Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance is a market leading adviser on remuneration and incentives and is ranked 'Tier 1' in legal directories both in the UK and globally.*

We have a strong, international client base; our dedicated team of global specialists advise on remuneration and incentives issues where they matter to them most.

We understand the challenges that our clients face and always advise with global complexities in mind. Our priority is to get to know our clients' risk profile and strategies on remuneration and incentives. Our clients are diverse; including FTSE quoted companies and banks, US, European and Asian multinationals, tech companies, private equity houses and their investee companies. 

What we do

• Recruiting and retaining the right people  
  In competitive markets for talent, remuneration can be a key differentiator. Setting up and operating an attractive pay and benefits offering is vital to recruit and retain the best people for your business. We advise on legal, regulatory and tax aspects of remuneration arrangements, incentives and share and cash plans. Our service is full range. It extends from the implementation of standard tax-qualifying and all-employee plans, LTIPs and deferred plans to complex, bespoke arrangements designed to fit your specific requirements. We are here to help, not only with the initial launch of these arrangements, but also with their ongoing operation.
• Executive hiring and terminations
  Our advisory service covers the entire employment life cycle, including dealing with remuneration issues on hiring and termination. We have extensive experience of remuneration and incentives issues that arise on executive hires and exits and can help you negotiate this difficult and often sensitive area.
• Managing reputational risk
  Executive remuneration is frequently in the spotlight. We work side-by-side with our clients to identify and help mitigate reputational risk.
• Navigating global regulation and governance issues
  Remuneration has become highly regulated in many countries, impacting numerous sectors. We have specialist knowledge of global trends and market practice, identifying legal, regulatory, tax, corporate governance and shareholder developments that may affect our clients. Our team can help you navigate this complex area and avoid pitfalls, no matter where your employees are based.
• Transactional support
  Our team is highly experienced in advising on the impact of takeovers, mergers, IPOs, capital raisings and other corporate transactions on our clients' incentive plans, as well as on remuneration arrangements put in place by clients both before and after completion of a transaction.
• Share plan hedging and funding arrangements
  We have extensive experience advising on the design, set up and funding of employee benefit trusts and of alternative hedging arrangements for our clients.

"Clifford Chance is a valuable partner across multiple work streams and jurisdictions. We are always well supported by experienced people across the range of services that we require. "

Chambers Global 2024: Employee Benefits - Global: Multi-Jurisdictional