Vinson & Elkins Expands Executive Compensation and Employment Practices with Addition of Partners Patricia Adams, Joo Hyun Lee and Rebecca Baker

Adams and Lee both advise clients on a wide range of compensation and employee benefits arrangements, particularly with regard to issues arising in private equity, mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings and restructuring matters. Both join V&E from  Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

“Our practice is experiencing an increase in demand as companies across all industries are looking for trusted advice on complex compensation questions,” said partner David D’Alessandro, head of Vinson & Elkins’ Executive Compensation & Benefits practice. “Patricia and Joo are highly respected, seasoned attorneys who are well versed in both public company and private equity backed company matters. In particular, they have proven insights into issues arising in complex transactions along with experience regarding advanced tax and securities issues, which squarely aligns with our focus on counseling corporate clients in all aspects of their compensation and benefits needs.”

“Vinson & Elkins is known for helping clients address the many challenges that come with solving complex benefit and compensation issues, and Joo and I share the firm’s dedication to investing time into working with clients on a full range of transactional and regulatory projects that make for long-standing relationships,” said Adams.

“When presented with the opportunity to join Vinson & Elkins, Patricia and I were impressed with the established presence in New York combined with the firm’s strengths in key practice areas, such as private equity, M&A, capital markets and project finance,” added Lee.

Becky Baker has extensive experience in managing the labor and employment aspects of complex business sales, acquisitions and other transactions. She also represents employers in all aspects of the employment relationship, including with respect to employee hiring and termination, investigations, structuring and litigating non-competition and non-solicitation agreements and providing counsel with respect to sensitive employee matters and day-to-day employment issues.  Baker joins from Bracewell, where she was chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment group.

“I have worked across from Becky and long been impressed by her insight and practical approach in finding solutions to complex matters,” said partner Sean Becker, head of the firm’s Labor & Employment practice. “She has a well-deserved reputation for excellence, and will play a key role in continuing to build our practice and providing our clients with the trusted counseling and support they need on many of their most important matters. Becky’s addition will add significant value to our firm, our employment practice and our clients.”

“I was attracted to Vinson & Elkins not only because of the scope and scale of the matters handled by the Employment group, but more broadly by the firm’s culture of collaborating across practices and offices,” Baker said. “This is a great opportunity for me to expand my practice and support a great client base as those clients manage and grow their businesses.”

Adams received her J.D. degree from Northwestern University School of Law, cum laude, and her M.S. and B.B.A degrees from the University of Notre Dame; Lee received her J.D. degree from Stanford Law School and a B.A., cum laude, from Yale University; and Baker earned her J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. degree, cum laude, from Duke University.

Vinson & Elkins’ nationally recognized group of Executive Compensation & Benefits lawyers advises companies on all aspects of executive compensation arrangements and ERISA fiduciary matters. The team guides clients in the strategic drafting, structuring, negotiation and complex compliance aspects of equity-based compensation arrangements; employment, severance, change in control, bonus, and retention agreements; defined benefit and retiree medical plans; and  deferred compensation and parachute payment matters.

Lawyers in Vinson & Elkins’ nationally recognized Labor & Employment practice are well-versed in the full range of labor and employment issues. They are experienced counselors, deal lawyers and, when necessary, trial lawyers who advise with respect to all aspects of the employment relationship. Team members have managed the labor and employment aspects of thousands of acquisitions, divestitures and other transactions, as our employment lawyers are an integral part of the firms’ larger transactional teams. In addition to providing extensive day-to-day counseling with respect to employment issues, Vinson & Elkins’ labor and employment lawyers also lead investigations and regularly advise boards and executives with respect to employment-related matters.