Practice Areas
Education
- Columbia Law School, J.D., 1996, Stone Scholar, Environmental Law Journal
- New York University, B.S., 1989, cum laude, Founders' Day Award
Bar Admissions
- New York, 1997
- Connecticut, 2001
Susan Powell chairs the firm's Executive Compensation, Benefits & Employment group. Her practice includes designing, drafting and implementing compensation plans and programs, and advising clients on related tax planning and securities compliance issues. She counsels companies and individuals in the negotiation of employment, separation and non-competition agreements. In addition, a significant part of her practice involves advising companies on the compensation, ERISA and employee benefits issues that arise in mergers and acquisitions and in connection with ongoing operations.
Throughout her career, Ms. Powell has represented public and private companies of all sizes in a variety of industries, including private equity funds and their portfolio companies and hedge funds. Ms. Powell also represents executives working for public and private companies.
Prior to joining Finn Dixon & Herling, Ms. Powell was an associate at Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, both in New York City.
Associations and Memberships
President and Member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals
American Bar Association, Section of Taxation
Connecticut Bar Association
Publications
Forfeiture-for-Competition ("Clawbacks"): An Alternative to Traditional Non-Competition Agreements? Tax Management Compensation Planning Journal, April 2, 2010. Read Article
Speaking Engagements
Getting Your Benefits Plans Ready for 2010 Plan Year Changes, December 2009, IOMA
Forfeiture-for-Competition Agreements, November 2009, BNA Tax & Accounting Advisory Board Meeting
End-of-Year Employee Benefit Plan Issues, September 2009, BNA
The Changing Shape of Employee Benefits – How the Recession is Affecting Benefits and What's Next, May 2009, BNA
Code Section 409A Deferred Compensation Updates, April 2007, Fairfield County Bar Association
Highlights of the New Incentive Stock Option Regulations, June 2003, Connecticut Chapter of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals