Joe Penko advises public and private companies, private equity firms, real estate investment trusts (REITs), executives and boards on executive compensation and employee benefits matters, with a particular emphasis on issues arising in the context of mergers, acquisitions, initial public offerings and other corporate matters.
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America | 2026 | Executive Compensation & Benefits |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers | 2026 | Executive Compensation & Benefits |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers | 2025 | Executive Compensation & Benefits |
| The 2024 Lawdragon 500 Corporate Employment Lawyers | 2024 | Executive Compensation & Benefits |
Penko regularly counsels public and private companies, private equity firms, executive management teams and individual executives on the design, implementation and termination of compensation and benefit arrangements, including executive employment and severance agreements; consulting arrangements; retention, severance and change-in-control plans; cash and equity-based incentive programs; and nonqualified deferred compensation plans.
Penko also frequently advises clients regarding tax rules relating to deferred compensation, excise tax on excess parachute payments and limits on the deductibility of executive compensation. He also advises on U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules governing executive compensation disclosure and corporate governance matters.