We advise private and publicly held companies on the design and implementation of employee share schemes. 

Our areas of expertise include:

• Advising on the design and implementation of share option plans, long term incentive plans and restricted stock plans
• Advising on and obtaining Revenue Commissioner approval for profit-sharing and savings related share option schemes
• Advising on the treatment of share options and share awards in takeovers, mergers and schemes of arrangement
• Advising on employee bonus programmes
• Advising on corporate and securities law issues relating to employee share options and awards.

We work closely with William Fry Tax Advisors to optimise the tax treatment of employee incentives.  

William Fry Tax Advisors is a member of the Taxand international network of advisors.  We work with other network members to advise multinational companies on offering their share incentives in various jurisdictions.

Our experience includes:

Advising Kentz Corporation on the implementation of an employee share option plan for its employees worldwide following the listing of its shares on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange.

Advising Bord na Móna plc (Ireland’s leading integrated energy utility service provider) on the implementation of an employee share ownership trust over 5% of the company.

Advising DCC plc on obtaining shareholder approval for a new executive share plan in 2009.

Advising Labcoat Limited and Aran Technologies Limited on the treatment of their employee share options in the acquisition of those companies by Boston Scientific Corporation and the Danaher group, respectively. 

Advising Warner Chilcott on offering share incentives under its global share plans to its employees in Ireland.

Advising Millipore Corporation on dealing with its approved profit sharing scheme for Irish employees in the context of its merger with Merck.

Advising SkillSoft Corporation, a company listed on the Nasdaq market, on the treatment of its share options in its acquisition by SSI Investments.

Department
Sources say: 'Everyone we deal with is just superb. We value the team's judgement and view them as colleagues.'
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Employment

William Fry advises in ‘a clear and pragmatic way'.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Employment

William Fry is able to offer ‘flexible solutions and clear analysis of various situations’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2011 - Employment

William Fry is ‘hard working and responsive’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Employment

Large employers from the public and private sector form the majority of the client roster, and they call the team ‘pragmatic, responsive, client-focused, and ready to go at any time.’  According to sources, ‘William Fry lawyers take care of the legal side but, with a solid commercial approach, they almost act as business consultants as well’.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

Team

Boyce Shubotham

Boyce Shubotham is lauded as 'experienced and practical. He always lays out options and his advice has avoided a lot of litigation.'
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Employment

Boyce Shubotham is ‘just amazing’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Employment

Boyce Shubotham is hailed as a ‘top-class adviser’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2011 - Employment

Boyce Shubotham is praised for ‘demonstrating mastery of the law’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Employment

Boyce Shubotham leads the team and is recommended for his handling of complex employment litigation.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

Michael Wolfe
Michael Wolfe is ‘an excellent pensions lawyer’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Pensions & Employee Benefits

Michael Wolfe provides ‘excellent advice, not just on strict legal issues but also on the appropriate tactical approach’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Pensions and Employee Benefits

‘He is extremely experienced and his advice is legally and tactically spot-on,’ according to clients.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

Maura Roe
Maura Roe is ‘technical and knows where the client is coming from’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Pensions and Employee Benefits

Maura Roe brings an international dimension, having worked for a prominent US law firm, and sources appreciate that she is ‘responsive and knows the legislation extremely well’.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

Alicia Compton

Alicia Compton 'is a great asset. She has a deep understanding of our needs and will anticipate all the issues that could affect us,' clients note.
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Employment

'Alicia Compton has few peers'.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Employment

Alicia Compton can lay claim to being ‘the best employment lawyer in Ireland’, according to one client.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2011 - Employment

Alicia Compton is ‘a pragmatic lawyer with a knack for distilling complex information down to the essential elements,’ say sources.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

Alicia Compton is an expert in equality-related matters, and has advised both public and private sector bodies on potential equality issues. She is also a member of the Health and Safety Lawyers' Association.
Chambers Global, 2009 - Employment

Maryrose Dillon
Maryrose Dillon is ‘a rising star in Irish employment law circles’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Employment