Mark E. Bokert

Mark Bokert, co-chair of the Benefits + Compensation Practice Group, is a leading attorney for all aspects of executive compensation and employee benefits. He advises on wide-ranging matters from incentivizing key employees to plan compliance and administration to multimillion-dollar IRA and pension investments. His clients include large public companies, private mid-size companies, C-suite executives and tax-exempt organizations, many of which he has represented for decades.

Mark derives immense satisfaction from guiding companies and executives through the very complex maze of compensation and benefits laws. Deeply immersed in the world of employee benefits, he knows the market standards, what government audits prioritize and where litigation landmines are buried. Even when the stakes are highest, Mark takes a calm, measured approach, presenting options to help clients achieve goals and minimize risk.

Fluent in “Codespeak,” the language of the Internal Revenue Code, and clear on the interplay of the many laws governing employee benefits, Mark breaks down complex legal concepts into clear terms and deftly steers clients through audits and inquiries. He structures state-of-the-art deferred-compensation arrangements, stock awards, and phantom stock plans, as well as complex employment and separation agreements. Mark also meets with plan committees many times a year, counseling them on their ERISA fiduciary duties and covering such hot topics as cybersecurity and socially responsible investing.

During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, Mark sprang into action, participating in webinars and writing articles to update clients on evolving compensation/benefits issues. He was in daily communication with employers regarding the treatment of laid-off and furloughed employees, deferred-salary payments, and CARES Act distributions. Later, he advised companies on how to retain, motivate and reward returning employees.