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Christen Sewell

Partner

Los Angeles +1 424 332 4772

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    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

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters

    Equity Plans

    • Advise clients on and draft stock options, restricted stock, RSUs, SARS, employee stock purchase plans, and other equity-based arrangements for public and private companies.
    • Advise clients on equity and executive compensation issues at all stages of development and various transactions, including M&A, joint ventures, financings, spin-offs, public offerings, SPACs.

    Deferred Compensation, Severance, and Change in Control Arrangements Agreements

    • Advise clients on and draft deferred compensation plans, employment and retention agreements, and bonus plans, including compliance with Sections 409A of the Internal Revenue Code.
    • Advise clients on and draft severance arrangements, including individual severance agreements, broad-based employee plans, and executive “top-hat” plans.
    • Draft change in control plans and agreements.

    Executive Compensation

    • Negotiate and draft executive employment and separation agreements on behalf of employers and executives.
    • Draft and advise on long-term incentive and bonus arrangements (equity- and cash-based).
    • Advise clients regarding non-competition covenants.

    Transactions (M&A, joint ventures, financings, spin-offs, IPOs, SPACs,)

    • Advise on all aspects of transactions, including due diligence review, drafting purchase agreements, retention agreements, and severance arrangements.
    • Advise clients on employee benefit matters arising from acquisitions of other companies, including qualified plan mergers.
    • Advise clients regarding the integration of employees and legacy benefits acquired through mergers and acquisitions.

    Tax-Qualified Retirement Plans

    • Provide strategic advice to plan sponsors on defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans/401(k) plans, including compliance, benefit plan design, implementation, administration, determination letter applications, voluntary correction procedure (VCP) filings, plan loans, administrative procedures, and qualified domestic relations orders.
    • Advise clients in negotiating trust agreements and amendments.

    Health and Welfare Plans

    • Advise clients on tax treatment of health and welfare benefits and compliance with health reform, COBRA, and cafeteria plan rules.
    • Advise clients on modification of retiree medical plan benefits and transition to plan designs with private exchanges and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs).
    • Advise clients regarding cafeteria plans and health care flexible spending accounts (FSAs).

    ERISA and Fiduciary Issues

    • Advise plan fiduciaries regarding their obligations under ERISA, including resolution of benefit claims and their duties with respect to plan assets and expenses in defined contribution plans.
    • Provide fiduciary training and annual briefings for plan investment committees.
    • Draft voluntary fiduciary correction program applications.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Boston University School of Law, J.D., 2009
        • magna cum laude
        • Boston University Law Review
    • Wake Forest University, B.A., 2004
        • magna cum laude
        • Phi Beta Kappa
    Bar Admissions
    • California
    • District of Columbia

    Areas of Expertise

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