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Alison Wright is special counsel in the firm’s business department and a member of the Tax Strategies & Planning Group. Ms. Wright’s practice focuses on the tax, securities and ERISA aspects of executive and equity compensation, including non-qualified deferred compensation plans, stock compensation plans, employee stock purchase plans, change in control plans, perquisite programs, and executive employment and severance agreements. Ms. Wright also advises clients regarding their traditional employee benefit plans, including 401(k) and other retirement plans, health and welfare plans and cafeteria plans. Ms. Wright also has experience assisting clients with compensation and benefits issued raised in mergers and acquisitions, including golden parachute payments, COBRA responsibilities and due diligence review.

Prior to joining Howard Rice, Ms. Wright was an associate with Trucker Huss, a law firm specializing in employee benefits. She also practiced at Cooley Godward LLP, where she advised a broad range of public and private technology companies primarily on executive compensation matters.

Ms. Wright also previously worked for Deloitte & Touche LLP where her responsibilities included investigating and resolving qualification defects in 401(k) plans, preparing Form 5500s for pension and welfare benefit plans, and drafting cafeteria plans, stock option plans and deferred compensation plans.

Representative Matters

  • Negotiated employment agreements with top four executives at employee benefit plan record keeping company on behalf of buyer in $115 million acquisition.
  • Reviewed and revised 401(k) plan administrative services agreement for a manufacturer and marketer of adult and children’s leisure products.
  • Briefed an executive team at a worldwide media and entertainment company on new SEC proxy disclosure rules.

Education

  • LL.M., New York University School of Law, 1996
  • J.D., University of California Davis School of Law, 1995
  • B.A., Colby College, 1989

Admitted

  • California
  • Texas

Memberships

  • State Bar of California      
  • State Bar of Texas   
  • National Association of Stock Plan Professionals
  • American Bar Association        
  • Western Pension & Benefits Conference

Selected Publications

  • "Valuation Issues For Funds With ERISA Investors," Securities Law 360 (April 2009)
  • “Criminal and Civil Changes Brought in Stock Option ‘Backdating’ Schemes,” The Journal of Employee Ownership Law and Finance (August 2006)

Selected Presentations

  • "Employment Agreements, Offer Letters & Section 409A: Best Practices," National Association of Employee Ownership (NCEO) Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN (April 2010)
  • “Taxation of Equity Compensation," National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP), Webinar (April 2010)
  • "Anatomy of an Effective Employment Contract for Employees and Executives," Labor & Employment Law Conference, San Francisco (May 2007)
  • "Latest Trends in Employee Stock Purchase Plan Design," 2006 Annual Conference, National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (October 2006)
  • “Tips for 2007: Preparing for the Proxy under the New SEC Rules,” Certified Equity Professional Institute, 3rd Annual CEP Symposium (September 2006)
  •  “Issues with Stock Option Backdating,” NCEO Webinar (August 2006)
  •  “Deferred Compensation Rules under Code Section 409A,” E*Trade Financial Annual Conference (May 2006)
  • “Employee Stock Purchase Plan Design after Stock Option Expensing,” E*Trade Financial Annual Conference (May 2006)