James E Earle

Career

Jim counsels publicly traded companies and other sophisticated employers on executive compensation and employee benefits matters. His clients operate globally in a wide range of industries, including financial services, technology, manufacturing, food, construction, and utilities.

Jim advises clients on all aspects of employment and compensation for directors, executive officers, and other senior managers. He has significant experience with all forms of executive compensation and benefit plans, including the design and administration of stock plans, incentive plans, SERPs, nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements, perquisites (including executive aircraft), new hire packages, and severance/retirement agreements. He helps clients understand and comply with tax, securities, labor and employment, governance, and other legal issues associated with these arrangements, including related disclosure issues for public companies.

Together with other members of the firm’s Employee Benefits Practice Group, Jim helps clients to design and administer broadly available employee benefit programs, including welfare benefit plans and tax-qualified retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans and defined benefit plans. He also assists companies with employee benefit and compensation issues in connection with acquisitions and divestitures.

Jim is a regular contributor to Finseca’s Washington Report Marketplace, which features monthly articles on employee benefit and executive compensation topics.

Professional Memberships

Practice coordinating partner, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation

National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (2002-present; Carolinas Chapter, 2002-present; Board Member 2003-present; President 2005-2007)