Associate - Compensation Group

The Team

Compensation Group

The team consists of two Partners and 2 Associates (supported by at least one Trainee) (and an interim Consultant).  The team, led by Jeremy Edwards, has significantly developed its client base in recent years and is a prominent UK team, a position that is reflected in the calibre of the group's UK client base.  The team is also part of a wider international share plan team (Baker McKenzie's Global Equity Services), forming a leading global share plan team.

The Compensation Group has been and is envisaged to continue to be busy over both the core areas and more specialist employee/ employer tax areas described below.

The Compensation Group has been very busy, with high levels of utilisation.  The Compensation Group is looking for a junior associate to come in and support the senior members of the team, especially in the core areas of the practice, including in particular assisting clients with the international launch and operation of share plans and other incentive plans and assisting on transactions.  The successful candidate will be expected to work with colleagues in the wider international share plan team, including in particular the US Global Equity Services practice (and it is possible that up to 50% of instructions could come from the US team).

It is also envisaged that there could be considerable ongoing takeover/ deal activity, in which the Compensation Group will be called upon to provide share plan support.

Core areas

The core practice of the Compensation Group includes advising on the implementation of share plans for numerous UK, US and European multinationals and advising in connection with the securities laws, exchange control, employment and employment tax issues and employer withholding and social security contribution liabilities. The core practice continues to grow. Regular client instructions continue as before, and we have seen an increase in initiatives relating to the launch of international share plans.  

There is a continued focus on assisting companies understand and comply with their tax withholding and reporting obligations in relation to employee share plans. This is particularly the case with respect to internationally mobile employees, and we expect this to continue.  Allied to this, we expect increased focus on global mobility issues, working alongside colleagues in our market-leading Employment team and our Immigration practice as a combined mobility offering.

The Compensation Group also advises companies on takeovers, acquisitions, redomestications and IPOs- with the Compensation Group supporting both the London corporate and corporate tax groups and providing support on overseas transactions led by other offices (and sometimes for standalone clients).

The London practice puts considerable effort into getting to grips with new areas of law and considers it important to be at the cutting edge of developments. 

The London practice is particularly known for its ability to service the needs of international companies launching share plans into both the UK and internationally. 

International strength

The Compensation Group is part of Baker McKenzie's leading international global share plan practice, the Global Equity Services Group. 

The Global Equity Services Group has 10 dedicated partners in the USA alone and a dedicated partner in each of the leading European and Asian jurisdictions (and many more partners who provide input into specialised employee share scheme areas, as needed). The global group also has a strong continental European practice, which the London practice is actively involved in. Our European and US practices work together closely, and our global and European groups undertake many joint initiatives such as seminars and webinars.  We are hoping to develop an even more closely integrated practice and it is hoped that this recruitment will facilitate this. 

Wide client base

The Compensation Group deals with a wider range of clients than most London share plan teams as a result of the firm's international network. Consequently, the London practice prides itself on its ability to provide detailed tax and legal advice which is both practical and delivered efficiently.  

The Compensation Group's client base includes many of the world's leading companies. The leading practitioners in the London practice will advise over 100 clients each over a year. 

More Specialist areas

The more specialist areas of the practice include advising on:

• The corporate tax deduction position of companies operating net withholding for RSUs (which is attracting a considerable amount of audit activity from HMRC);
• Employment tax risks arising from misclassification;
• The operation and implementation of growth share plans; 
• Tax compliance in relation to internationally mobile employees and their employers;
• The operation and implementation of employee benefit trusts; 
•  Advising on executive remuneration and remuneration structures in increasingly regulated sectors, such as financial services; and
• Other employee tax related areas.

The Role 

The successful candidate will be expected to focus initially on the core areas of practice, while building up knowledge and experience in the more specialised areas of the practice over time. it will include (for instance).

the Compensation Group is looking for a junior associate to come in and support the senior members of the team, especially in the core areas of the practice, including in particular assisting clients with the international launch and operation of share plans and other incentive plans and assisting on transactions.  The successful candidate will be expected to work with colleagues in the wider international share plan team, including in particular the US Global Equity Services practice (and it is possible that up to 50% of instructions could come from the US team).

