Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Partner Rebecca S. Coccaro Joins Akin Gump in Washington

February 17, 2021

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(Washington, D.C.) – Akin Gump is pleased to announce that executive compensation and employee benefits attorney Rebecca S. Coccaro has joined the firm as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office. Ms. Coccaro comes to Akin Gump from Sullivan & Cromwell.

Ms. Coccaro advises clients on the executive compensation and employee benefits aspects of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and financial restructuring matters. She also advises public companies with respect to day-to-day executive compensation and employee benefits matters such as on related securities, tax and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) issues, and correspondence and filings to the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor.

“Our executive comp and employee benefits team is already known for its skills in advising on complex transactions, and Rebecca adds an enormous amount of talent to that group,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “She will play a key role in addressing the needs of our clients, particularly with respect to corporate transactional and financial restructuring work. I am delighted to welcome her to the firm.”

In addition to her significant, high-level executive compensation and transactional experience, Ms. Coccaro has extensive experience with SEC reporting and disclosure matters, including extensive annual proxy drafting and review, and Form 8-K and other SEC reporting advisory work. She also has a great deal of experience with all types of compensation agreements and plans, such as equity incentive and management incentive plans, executive employment, retention, separation, and change in control plans and agreements.

“Large, complex transactions can present a number of significant executive comp and benefits issues, and having someone with Rebecca’s depth of experience to navigate them is invaluable,” said Jeffrey Kochian, head of Akin Gump’s corporate practice. “Our clients, particularly investment funds and public companies, will benefit immensely from her skillset, and I look forward to her many contributions to the team.”

Added Ms. Coccaro, “I am excited to join Akin Gump, which has a very strong reputation on tax matters, corporate transactions and financial restructurings, and help further expand the reach of its executive compensation work. The firm’s platform aligns perfectly with my strengths, and I am eager to begin working with my new colleagues.”

About Rebecca S. Coccaro

Ms. Coccaro is a member of the Business Law Section and the Joint Committee on Employee Benefits of the American Bar Association, the Business Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and the Taxation Section of the D.C. Bar Association. She has conducted in-house continuing legal education programs on executive compensation and employee benefit aspects of corporate transactions, federal securities law and tax law compliance issues arising under executive compensation and benefit plans, and ethical considerations in executive compensation and employee benefit plan practice.

Ms. Coccaro received her J.D., magna cum laude, from American University Washington College of Law and her B.A., summa cum laude, from the State University of New York at Oswego.

About Akin Gump’s Executive Compensation, Employee Benefits and ERISA Practice

Akin Gump’s executive compensation and employee benefits team advises investment funds, corporations, financial institutions, individual executives, and individual and corporate trustees of employee benefit plans on matters such as executive compensation agreements, fiduciary responsibility and plan investments, non-qualified deferred compensation agreements and incentive programs. The group also advises clients on the latest legal and legislative developments impacting pay structures and the tax implications of changes to retirement plan loans and withdrawals, most recently those due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

In addition, the group’s lawyers assist with strategies for managing pushes for pay transparency and heightened scrutiny from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, proxy advisory firms and activist shareholders. They also advise clients regarding the application of ERISA’s prohibited transaction and fiduciary responsibility rules.

Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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