New York, May 21, 2012 – Morrison & Foerster is pleased to announce that Domnick Bozzetti, a highly experienced executive compensation and employee benefits partner, has joined the Tax Department in the firm's New York office. Mr. Bozzetti's capabilities expand the firm’s ability to advise clients on the federal tax aspects of executive compensation and employee benefits issues in mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Bozzetti also has extensive experience counseling public companies on other executive compensation issues, including disclosure issues in annual proxy statements and other filings.
“We are delighted that Dom is joining us," said Thomas Humphreys, co-chair of Morrison & Foerster’s Tax Department. "He brings a complete portfolio of skills and experience to our group. He has been at the center of numerous multi-billion-dollar mergers and acquisitions in a wide range of industries, handling cutting-edge compensation structures. His insight into the federal tax aspects of compensation and benefits issues will be very valuable to clients as part of the firm’s M&A practice, where expertise in executive pay, stock options, incentive payments, severance, change-in-control guarantees, and other compensation and benefits issues plays an important role."
"The continued growth of our public companies practice is a key strategic goal of the firm," added David Lynn, a Washington, D.C. partner who co-chairs the firm's Public Companies practice. "Dom's long experience counseling public companies will help drive that growth."
“I am excited to join Morrison & Foerster, which has an impressive federal tax platform and reputation in mergers and acquisitions,” Mr. Bozzetti said. “Deft handling of issues concerning executive compensation and employee benefits is increasingly critical to the success of M&A and other corporate transaction. I'm looking forward to making a contribution to the continued growth of the firm's M&A and transactional practices."
Mr. Bozzetti regularly advises public companies on executive compensation matters, including disclosures for annual and merger-related proxy statements, as well as in connection with securities transactions. He has experience designing, negotiating and implementing compensation plans and arrangements for senior executives, including equity-based arrangements, severance agreements, change-in-control, and employment agreements. He counsels corporate boards as well as executive leadership. In addition to M&A deals, he frequently handles the executive compensation and employee benefits aspects of public offerings and IPOs, divestitures, and other transactions.
Mr. Bozzetti’s noteworthy representations include the following.
- Energy East Corp. in its $8.1 billion merger with Iberdola S.A.
- Lincoln National in its $7.4 billion merger with Jefferson-Pilot
- Aviva plc in its acquisition of AmerUs Group
- Dell in its acquisitions of Force10 Networks, Appassure Software and Sonic Wall
- Fidelity National Financial in various major acquisitions, divestitures and spin-offs
- Genworth Financial in the sale of its Medicare supplement business to Aetna
- Remy International and Safety Insurance Group in their respective initial public offerings
- Zenith National in its sale to Fairfax Financial
Mr. Bozzetti, previously a partner in the Compensation, Benefits and Employment Department at Dewey & LeBoeuf, received his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and his B.A. from the University of Hawaii. He is admitted to practice in New York and Florida.
Morrison & Foerster's tax practice is ranked in Tier 1 nationally in "Best Law Firms," released annually by U.S. News and Best Lawyers. Legal 500 US 2011 ranks the firm nationally for Tax: Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Tax: Financial Products, and on the West Coast in Tax: Domestic Tax. The firm’s tax practice is also ranked in Chambers USA 2011, California. Morrison & Foerster is also ranked among the leading M&A practices nationally by Chambers USA, and was named M&A Firm of the Year in 2011 by M&A Advisor, a leading industry publication.