Mr. Brown is described as "an expert in non-contentious employment issues and is particularly recommended for his 'practical and commercial, hands-on' approach."

 

Chambers UK 2011

Stephen M. Brown

London
  • 99 Bishopsgate
  • London EC2M 3XF
  • United Kingdom
 
 

Stephen Brown, a partner in Latham & Watkins’ London office, leads the Benefits, Compensation & Employment Practice (BCE) in London, and is global Co-chair of the firm’s BCE Practice.

He specializes in advising clients on strategic employment and human resource issues, including on an international level. Mr. Brown has particular experience of advising on the employment and benefits aspects of the sale and purchase of businesses, transfers of undertakings, outsourcing, change management and downsizing projects, executive recruitment and severance and employee consultation. He also advises extensively on stock options and other forms of share based compensation.

 

Mr. Brown's matters have included advising:

  • Network Appliance Inc - Advising NetApp, a multi-national NASDAQ listed company on the development of a training program on managing legally and ethically, including in relation to employing employees. The training program is compulsory for all of its managers around the world, delivered throughout Europe and Asia Pacific
  • Diageo plc on international executive employment issues
  • Carlyle on senior executive incentivization and recruitment for a number of its high profile portfolio companies
  • Time Warner on the grant of stock options to employees in its European and Asian subsidiaries
  • A leading global sports apparel company on the application of the Prospectus Directive to its international stock purchase plans
  • Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group on the renegotiation of a multi-jurisdictional outsourcing projects, including involving employees in the UK, Europe and Far East
  • Yahoo! on the HR, stock option and employment aspects of its purchase of Maktoob.com, the largest internet portal operator in the Middle East. The deal was both an asset and stock purchase. We advised on the assumption of various stock options and the cash cancellation of those stock options, the transfer of employees in Dubai, Jordan, Egypt, KSA and Kuwait and the harmonization of terms and conditions of employment
  • Yucaipa on the employment and management incentive aspects of its purchase of Soho House group
  • Zipcar on its acquisition of Streetcar; and OpenTable on its acquisition of Toptable
  • Emaar Hotels & Restaurants on its High Court litigation with a former executive