Bio

Greg Gautam is a transactional partner that focuses his practice on various areas of employee benefits, including the design of executive compensation programs, qualified retirement plans, and health and welfare plans. A significant portion of Greg's time is spent advising clients on the benefits and compensation issues that arise in a wide array of complex corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, private equity and venture capital transactions, equity and debt financing, and recapitalizations. Greg uses his knowledge of employee benefits laws, regulations and the Internal Revenue Code to assist clients in achieving their human capital and compensation objectives. Greg drafts deferred compensation, qualified retirement savings, and welfare benefit plans as well as counsels clients with regard to the administration and compliance of such plans with the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA. In the executive compensation area, he represents public and private companies in connection with negotiating and drafting employment agreements, stock option and other equity plans and awards, change in control agreements, severance agreements, and other compensation arrangements, including Section 409A compliance and corrections. Greg advises on best practices and new developments in executive compensation, and, in collaboration with his corporate colleagues, counsels on governance and disclosure issues impacting his public company clients. In connection with mergers and acquisitions, Greg analyzes compensation and benefits issues, including Section 280G golden parachute excise tax issues, negotiates key benefits terms and conditions and drafts and negotiates transaction representations and warranties and transaction provisions involving employee plan compliance, benefit plan liability, severance obligations, and COBRA obligations. Finally, Greg represents individual executives and entire management teams in connection with the negotiation, drafting and design of their executive compensation arrangements, including employment and consulting agreements, change in control agreements, equity and phantom equity arrangements, retention arrangements, and separation packages. Greg is an immediate past co-chair of Snell & Wilmer’s Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and serves as a member of the firm's Attorney Development Committee.