Ira G. Bogner

Ira G. Bogner is a Partner in the New York office and a member of the Tax Department and Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation & ERISA Litigation Group.

Ira has provided guidance to clients on a wide variety of matters in the areas of employee benefits and executive compensation, including the investment of plan assets, the implementation of employee benefit plans, employee benefit issues in mergers and acquisitions, the awarding of equity-based compensation, and the negotiation and drafting of employment agreements and severance arrangements.

Ira represents a varied list of clients, including financial service companies, entertainment industry clients, and tax-exempt organizations, and also actively represents individual executives in executive compensation matters. Ira provides day-to-day guidance to financial service industry clients handling a variety of projects, such as the design of products targeted to pension funds and IRAs, and the review of fee arrangements connected to the sale of mutual fund shares and insurance products. As a result, Ira has analyzed a wide range of complex ERISA fiduciary and prohibited transaction issues.

Ira frequently is called on to structure and analyze alternative investments for pension trusts and other exempt organizations. He also works with the firm's corporate and real estate lawyers in structuring and maintaining investment funds that include participation by pension plans. Through his work in the investment fund area Ira has obtained substantial experience in applying the rules provided under the "plan asset" regulations, including the operation of venture capital operating companies and real estate operating companies. Ira has assisted in the formation of private equity real estate, infrastructure and hedge funds, including "fund of fund." He has advised clients on both avoiding ERISA "plan asset" status and operating an investment fund in accordance with ERISA.

He also has lectured on topics such as the classification of workers, drafting employment agreements, equity alternatives for senior executives, investing IRA assets, the plan asset regulations, shareholder approval of equity plans, Code Section 409A, and key provisions for ERISA investors investing in a private equity fund.

Memberships

• Managed Fund Association
• American Bar Association
• New York State Bar Association (Tax Section)

Other Distinctions

• Best Lawyers in America 2012
• Top 100 New York Super Lawyers 2010
• US Legal 500: Labor & Employment - Executive Compensation 2009
• US Legal 500: Tax - Employee Benefits 2008-2011
• US Legal 500: Investment Fund Formation - Private Equity Funds 2008-2009
• US Legal 500: Investment Fund Formation - Alternative/Hedge Funds 2009
• US Legal 500: Investment Fund Formation & Management 2008-2009
• US Legal 500: Corporate and Finance Edition 2007
• New York Super Lawyers 2007-2011