With an ‘extremely knowledgeable, responsive, and client-focused’ team capable of working at a global scale on the full spectrum of employee benefit and executive compensation issues, DLA Piper LLP (US) can serve all facets of their client’s needs. Practice head Rita Patel from Washington DC specializes in equity and compensation arrangements regarding ERISA and fiduciary governance matters, and she is assisted there by an ’outstanding legal resource’ in Jonathan Rose. In Chicago, Richard Ashley is renowned for his work in the financial sector, dealing with a range of benefit and compensation issues as well as highly complex ERISA Title I matters for some of the largest plan providers. From San Francisco, the ‘efficient and succinct’ Dean Fealk has particular expertise in designing equity and other compensation arrangements for international businesses in global transaction scenarios, and Washington DC’s Erin Sweeney leads in health privacy and welfare benefit claim matters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
'The benefits team is extremely knowledgeable, responsive, and client-focused. They provide legal advice that is practical and easy to understand and implement as a company.’
‘Rita Patel and Melissa Mayhew are both a pleasure to work with. ’
‘DLA Piper, LLP's resources are exceptional. Best in class specialists and subject matter experts provide value to its clients that make it head and shoulders above its competitive firms.’
‘Jonathan Rose is an outstanding attorney. He works hard and works smart for each of his clients. His knowledge of ERISA law and his insight in terms of overseeing that his clients maintain compliance with the law make him well respected in the industry. He consistently demonstrates an approach where he looks at a problem at multiple angles before rendering legal guidance.'
‘Dean Fealk is my primary attorney and has been doing an excellent job for us for years.’
‘Dean Fealk is efficient and succinct.’
Key clients
- James Hardie Industries plc
- QUALCOMM Incorporated
- X (formerly Twitter, Inc.)
- Hewlett Packard [HP, Inc] Enterprise Development LP
- Renesas Electronics Corporation
- Philip Morris International, Inc.
- LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc.
- Ares Management Corporation
- Hayfin Capital Management LLP
- Halma Plc
Work highlights
- Advised a leading global hospitality company on reassessing its healthcare spend. The strategy that our team devised, generated significant cost savings to the Client and greatly reduced its healthcare costs.
- Advised a multinational pharmaceutical and biotech company on all benefits and executive compensation work. This work includes representation of the pension committee and advice on fiduciary and tax issues.
- Represented a multi-billion-dollar international tobacco company as lead counsel for all employee benefits and executive compensation work.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Rita Patel
Other key lawyers
Jonathan Rose; Richard W. Ashley III; Dean Fealk; Erin Sweeney; Melissa Mayhew