It is also envisaged that there could be considerable ongoing takeover/ deal activity, in which the successful candidate will be called upon to provide share plan support. 

The successful candidate will be expected to be involved in:

• Advising on all aspects of the implementation and operation of share plans for UK, US and European multinationals;
• Advising on and drafting share plan documentation to deal with the share plan aspects of takeovers and mergers, acquisitions and other transactions;
• Advising on complex employee tax issues and tax planning;
• Advising on tax withholding and reporting obligations in relation to employee share plans; 
• Assisting on international reviews and international launches of plans;
• Understanding and communicating trends in the sector and their impact on the client's position to clients;
• Undertaking some BD activity consistent with the team's wider strategy, including attending industry training and networking events;
• Preparing client updates on developments of interest to our client base;
• Drafting legal documents that are structurally consistent and accurately reflect relevant instructions;
• Taking responsibility for thinking ahead and checking that matters are progressing according to the timetable and communicating appropriately with clients;
• Maintaining regular dialogue with the Partner/Senior Associate on performance against budget;
• Recognising actual or potential sensitive client issues;
• Matching 'time spent' to value and interpreting financial data to understand individual/matter profitability;
• Taking a role in analysing and interpreting billing/realisation data to assess level of profitability and reviewing pre-bills where required; and making preliminary recommendations on difficult ethical/conflict issues and referring to Partner(s); and
• Assisting with the development of know how and to be able to use and develop artificial intelligence tools in compliance with Firm guidelines.

Skills and experience:

• A qualified lawyer with excellent academic credentials 
• Strong technical skills
• Share plan practitioner
• Resilient and committed to meeting chargeable hour targets
• Proactive
• With particular focus on international share plan launches and supporting on transactions
• Internal liaison skills
• External facing
• Must be interested in building practice and assisting development of other members of the team       
• Significant experience of employee share plan issues together with wider employee tax expertise (ideally including mobility issues)
• Will consider candidates from an accountancy background
• Must be able to pro-actively take forward matters
• Will be a team player, able to forge strong working relationships with external and overseas departments
• Will be a highly credible individual with gravitas and high level of intellectual ability
• Will have strategic awareness of business and commercial issues
• Genuine interest in business development 
• Will have a pro-active commercial outlook  
• Respects and enjoys the diversity of cultural, social and academic backgrounds found in the Firm.

Why join us?

Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world’s most dynamic and successful business organisations through our 13,200 people in 74 offices in 45 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way.

In London you will be part of a 950 person office, which is also our largest office globally. Originally opened in 1961, Baker McKenzie London is well established in the UK as a leading international law firm and is regularly involved in some of the country's most high-profile legal matters. We can offer you the work, pride and experience of being part of a leading law firm but in a local office environment that is hardworking, yet friendly and supportive.

The strength of the firm and our culture is evidenced by a number of recent rankings and awards, including:

• Ranked Tier 1 for Corporate Governance in the Legal 500
• Ranked Tier 2 for Equity Capital Markets mid-large cap category in the Legal 500
• Ranked Tier 3 for M&A: Upper Mid-Market and Premium Deals, £750m+ in London
• Shortlisted for Corporate team of the Year in the Legal Business Awards 2025
• Shortlisted for M&A Team of the Year in The Lawyer Awards 2025
• Included in The Times 2024 list of Best Law Firms
• Ranked in the Financial Times Most Innovative Law Firms in Europe 2024 list
• Listed in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2024-2025
• International Employment Lawyer - Elite Firm 2025
• Winner: Client Management Innovation Award, Law.com Legal Innovation & Technology Awards, 2024
• Winner: Employment & Labour Law Firm of the Year, Lexology European Awards 2025
• Winner: Pro Bono Initiative of the Year - The Lawyer Awards 2024
• Winner: Finance Team of the Year - Legal Business Awards 2024
• Ranked as one of the top 5 largest US law firms in London in The Lawyer’s 2024 US 50