Benesch is proud to announce the continued expansion of its Executive Compensation & Benefits Practice Group, which has more than tripled in size over the past year. Fueled by the firm’s strategic growth in private equity and M&A and increasing client demand for integrated human capital counsel, the group, led by Chair Melissa Grim, has grown from four to 14 attorneys since her spring 2024 arrival, with three new attorneys—Trisha Appel, Meghan Cohen and Jordan Hartman—joining in the last month alone. This growth, both in size and capabilities, reflects our commitment to listening to our clients and the market, and responding with sophistication, speed and strategic foresight.
Prior to Melissa Grim and Partner Emily Morrison joining the firm in the spring of 2024, the team primarily focused on advising clients on day-to-day compliance matters and transactional matters relating to employee benefit plans and ESOPs. Since then, with the addition of 10 strategic hires, the team has significantly broadened its scope, adding strength and expertise across executive compensation, tax considerations and employment law.
With several attorneys bringing both BigLaw and in-house experience, the team offers a full spectrum of human capital advisory services, including counseling clients on complex compensation structures, incentive and benefit plan design and compliance, global HR issues, and comprehensive workforce strategies, and helps clients navigate these issues as they arise in corporate and private equity transactions of all types. Their experience spans key sectors including private equity, healthcare, technology, manufacturing, energy and financial services. The team is also widely recognized for its significant experience managing post-deal integration and workforce transitions—a specialty few firms offer.
“Our expansion has been both intentional and client-driven. We’ve listened to what our clients are asking for and responded by building a team that is second to none,” said Executive Compensation & Benefits Chair Melissa Grim. “We’ve grown from a small, specialized group into a fully built-out team with extensive experience across every aspect of our clients’ executive compensation and employee benefits needs. I’m proud of the value we bring by helping clients think through these issues holistically and proactively while addressing their business objectives and risk mitigation goals.”
In addition to Appel, Cohen and Hartman, the team welcomed Walter Cosby, Nida Javaid and Kara Sturtz earlier this year. Lilly Kaplan is set to join the group as part of Benesch’s first-year associate class in August.
Trisha Appel, Managing Associate, Cleveland
Trisha has extensive experience in employee benefits and executive compensation matters, corporate transactions, and the administration of qualified and non-qualified retirement plans. She advises clients on the benefits aspects of mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, and reorganizations, ensuring smooth transitions and regulatory compliance. Trisha is skilled in drafting and negotiating employment agreements, severance arrangements, and equity incentive programs, and provides strategic guidance on plan administration and compliance under the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA.
Meghan Cohen, Of Counsel, New York
Meghan advises clients on a wide range of employment and executive compensation matters, with a focus on the intersection of employment law and corporate transactions. Drawing on experience in both private practice and in-house legal departments, Meghan offers pragmatic, business-minded counsel that supports clients through the full lifecycle of the employment relationship, whether navigating day-to-day compliance or managing the complexities of M&A and other strategic transactions. Meghan regularly counsels HR teams, C-suite leaders, in-house counsel and benefits professionals in managing executive and key employee onboarding and separations, guiding complex restructurings, developing consistent workplace policies, and helping to mitigate risk and maintain compliance with evolving regulatory requirements.
Jordan Hartman, Senior Managing Associate, Chicago
Jordan focuses his practice on the executive compensation, benefits and employment-related aspects of mergers and acquisitions involving privately and publicly held companies, spin-offs and divestitures. Beyond transactional work, Jordan designs, drafts and amends compensation plans and agreements, including employment, consulting, termination, severance, change-in-control and restrictive covenant arrangements. He assists clients with day-to-day corporate governance and compliance matters, including issues arising under the Internal Revenue Code, including Sections 280G and 409A, as well as federal securities laws and exchange regulations.