-retirement of senior partners, Robert Adelson formed the firm Adelson & Associates, LLC, where he is the principal, that commenced operations 1/1/2020.