Howard Klein, co-chair of the employee benefits and executive compensation group, advises private and public companies, private equity funds, senior executives and portfolio managers in connection with executive compensation and employee benefits in complex corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, financing arrangements and public offerings. His work includes negotiating, reviewing and drafting transactional documents, supervising due diligence, and advising on compliance with the Internal Revenue Code, ERISA, applicable labor laws, federal securities laws and applicable exchange regulations.compensation group, 

Mr. Klein advises on all aspects of designing, negotiating and drafting equity-based compensation plans (including stock option, restricted stock and phantom equity arrangements), cash bonus plans, employment, consulting, termination, severance and change in control contracts, and restrictive covenant agreements, including non-competition, non-solicitation and confidentiality arrangements. He has considerable experience in representing companies and corporate officers in connection with executive hirings and firings and the implementation of management transition programs.

Mr. Klein also advises clients on the structure, implementation and administration of qualified and non-qualified employee pension programs, welfare plans and similar compensation arrangements. In addition, he counsels senior executives and boards of directors on transactional strategies, and consults management teams and boards of directors regarding executive compensation and change in control arrangements in connection with corporate transactions and reorganizations. Mr. Klein also actively assists clients with corporate governance and compliance matters, securities filings, employee communications and public announcements.

Prior to joining Dechert, Mr. Klein was a partner at another global law firm.

    • Starbucks Corporation on its US$7.15 billion global coffee alliance with Nestlé.
    • AstraZeneca plc in connection with its acquisition of Acerta Pharma LLC in a transaction valued at approximately US$7 billion.
    • Novartis AG in connection with its US$5.3 billion acquisition of the Xiidra dry eye drug business from Takeda Pharmaceutical.
    • Henderson Group on its US$6 billion all-stock merger of equals with Janus Capital to form Janus Henderson Global Investors, a leading global active asset manager with AUM of more than US$320 billion. 
    • KLX on the US$4.2 billion sale of its aviation parts and services business to Boeing and the spinoff of its energy services business.
    • CVC Capital Partners in its acquisition of Ontic Engineering and Manufacturing, a leading provider of OEM-licensed parts for legacy aerospace platforms, from BBA Aviation plc in a transaction valued at approximately US$1.365 billion.
    • Formula One Group (F1), together with its shareholders including CVC Capital Partners, on the US$8 billion sale of F1 to Liberty Media Corporation.
    • Dubai Aerospace Enterprises in its US$2.1 billion sale of StandardAero to an affiliate of Veritas Capital.
    • Carlson Inc. in connection with the sale of Carlson Hotels Inc. to HNA Tourism Group in a transaction valued at approximately US$2 billion.
    • Covia Holdings Corporation (formerly, Unimin Corporation), and its parent company, SCR-Sibelco NV, in connection with the US$6 billion acquisition of Fairmount Santrol.
    • Japan Tobacco Inc. on its US$5 billion acquisition of the non-US operations of Natural American Spirit from Reynolds American.
    • Smiths Group plc in its US$710 million acquisition of Morpho Detection LLC from Safran S.A.
    • H.I.G. Capital in its pending agreement to acquire a 75% stake in Lagardère Sports, a business within the Paris-based media conglomerate Lagardère, in a deal valued at €110 million.
    Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.
    • Fordham Law Review