Aimee Soodan

Aimee Soodan

Partner
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Biography

Aimee Soodan has experience in all areas of compensation and benefits with a concentration in US and international equity and executive compensation and provides holistic advice and counseling on all compensation and incentive arrangements, both for employees in and outside the United States. She is exceptionally well-versed with respect to the tax, legal and administrative aspects of global equity programs. Ms. Soodan is Director of the Global Equity Organization's US Midwest Chapter, serves on the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals’ Executive Advisory Committee and is an adjunct professor at the Center for Tax Law & Employee Benefits at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Practice Focus

Aimee Soodan regularly advises large multinational employers with respect to the global extension of their employee equity compensation programs, including the design, implementation, administration and ongoing tax and regulatory compliance of such programs. She represents some of the largest companies in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries. Ms. Soodan also designs, drafts and conducts US and international legal reviews of long-term incentive and employee stock purchase programs, nonqualified deferred compensation programs, equity reimbursement agreements and change in control agreements. She is also well-versed in international executive mobility, particularly in the taxation of equity compensation payable to globally mobile employees.

Representative Legal Matters

Recent projects include:

  • Advised a Fortune 100 company as to the tax and regulatory aspects of granting long-term incentive awards in over 70 countries and drafted global forms of stock option, restricted stock unit and performance award agreement.

  • Assisted a Fortune Global 500 company with analyzing and addressing equity-related issues and action items associated with the spin-off of its pharmaceutical business.

  • Assisted a multinational company with drafting a global employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”) and addressing legal, regulatory and tax requirements associated with offering the ESPP in over 40 jurisdictions.

  • Advised a large multinational company as to compensation and benefit issues associated with redomesticating to Ireland.

Professional Honors

  • Recognized as "Up-and-Coming," Chambers USA, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, 2016

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Global Equity Organization, Director of U.S. Midwest Chapter
  • National Association of Stock Plan Professionals, Executive Advisory Committee
  • The John Marshall Law School, Adjunct professor

Admissions

  • Illinois~United States (2007)
  • Colorado~United States (1999)

Education

  • John Marshall Law School (LL.M.) (1999)
  • John Marshall Law School (J.D.) (1999)
  • University of New Mexico (B.A.) (1995)

Languages

  • English

Presentations

"Around the World in 60 Minutes: Key International Updates," National Association of Stock Plan Professionals Annual Conference, September 2018

"10 Golden Rules for Good Global Stock Plan Governance," National Association of Stock Plan Professionals, Cincinnati Chapter, May 2018

"Keeping up on the Latest Key Developments in Equity Compensation Around the Globe," Global Equity Organization Annual Conference, April 2018

Webinars

"Global and Domestic Equity and Executive Compensation Issues in Transactions," Baker McKenzie webinar, February 2017

"Planning for Year-End: The Go-to Guide to Filing and Reporting Requirements for Global Employee Stock Plans," Baker McKenzie webinar, December 2016