Michael J. Poland

Mike has more than 15 years of experience advising both public and private companies on a wide range of executive compensation and benefits issues, including in the context of mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions.

Mike is a partner in the Compensation & Employment Group. He routinely advises clients on various executive compensation and employee benefit matters that arise in mergers and acquisitions, including negotiating transaction agreements, drafting executive and equity compensation arrangements, as well as addressing benefits transition and integration issues.

Mike also advises clients on the design, implementation, and operation of equity plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, and various other types of annual and long-term incentive compensation plans and arrangements. He also routinely advises companies on issues affecting tax-qualified retirement plans. Mike regularly prepares and negotiates executive employment and severance agreements and advises clients on ERISA’s fiduciary and prohibited transaction provisions. Additionally, Mike counsels private equity, real estate, and other private funds on ERISA regulatory considerations in connection with fund formation, investment structuring and other investment management activities.

Prior to joining BFKN, Mike was Counsel in the compensation practice at a leading international law firm.

Admissions

• State of Illinois

Education

• John Marshall Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2005
• John Marshall Law School, LL.M. Taxation, with honors, 2005
• University of Illinois, B.A., Economics, 1999

• Member, American Bar Association
• Volunteer, Center for Disability and Elderly Law