RICK chairs the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice group.  He advises clients on all aspects of their executive compensation and employee benefits programs.  With more than 30 years of experience, he provides balanced judgment and technical guidance on complex business and legal issues that arise because of business or regulatory change.

Rick has extensive experience in executive compensation and merger and acquisition matters.  He has handled negotiations and preparation of CEO and other senior executive employment agreements, severance arrangements, change in control contracts, deferred compensation plans, stock options, restricted stock and other equity and cash based, long term incentive plans.  He has advised not only employers but also management teams, boards of directors, compensation committees and individual executives on all types of executive compensation arrangements.  He has advised public companies on how to make appropriate proxy disclosure of all the executive compensation arrangements that the company maintains for senior management.

Rick’s practice also focuses on business transactions where the full spectrum of executive compensation and employee benefits issues arise sometimes in unusual contexts and require experienced and quick resolution.  He is experienced in post-closing plan consolidations.  He has been involved in numerous public and private company transactions including tender offers, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and acquisitions and sales of portfolio companies in connection with the firm’s private equity fund  practice group.  He is also experienced in ESOP transactions including formation of ESOPs and the sale of ESOP owned companies.

Rick also has experience in the area of financially distressed and bankrupt companies.  Recent representations include obtaining funding waivers for defined benefit plans, establishing executive compensation programs for a company purchased out of bankruptcy, retention agreements for management of distressed companies and the design and drafting of special provisions in a public company rabbi trust for each separate operating subsidiary.

Rick is a member of the board of directors of The Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland, is co-chair of its Leadership Development Committee and sits on the Executive Committee.  He has also been recognized as one of America's Leading Lawyers by Chambers USA.

Rick joined Calfee in 1979 and became a partner with the firm in 1984.  He was elected to the Executive Committee in 2008.