Proskauer Expands Executive Compensation Practice

September 26, 2013 (New York, Los Angeles) — Global law firm Proskauer announced today that Colleen M. Hart has joined the firm as an Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits partner, to be resident in the Los Angeles office. Ms. Hart adds depth to Proskauer’s highly regarded Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation & ERISA Litigation Group and West Coast transactional capabilities.

Ms. Hart advises clients on a broad range of employee benefits and executive compensation matters, with an emphasis on transactional matters and executive compensation. She brings over a decade of experience representing public companies, boards, private equity firms and management teams on benefits and compensation issues related to M&A, bankruptcies, financings and public offerings.

“We are very pleased to welcome Colleen to the firm,” said Proskauer Chairman Joseph M. Leccese. “Her strong transactional focus and significant expertise in employee benefits and corporate governance matters will further extend our industry-leading tax, employee benefits, executive compensation and M&A offerings.”

Ira Bogner, Chair of the Proskauer’s Tax Department added, “Colleen is a very talented lawyer.  Her expertise and insight will expand our capacity to advise clients across a wide range of executive compensation and employee benefits matters, and we are very pleased to welcome her to the team.” Proskauer has one of the world’s preeminent employee benefits and compensation practices. The group integrates the extensive capabilities of Proskauer’s employee benefits, executive compensation, litigation, public and private investment funds and tax practices.

Michael Woronoff, head of the firm's Los Angeles office and co-head of Proskauer’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity practices, stated, “Colleen’s deep knowledge of executive compensation and employee benefit matters makes her a perfect complement to our strong team here on the West Coast. We are excited to work with her as we continue to enhance the breadth of services we offer clients in our Los Angeles office.”

Ms. Hart earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from College of the Holy Cross, a Master of Science in Labor and Industrial Relations from the University of Rhode Island, and a Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law, where she was a James Kent and Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She began her career as an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, and from 1992 to 1996, Ms. Hart served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy.    

In the past decade, Proskauer's Los Angeles office has grown in both size and prominence, becoming one of the leading firms on the West Coast. The office’s prominent practices include capital markets, labor and employment law, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, personal planning, private equity, real estate and tax. The lawyers in the office are consistently highly ranked by leading publications such as American Lawyer, for “Litigation Department of the Year” and “Dealmaker of the Week”, Chambers USA, Legal 500, U.S News and World Report, The Hollywood Reporter, the Los Angeles Business Journal and The Daily Journal.