The Debevoise People Solutions Group employs a multidisciplinary approach to advise our clients as they navigate the risks and opportunities associated with building, managing and retaining talent in the workplace. Our Group is comprised of litigation, compliance, sensitive investigations and employee benefits and executive compensation teams that operate together to help clients implement the most sensitive and important business changes that impact their people. As one of the few remaining pure lockstep compensation firms, we draw upon the strength of our culture and structure to tailor our advice to individual client needs and deliver the best of our firm through true collaboration.

With broad experience in critical areas of human capital, our team routinely:

• Handles high-stakes employment-related disputes—including private negotiations, mediations, arbitration and litigation—in connection with issues involving employee mobility, trade secret misappropriation, wrongful termination and whistleblower claims, among others.
• Conducts sensitive investigations of workplace issues, including allegations of harassment or discrimination.
• Develops and manages executive compensation arrangements, including in connection with corporate transactions.
• Addresses HR, employment and benefit liability issues that arise in corporate transactions.
• Designs and negotiates compliant workplace policies, employment agreements, restrictive covenants, consulting agreements and severance agreements.
• Advises on SEC disclosures in regards to executive compensation and human capital management.
• Enhances compliance programs and corporate governance strategies, including by advising on compliance with U.S. federal, state and local employment laws.
• Counsels on establishing and implementing diversity, equity and inclusion goals, as well as mitigating the potential attendant risks.
• Develops and conducts audits concerning workplace disclosures about equal pay.
• Advises investment fund clients on structuring and managing ERISA fiduciary responsibility.
• Handles the ERISA aspects of securities class action litigations.
• Represents both employers and individual executives, gaining valuable insights into the needs of both parties and facilitating our practical and direct problem-solving approach.