Webinar

ESOP Audits and Investigations

July 14, 2020
ESOPs are complicated and it is inevitable that some companies will make mistakes. Finding and correcting those mistakes yourself can save time and trouble, and the experts in this webinar will help you prevent any audits from becoming complicated, to find errors, and to decide the best way to address those errors yourself before the regulators get involved.
Webinar

Don't Do That With Your ESOP

July 21, 2020
ESOPs benefit employees, sellers, and the organization's bottom line - in most companies. From time to time, mistakes with an ESOP have caused legal problems for the company, personal loss to plan fiduciaries, and damaged morale. This session will cover a variety of "anti-case studies" and discuss different ways companies can avoid problems before they arise.
Webinar

Lessons from Recent Litigation

July 28, 2020
The plaintiff in Lee v. Argent Trust Co. filed an appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit after the district court dismissed the complaint. In the Fourth Circuit, McDermott, Will & Emery LLP filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of the American Society of Appraisers (“ASA”) and made several novel arguments supported by extensive Congressional materials. The ASA’s brief provides the Court with ERISA legislative history and other Congressional materials, and argues that the materials directly contradict many widespread misunderstandings about ESOPs and ESOP trustee fiduciary obligations. The ASA’s brief also explains that many plaintiffs, and some courts, have assessed “investment value” instead of “fair market value,” and that plaintiffs have led courts into error concerning the nature of a fair market value appraisal. Join members of the McDermott Will & Emery ESOP Litigation team for a discussion of the amicus brief.
Webinar

Equity Compensation for LLCs

August 4, 2020
LLCs require specific forms of equity compensation. This webinar looks at the forms of equity available for LLCs, including capital interests, profits interests, unit rights plans, and unit appreciation rights plans.
Webinar

Where You Are on Your Roadmap to Retirement - Baby Boomers (55-75)

August 6, 2020
How well educated are your employees about financial wellness? As employee-owners, they have more possibilities and more to think about. This series of conversations with ESOP financial advice experts Peter Newman of Peak Wealth Planning and Jamie Waldren of Wells Fargo Retirement Advisory Services is packed with tools that you can use to help educate your management team and employees.      
Webinar

Using Employee Surveys to Improve Your Ownership Culture

August 11, 2020
ESOPs can transform businesses into high-performance organizations. But to do that, companies need to find ways to fully engage employee owners and develop an effective ownership culture. Employee surveys are a good way to engage employees and gauge their perspectives on the fundamental aspect of your ownership culture and what needs to be done to move forward. 
Webinar

Retirement Income and Lifestyle Considerations for ESOP Participants Facing Diversification or Distribution Opportunities

August 13, 2020
How well educated are your employees about financial wellness? As employee-owners, they have more possibilities and more to think about. This series of conversations with ESOP financial advice experts Peter Newman of Peak Wealth Planning and Jamie Waldren of Wells Fargo Retirement Advisory Services is packed with tools that you can use to help educate your management team and employees.      
Webinar

ESOP Overview: An Introduction to ESOPs

August 18, 2020
This session is an overview of the main features of employee stock ownership plans. It is appropriate for people familiar with basic business and finance topics  but new to ESOPs and for those responsible for ESOP Communication.
Webinar

The Repurchase Obligation: Forecasting

August 25, 2020
This webinar provides a basic understanding of the process of completing a repurchase forecast and the factors and assumptions that affect the outcome of forecast, including the impact of specific plan provisions (such as distribution timing and segregating accounts), the impact of the distribution mechanics (recycling vs. redeeming), and interplay between the stock value and the repurchase obligation.
Webinar

The Repurchase Obligation: Financing

September 1, 2020
There are several ways to finance the repurchase obligation, including "pay-as-you-go" funding, pre-funding, paying dividends/S corporation distributions, corporate-owned life insurance, and incurring debt, i.e., releveraging the ESOP. The methods for handling repurchased shares, i.e., redeeming or recycling, will also be discussed. This webinar will cover the mechanics as well as the pros and cons of each.
Webinar

The Repurchase Obligation: Legal Issues

September 8, 2020
Closely held ESOP companies have a specific legal obligation to buy back stock from departing and diversifying employees. This webinar will describe these requirements and explore than various alternative approaches you can use on such issues as the timing, form, and requirements for distributions, including lump-sum versus installment payments, account segregation at termination, changing when the distribution occurs, diversification requirements, what valuation to use, and more.
Webinar

Creating an Inclusive and Diverse Company

September 22, 2020
Most ESOP companies value creating a workplace where people feel included, can grow and develop, and can contribute meaningfully to the success of the company.  While many companies understand the business case and already recognize the value of employing a diverse workforce and cultivating a culture of inclusion, they struggle with knowing where and how to start and what to do to keep the momentum moving forward. This webinar is appropriate for all levels of experience to learn practical strategies.