Robert Lichtenstein

Robert J. Lichtenstein counsels publicly and privately held enterprises in human resources, executive compensation, and employee benefits issues. Bob handles complex matters involving equity and incentive compensation; employment, retention and severance arrangements; Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) compliance; and qualified retirement, pension, and profit-sharing plans as well as employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs); and related federal tax matters. He represents clients before the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and US Department of Labor (DOL), and in litigation involving benefits disputes.

Bob advises on benefits and executive compensation issues that arise during mergers and acquisitions (M&A), joint ventures, and spinoffs—including private equity transactions. To date, Bob and his Morgan Lewis colleagues have experience representing senior management teams in more than 100 transactions involving leveraged buyouts and other acquisitions by private equity funds ranging in size from $100 million to more than $46 billion.
Bob also advises on the design and/or amendment of benefit plans and programs, including retention and severance arrangements for senior management, and the design and administration of cash incentive, severance, and equity programs. He works closely with boards of directors, compensation committees, and administrators to address benefit plan fiduciary issues, compliance procedures, succession planning, and general governance matters. He helps clients develop strategies to attract and retain executives, while also representing executives and management groups in employment and private equity matters.

He is a member of the board of directors for Women Against Abuse, is active with the Federation Allied Jewish Appeal, and an adjunct professor at Penn State Law, the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, and Villanova University Law School. He is also a former director and chair of the governance committee of a now-sold New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) company, a former board member of a private manufacturing company, and the trustee (and controlling shareholder) of an investment management business.