Richard Ashley > DLA Piper LLP (US) > Chicago, United States > Lawyer Profile
DLA Piper LLP (US) Offices

444 WEST LAKE STREET
SUITE 900
CHICAGO, IL 60606-0089
ILLINOIS
United States
- Firm Profile
- Go to...
Richard Ashley

Work Department
Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation; Corporate; Tax; Employment; Intellectual Property and Technology; Insurance and Reinsurance Disputes; Insurance; Healthcare
Position
Partner; Co-chair, US Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice
Career
Rich Ashley’s practice includes advising both public and private companies on the design, implementation and administration of qualified retirement plans, nonqualified retirement plans, welfare benefit plans, equity incentive programs and executive compensation arrangements.
Rich’s practice includes advising professional asset managers, registered investment advisors, plan fiduciaries, and service providers with respect to fiduciary obligations, reporting and disclosure obligations, recordkeeping, and compliance with the prohibited transaction rules under ERISA and the Code. Rich regularly advises private funds and hedge fund sponsors with respect to ERISA Title I matters, and regularly consults with clients with respect to managing plan assets and structuring venture capital and real estate operating companies
Rich regularly works with plan administrators on benefit plan compliance and testing issues. Rich has experience with IRS and DOL correction procedures and has represented clients on a variety of compliance issues in connection with government audits.
Rich has extensive experience in the benefits and compensation issues that arise in connection with the transactions, including Code Sections 162(m), 280G and 409A compliance. Rich regularly advises Plan fiduciaries with respect to their duties, best practices, matters relating to the ERISA plan assets regulations and ERISA issues arising under credit agreements. Rich also works with Section 16 officers with respect to their legal obligations.
Rich regularly represents public companies, executive officers, and management teams in connection with potential mergers and acquisitions. Rich also designs and assists in the implementation of Change in Control Agreements and executive continuity and protection programs. Rich has represented professional athletes and executives of professional sports’ organizations with respect to employment and compensation matters.
Education
LL.M., Georgetown University Law Center; J.D., John Marshall Law School; B.A., Syracuse University
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
DLA Piper LLP (US) frequently collaborates with the firm’s corporate practice to handle high-end transactions, as demonstrated by the team’s advice to Canadian pharmaceutical and cannabis company, Tilray, on its merger with Aphria. Practice leader Rita Patel, who works in the firm’s Washington DC office, led on this matter, while Chicago-based Richard Ashley has experience in handling benefits and compensation issues arising from transactions, including Code Sections 162(m), 280G and 409A compliance. Cisco Palao-Ricketts departed in June 2021 while San Diego-based Michelle Lara joined from Cooley LLP in April 2021. Erin Sweeney is another key member of the team.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Real estate > Land use/zoning
- Dispute resolution > International litigation
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing
- Intellectual property > Patents: licensing
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices
- Real estate > Real estate
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies
Firm Rankings
- Media, technology and telecoms > Advertising and marketing: transactional and regulatory
- Industry focus > Cannabis
- Antitrust > Cartel
- Dispute resolution > E-discovery
- Industry focus > Energy: renewable/alternative power
- Tax > Financial products
- Media, technology and telecoms > Fintech
- Tax > International tax
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission)
- Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Finance > Structured finance: securitization
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: non-contentious (including prosecution, portfolio management and licensing)
- Tax > US taxes: contentious
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
- Industry focus > Healthcare: life sciences
- Industry focus > Healthcare: service providers
- Industry focus > Insurance: advice to insurers
- Industry focus > Insurance: non-contentious
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): defense
- Labor and employment > Labor-management relations
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive/transport
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: litigation
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Intellectual property > Patents: prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings)
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- Finance > Project finance