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Cravath Publishes Winter 2026 Issue of Alumni Journal

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Practices

Executive Compensation and Benefits

Executive Compensation and Benefits

Cravath’s Executive Compensation and Benefits Department advises U.S. and multinational clients in all aspects of compensation and benefits. Executive compensation and employee benefit issues are central concerns in most corporate transactions. Our lawyers are experienced at analyzing the corporate governance implications and legal and financial risks associated with compensation and benefit arrangements, as well as navigating interrelated securities law, disclosure, investor relations, tax, ERISA and accounting issues.

The compensation and benefit matters that arise in merger and acquisition transactions are the primary focus of the Department. Our lawyers negotiate key terms of acquisition agreements, develop executive succession arrangements and design and implement new compensation and benefit plans.

In addition to our transactional experience, our executive compensation and benefits lawyers work closely with our litigators to handle matters involving employment, employee benefits and ERISA issues, including in class action lawsuits that may be intertwined with securities and shareholder derivative cases. We have broad experience in disputes that involve employee noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements, internal investigations of claims of executive misconduct, modifications of employee retirement and benefits agreements and whistleblower claims.

We also advise our clients in connection with the complexities of their ongoing compensation and benefits practices. We help prepare the executive compensation disclosure in annual proxy statements for public companies, including the CD&A and any management compensation proposals, such as say‑on‑pay and approval of new equity compensation plans. In addition, we counsel our clients on the increasingly important issue of investor relations, including the management of relations with corporate governance watchdogs such as ISS/Glass Lewis and major institutional shareholders, as well as in defense against activist shareholders. We are also frequently asked to represent CEOs and other senior executives and corporate clients in crafting individual employment and severance agreements.

Cravath has been consistently named a leading firm for executive compensation and benefits by numerous third‑party publications and has been twice named a Benefits Practice Group of the Year by Law360. Our lawyers regularly earn plaudits from their clients and peers in the market:

  • “The team is particularly good at managing exceptionally complex topics and processes, and can articulate arcane legal intricacies in an especially user-friendly way. It is a rare combination of skills.” The Legal 500 US
  • “Cravath is amazing and just becomes part of the team. They are reliable and they are at the next step before you.” Chambers USA
  • “I hold Cravath in high esteem. On the simple and more complicated transactions, the firm provides expert counsel and priority responses, which helps us achieve our goals.” Chambers USA
  • “They provide a combination of competence and customer service that is unequaled.” Chambers USA
  • The Cravath team is “extremely knowledgeable across strategic and tactical issues with a very pragmatic and common-sense approach to problem solving.” The Legal 500 US
  • “Cravath attorneys have been fantastic to work with. They are very capable legally of course, but also help me to think through the business implications of negotiations as well.” Chambers USA

The compensation and benefit matters that arise in merger and acquisition transactions are the primary focus of the Department. Our lawyers negotiate key terms of acquisition agreements, develop executive succession arrangements and design and implement new compensation and benefit plans.

In addition to our transactional experience, our executive compensation and benefits lawyers work closely with our litigators to handle matters involving employment, employee benefits and ERISA issues, including in class action lawsuits that may be intertwined with securities and shareholder derivative cases. We have broad experience in disputes that involve employee noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements, internal investigations of claims of executive misconduct, modifications of employee retirement and benefits agreements and whistleblower claims.

We also advise our clients in connection with the complexities of their ongoing compensation and benefits practices. We help prepare the executive compensation disclosure in annual proxy statements for public companies, including the CD&A and any management compensation proposals, such as say‑on‑pay and approval of new equity compensation plans. In addition, we counsel our clients on the increasingly important issue of investor relations, including the management of relations with corporate governance watchdogs such as ISS/Glass Lewis and major institutional shareholders, as well as in defense against activist shareholders. We are also frequently asked to represent CEOs and other senior executives and corporate clients in crafting individual employment and severance agreements.

Cravath has been consistently named a leading firm for executive compensation and benefits by numerous third‑party publications and has been twice named a Benefits Practice Group of the Year by Law360. Our lawyers regularly earn plaudits from their clients and peers in the market:

  • “The team is particularly good at managing exceptionally complex topics and processes, and can articulate arcane legal intricacies in an especially user-friendly way. It is a rare combination of skills.” The Legal 500 US
  • “Cravath is amazing and just becomes part of the team. They are reliable and they are at the next step before you.” Chambers USA
  • “I hold Cravath in high esteem. On the simple and more complicated transactions, the firm provides expert counsel and priority responses, which helps us achieve our goals.” Chambers USA
  • “They provide a combination of competence and customer service that is unequaled.” Chambers USA
  • The Cravath team is “extremely knowledgeable across strategic and tactical issues with a very pragmatic and common-sense approach to problem solving.” The Legal 500 US
  • “Cravath attorneys have been fantastic to work with. They are very capable legally of course, but also help me to think through the business implications of negotiations as well.” Chambers USA
  • Deals & Cases
  • Recent News & Insights

Deals & Cases

March 12, 2026

TPG Operating Group II L.P.’s Registered Senior Notes Offering

Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $500 million registered senior notes offering of TPG Operating Group II, L.P. TPG Operating Group II, L.P. is a subsidiary of TPG Inc., a leading global alternative asset manager. The transaction closed on February 26, 2026.

