Renata Ferrari is co-managing partner of the Boston office and leads the employment, executive compensation and employee benefits group. She advises clients on executive compensation, equity-based and other incentives, deferred compensation, severance plans and other compensatory and benefits arrangements. Renata also advises on the application of securities and tax laws to executives and employers and corporate governance matters. Her practice also includes a focus on compensation and benefits-related issues arising in the context of mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions.
Credentials
Education
- JD, cum laude, Harvard Law School
- AB, cum laude, Harvard College
Admissions
Massachusetts, 1999
New York, 1999
Publications
- Quoted, "Massachusetts Powerhouse: Ropes & Gray," Law360 (September 17, 2024)
- Quoted, “Massachusetts Powerhouse: Ropes & Gray,” Law360 (August 23, 2023)
- Co-author, “Reviewing Exec Separation Filings After McDonald’s SEC Deal,” Law360 (February 14, 2023)
- Co-author, with Craig E. Marcus, of “Special Considerations in Adopting and Amending Employee Stock Plans,” a chapter in A Practical Guide to SEC Proxy and Compensation Rules, Sixth Edition (2018)
- Quoted, “#MeToo Provisions In Executive Compensation: Is It Time to Redefine ‘Cause’ and Expand Clawbacks?,” Bloomberg News (July 5, 2018)
- Quoted, “Challenges for the Compensation Committee,” Financier Worldwide (October 2014)
Presentations
- Presenter, “Living with Clawbacks: What Are We Learning?,” 21st Executive Compensation Conference (October 15, 2024)
- Presenter, “Hot Topics: 30 Practical Tips in 30 Minutes,” 21st Executive Compensation Conference (October 15, 2024)
- Panelist, “Pay Versus Performance Guidance and What’s New in the Second Year of Adaptation,” 20th Annual Executive Compensation Conference (September 22, 2023)
- Panelist, “Clawback Rule and Key Action Items to Consider Now,” 20th Annual Executive Compensation Conference (September 22, 2023)
- Speaker, “Top Tips on Executive Compensation Disclosure in Pandemic Year 3,” Women’s 100 Conference (February 2022)
- Panelist, "Tying ESG to Executive Pay: Dos and Donts" and "Hot Topics: 30 Practical Nuggets in 30 Minutes,” Annual Proxy Disclosure Conference (October 2021)
- Panelist, “Hot Topics in Mergers & Acquisitions,” ABA Fall Tax Conference (September 2021)
- Panelist, “Hot Topics in Mergers & Acquisitions,” Executive Compensation Virtual 2020 National Institute (November 2020)
- Panelist, “Pay for Performance: What Matters Now” and “162(m): Where Things Stand,” Annual Proxy Disclosure Conference (September 2020)
- Panelist, “Hot Topics in Mergers & Acquisitions,” National Institute on Executive Compensation (November 2019)
- Panelist, “Section 162(m) Deductibility (Is There Really Any Grandfathering)” and “Director Pay Disclosures,” Proxys Disclosure Conference (September 2019)
- Speaker, “MeToo, Clawbacks, and Executive Compensation in 2019 – Has Anything Changed?” ALI CLE: Executive Compensation 2019--Strategy, Design and Implementation (June 2019)
- Panelist, “Impact of #MeToo on Executive Compensation—Clawbacks and More,” ABA Fall Tax Meeting (October 2018)
- Panelist, “Section 162(m) & Tax Reform Changes” and “Hot Topics: 50 Practical Nuggets in 60 Minutes,” Pay Ratio & Proxy Disclosure Conference and Say-on-Pay Workshop (September 2018)
- Speaker, “#MeToo, Employment Agreements, and the Clawback of Executive Compensation,” ALI CLE: Executive Compensation 2018--Strategy, Design and Implementation (June 2018)
Awards
- Legal 500 – Green Guide (2023)
- LMG Life Sciences Americas Awards “Impact Deal of the Year” for advising Pfizer in $11.6 billion acquisition of Biohaven Pharmaceuticals (2022)
- China Law & Practice Awards: “Equity Securities Deal of the Year for LianBio IPO” (2022)
- Best Lawyers in America (2016-2025)
- Best Lawyers in America Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law “Lawyer of the Year” (2024)
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2013-2024)
- Boston Magazine “Top Lawyers” (2021)
- Legal 500 (2012-2020, 2022-2024)
Professional & Civic Activities
- Board of Advisors, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
- Renata has served as a Lecturer in Law at Boston College Law School.