Practice Expertise
- Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
Areas of Practice
- Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
Profile
Brian Giovannini serves as an advisor and benefits counsel to a diverse group of clients - from local governments to Fortune Global 500 corporations. Brian’s clients value his in-depth technical knowledge and analytical skills, as well as his prompt assistance on numerous legal issues affecting the development and operation of their pension plans and executive compensation plans and agreements.
Brian leverages creativity in his day-to-day legal practice - whether he’s uncovering a novel solution to a client’s compliance problem, or designing a new integrated bonus-pool compensation structure that is unique to the client’s business needs. Brian has restated and merged pension plans, provided counsel regarding liability, de-risking solutions for pension plans, and assisted in redesigning a comprehensive global benefits program.
With a background in teaching and public speaking, Brian presents complex benefits issues in a concise and straightforward manner. Brian lectures to industry groups on various employee benefits topics, as well as providing in-depth ERISA fiduciary training to executives and plan committees.
Brian leverages creativity in his day-to-day legal practice - whether he’s uncovering a novel solution to a client’s compliance problem, or designing a new integrated bonus-pool compensation structure that is unique to the client’s business needs. Brian has restated and merged pension plans, provided counsel regarding liability, de-risking solutions for pension plans, and assisted in redesigning a comprehensive global benefits program.
With a background in teaching and public speaking, Brian presents complex benefits issues in a concise and straightforward manner. Brian lectures to industry groups on various employee benefits topics, as well as providing in-depth ERISA fiduciary training to executives and plan committees.
Bar Admissions
Texas; U.S. Tax Court
Education
J.D., University of Texas at Austin School of Law, 2008, with honors; Board of Advocates
B.A., University of Houston, 2005, cum laude; (graduated from Honors College)
Certificate in Italian Language, Università per Stranieri di Siena, 1994
Areas of Practice
- Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
Professional Career
Significant Accomplishments
M&A Benefits Integration
Assisted with integration of all U.S. employee benefits programs in a merger that created the largest energy infrastructure company in North America.
Assisted with employee benefits and executive compensation matters relating to combination of private energy industry client with other entity to create a new public entity with combined value of $3.8 billion.
Assisted with the integration of employee benefits for both union and non-union employees during $1.89 billion acquisition by an energy industry client.
Assisted with employee benefits and executive compensation legal matters arising out of $1.6 billion cash and stock merger of a global specialty chemicals supplier.
International Employee Benefits
Assisted multinational energy client in determining the most cost-efficient method for structuring fringe benefit program for expatriates.
Developed compensation structure for inpatriate executives of multinational energy client.
Assisted multinational energy client in determining the eligibility of expatriates to participate in tax-qualified deferred compensation programs.
Executive Compensation
Drafted stock incentive plans and related award agreements.
Reviewed and amended nonqualified deferred compensation plans to comply with Code Section 409A.
Terminated nonqualified deferred compensation plans.
Corrected nonqualified deferred compensation plans failures.
Analyzed employment agreements, severance agreements, and top hat plans for legal compliance.
Advised clients on a variety of compliance questions relating to nonqualified plans.
ERISA Retirement Plans
Converted defined benefit plan to hybrid cash balance plan.
Merged defined benefit plans.
Merged defined contribution plans.
Amended and restated tax-qualified retirement plans to remain compliant with changes in federal law.
Advised clients on a variety of ERISA and Internal Revenue Code compliance questions.
Governmental Retirement Plans
Amended and restated tax-qualified retirement plans to remain compliant with changes in federal law.
Advised clients on a variety of compliance questions under Texas state law and the Internal Revenue Code.
M&A Benefits Integration
Assisted with integration of all U.S. employee benefits programs in a merger that created the largest energy infrastructure company in North America.
Assisted with employee benefits and executive compensation matters relating to combination of private energy industry client with other entity to create a new public entity with combined value of $3.8 billion.
Assisted with the integration of employee benefits for both union and non-union employees during $1.89 billion acquisition by an energy industry client.
Assisted with employee benefits and executive compensation legal matters arising out of $1.6 billion cash and stock merger of a global specialty chemicals supplier.
International Employee Benefits
Assisted multinational energy client in determining the most cost-efficient method for structuring fringe benefit program for expatriates.
Developed compensation structure for inpatriate executives of multinational energy client.
Assisted multinational energy client in determining the eligibility of expatriates to participate in tax-qualified deferred compensation programs.
Executive Compensation
Drafted stock incentive plans and related award agreements.
Reviewed and amended nonqualified deferred compensation plans to comply with Code Section 409A.
Terminated nonqualified deferred compensation plans.
Corrected nonqualified deferred compensation plans failures.
Analyzed employment agreements, severance agreements, and top hat plans for legal compliance.
Advised clients on a variety of compliance questions relating to nonqualified plans.
ERISA Retirement Plans
Converted defined benefit plan to hybrid cash balance plan.
Merged defined benefit plans.
Merged defined contribution plans.
Amended and restated tax-qualified retirement plans to remain compliant with changes in federal law.
Advised clients on a variety of ERISA and Internal Revenue Code compliance questions.
Governmental Retirement Plans
Amended and restated tax-qualified retirement plans to remain compliant with changes in federal law.
Advised clients on a variety of compliance questions under Texas state law and the Internal Revenue Code.
Articles
Meet our Firms and Professionals
WSG’s member firms include legal, investment banking and accounting experts across industries and on a global scale. We invite you to meet our member firms and professionals.
