Overview
Jason Ertel is a partner in the Global Compensation, Benefits, and ERISA practice at Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s New York office. He advises companies, investors, and executives on executive compensation and employee benefits matters in the context of corporate transactions, employment negotiations, and incentive compensation plan structuring.
Clients value Jason’s pragmatic approach to tackling legal issues arising in connection with day-to-day operations as well as in connection with public and private company mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, carve-outs, IPOs, restructurings, and other corporate transactions. Jason’s expertise includes the deferred compensation rules under Sections 409A and 457A of the Internal Revenue Code, the “golden parachute” rules under Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code, and SEC disclosure and corporate governance requirements relating to executive compensation. Jason also advises investment fund advisors regarding ERISA regulatory matters.
Jason represents public and private companies, private equity sponsors, corporate boards and compensation committees, senior management teams, and individual executives regarding the structuring, negotiation, and implementation of employment, severance, change in control, deferred compensation, and equity-based incentive compensation arrangements.
Jason is recommended in Executive Compensation by Legal 500 US.
Education
- Columbia Law School, J.D. (Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar)
- University of Notre Dame, B.A. (magna cum laude)
Representations
- Represented Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (NYSE: OSG), in its agreement to be acquired by Saltchuk Resources, Inc., in a tender offer
- Represented MediaCo Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: MDIA) in its acquisition of the Estrella Media Portfolio of Companies
- Represented Viavi Solutions (NASDAQ: VIAV) in its agreement to acquire Spirent Communications plc (LSE: SPT) in a U.K. Scheme of Arrangement
- Represented Sterling Check Corp (NASDAQ: STER) in its agreement to be acquired by First Advantage Corporation (NASDAQ: FA) in a cash-and-stock transaction for $2.2 billion
- Represented Ascential plc (LSE: ASCL.L) in the sale of its digital commerce business to Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC)
- Represented a consortium of investors led by Permira Advisors and Hellman & Friedman in their $10.2 billion take-private acquisition of Zendesk (NYSE: ZEN)
- Represented funds managed by Brookfield Asset Management in their $3.8 billion acquisition of Watermark Lodging Trust, Inc.
- Represented Humana, Inc. (NYSE: HUM), in its $3.4 billion sale of a majority interest in the Hospice and Personal Care divisions of Humana’s Kindred at Home subsidiary to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
- Represented a consortium of investors led by Permira Advisors and Advent International in their $14 billion take-private acquisition of McAfee Corporation (NASDAQ: MCFE)
- Represented Standard General L.P. on its agreement to acquire TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) for $8.6 billion
- Represented LumiraDx on its merger with CA Healthcare Acquisition Corp., a blank-check special acquisition company, in a de-SPAC transaction valued at $3 billion
*Matters may have been handled prior to joining Paul Hastings.