Deals & Cases

March 11, 2026

Elsevier’s Acquisition of Mytonomy

On March 10, 2026, Elsevier, a global leader in advanced information and decision support and part of RELX, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Mytonomy, a leader in video-based patient engagement solutions that will complement Elsevier’s Clinical Solutions portfolio. Cravath is representing RELX in connection with the transaction.

Deals & Cases

March 09, 2026

Talkspace’s Acquisition by UHS

On March 9, 2026, Universal Health Services, Inc. (“UHS”) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Talkspace, Inc. (“Talkspace”) for $5.25 per share. The enterprise value for the transaction is approximately $835 million. Cravath is representing Talkspace in connection with the transaction.

Deals & Cases

March 02, 2026

Select Medical’s $3.9 Billion Acquisition by Consortium Led by Robert A. Ortenzio, Martin F. Jackson and WCAS

On March 2, 2026, Select Medical Holdings Corporation (“Select Medical”) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which an entity affiliated with a consortium led by Robert A. Ortenzio, Executive Chairman, Co-Founder and Director of Select Medical, Martin F. Jackson, Senior Executive Vice President of Strategic Finance and Operations of Select Medical, and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (“WCAS” and, together with Mr. Ortenzio and Mr. Jackson, the “Consortium”) will acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Select Medical not already owned by the Consortium for a price per share of $16.50 in cash, representing an enterprise value of $3.9 billion, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the merger agreement. Cravath is representing the buyer consortium in connection with the transaction.

Deals & Cases

February 28, 2026

Paramount’s $110 Billion Acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.

On February 27, 2026, Paramount Skydance Corporation (“Paramount”) and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. ("WBD") announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Paramount will acquire WBD. Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount will pay $31.00 per share in cash for all outstanding shares of WBD. The transaction values WBD at an enterprise value of $110 billion, and has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies. Cravath is representing Paramount in connection with the transaction.

Publications

March 11, 2026

HLS Forum on Corporate Governance Publishes Cravath’s Q4 2025 Newsletter on M&A, Activism and Corporate Governance

On March 10, 2026, the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance published Cravath’s latest quarterly newsletter on M&A, activism and corporate governance. The newsletter provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments across the M&A, activism, tax, regulatory and corporate governance landscape during the fourth quarter of 2025. Contributors to this edition include partners G.J. Ligelis Jr., Evan A. Hill, Andrew M. Wark, Bethany A. Pfalzgraf and Edward O. Minturn.

Publications

February 13, 2026

Cravath Publishes Quarterly Review on Q4 2025 Trends in M&A, Activism and Corporate Governance

On February 13, 2026, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments across the M&A, activism, tax, regulatory and corporate governance landscape. This edition covers:

Publications

February 10, 2026

G.J. Ligelis Jr., Chris Fargo, Alyssa Caples and Maggie Segall Co‑Author U.S. Chapters of Chambers Investing In… 2026 Guide

Cravath partners G.J. Ligelis Jr., Christopher K. Fargo, Alyssa K. Caples and Margaret T. Segall co‑authored the U.S. Law & Practice chapter of the Chambers Investing In… 2026 guide, which was published in January 2026. The guide, which is part of the publisher’s Global Practice Guide series, examines country‑specific legal issues that arise from foreign direct investment (“FDI”) and cross‑border transactions in the more than 30 jurisdictions covered. The U.S. Law & Practice chapter surveys the legal system and regulatory framework for FDI in the country, analyzing the economic climate as well as considerations related to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, capital markets, antitrust, national security, tax, employment and intellectual property.

Publications

February 02, 2026

Cravath Publishes Winter 2026 Issue of Alumni Journal

Cravath released the Winter 2026 issue of its Alumni Journal, which highlights the Firm’s global alumni community. This issue features the career journey of Susan Jong, the Head of Corporate Legal and Corporate Secretary at Amazon, as well as a recent conversation with Jason Dymbort, the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at First Solar, Inc. This edition also spotlights several alumni who have gone on to work in venture capital, or at start-ups and other companies navigating territory that comes with new technologies and market dynamics, and includes photos from the Firm’s October 2025 Alumni Reception held at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. 

Activities

November 07, 2025

Jon Katz Speaks at the Center on Executive Compensation’s 2025 Annual Meeting

On November 6, 2025, Cravath partner Jonathan J. Katz participated in the Center on Executive Compensation's 2025 Annual Meeting, which was presented by the Chief Human Resource Officer (“CHRO”) Association from November 5‑6 in Washington, D.C. Jon spoke on a panel entitled “Making Winners Without Losers: Pay Strategies to Support CEO Succession,” which discussed keeping internal candidates in the game, encouraging critical development moves and attracting external executives when the moment demands it.

Deals & Cases

March 12, 2026

TPG Operating Group II L.P.’s Registered Senior Notes Offering

Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $500 million registered senior notes offering of TPG Operating Group II, L.P. TPG Operating Group II, L.P. is a subsidiary of TPG Inc., a leading global alternative asset manager. The transaction closed on February 26, 2026.

Deals & Cases

March 11, 2026

Elsevier’s Acquisition of Mytonomy

On March 10, 2026, Elsevier, a global leader in advanced information and decision support and part of RELX, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Mytonomy, a leader in video-based patient engagement solutions that will complement Elsevier’s Clinical Solutions portfolio. Cravath is representing RELX in connection with the transaction.

Deals & Cases

March 09, 2026

Talkspace’s Acquisition by UHS

On March 9, 2026, Universal Health Services, Inc. (“UHS”) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Talkspace, Inc. (“Talkspace”) for $5.25 per share. The enterprise value for the transaction is approximately $835 million. Cravath is representing Talkspace in connection with the transaction.

Deals & Cases

March 02, 2026

Select Medical’s $3.9 Billion Acquisition by Consortium Led by Robert A. Ortenzio, Martin F. Jackson and WCAS

On March 2, 2026, Select Medical Holdings Corporation (“Select Medical”) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which an entity affiliated with a consortium led by Robert A. Ortenzio, Executive Chairman, Co-Founder and Director of Select Medical, Martin F. Jackson, Senior Executive Vice President of Strategic Finance and Operations of Select Medical, and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (“WCAS” and, together with Mr. Ortenzio and Mr. Jackson, the “Consortium”) will acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Select Medical not already owned by the Consortium for a price per share of $16.50 in cash, representing an enterprise value of $3.9 billion, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the merger agreement. Cravath is representing the buyer consortium in connection with the transaction.

Deals & Cases

February 28, 2026

Paramount’s $110 Billion Acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.

On February 27, 2026, Paramount Skydance Corporation (“Paramount”) and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. ("WBD") announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Paramount will acquire WBD. Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount will pay $31.00 per share in cash for all outstanding shares of WBD. The transaction values WBD at an enterprise value of $110 billion, and has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies. Cravath is representing Paramount in connection with the transaction.

Publications

March 11, 2026

HLS Forum on Corporate Governance Publishes Cravath’s Q4 2025 Newsletter on M&A, Activism and Corporate Governance

On March 10, 2026, the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance published Cravath’s latest quarterly newsletter on M&A, activism and corporate governance. The newsletter provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments across the M&A, activism, tax, regulatory and corporate governance landscape during the fourth quarter of 2025. Contributors to this edition include partners G.J. Ligelis Jr., Evan A. Hill, Andrew M. Wark, Bethany A. Pfalzgraf and Edward O. Minturn.

Publications

February 13, 2026

Cravath Publishes Quarterly Review on Q4 2025 Trends in M&A, Activism and Corporate Governance

On February 13, 2026, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments across the M&A, activism, tax, regulatory and corporate governance landscape. This edition covers:

Publications

February 10, 2026

G.J. Ligelis Jr., Chris Fargo, Alyssa Caples and Maggie Segall Co‑Author U.S. Chapters of Chambers Investing In… 2026 Guide

Cravath partners G.J. Ligelis Jr., Christopher K. Fargo, Alyssa K. Caples and Margaret T. Segall co‑authored the U.S. Law & Practice chapter of the Chambers Investing In… 2026 guide, which was published in January 2026. The guide, which is part of the publisher’s Global Practice Guide series, examines country‑specific legal issues that arise from foreign direct investment (“FDI”) and cross‑border transactions in the more than 30 jurisdictions covered. The U.S. Law & Practice chapter surveys the legal system and regulatory framework for FDI in the country, analyzing the economic climate as well as considerations related to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, capital markets, antitrust, national security, tax, employment and intellectual property.

Publications

February 02, 2026

Cravath Publishes Winter 2026 Issue of Alumni Journal

Cravath released the Winter 2026 issue of its Alumni Journal, which highlights the Firm’s global alumni community. This issue features the career journey of Susan Jong, the Head of Corporate Legal and Corporate Secretary at Amazon, as well as a recent conversation with Jason Dymbort, the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at First Solar, Inc. This edition also spotlights several alumni who have gone on to work in venture capital, or at start-ups and other companies navigating territory that comes with new technologies and market dynamics, and includes photos from the Firm’s October 2025 Alumni Reception held at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. 

Activities

November 07, 2025

Jon Katz Speaks at the Center on Executive Compensation’s 2025 Annual Meeting

On November 6, 2025, Cravath partner Jonathan J. Katz participated in the Center on Executive Compensation's 2025 Annual Meeting, which was presented by the Chief Human Resource Officer (“CHRO”) Association from November 5‑6 in Washington, D.C. Jon spoke on a panel entitled “Making Winners Without Losers: Pay Strategies to Support CEO Succession,” which discussed keeping internal candidates in the game, encouraging critical development moves and attracting external executives when the moment demands it.

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Executive Compensation and Benefits

Cravath Bicentennial

Celebrating 200 years of partnership. In 2019, we celebrated our bicentennial. Our history mirrors that of our nation. Integral to our story is our culture.

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