Caryn Coppedge McNeill

Caryn McNeill leads Smith Anderson’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice group, which has consistently received the highest ranking (metropolitan Tier 1) from U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” since 2010. She regularly advises public and private companies on all aspects of the design, implementation and administration of employee benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements, including stock option plans and other types of equity-based compensation arrangements. A significant part of her practice is devoted to counseling and negotiating on behalf of clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions. She also regularly assists employers, lenders and institutional fiduciaries with the structure and implementation of leveraged ESOP transactions.

• President, North Carolina Bar Association (2017-2018)
• The American Law Institute 
• Carolinas Chapter of The ESOP Association
• National Association of Stock Plan Professionals
• Triangle Benefits Forum
• Chair, Board of Trustees, Ravenscroft School (2015-2017)
• Sewanee Parents' Council
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation

• The Best Lawyers in America©, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2010-2020)
• The Best Lawyers in America© “Lawyer of the Year,” Raleigh Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020)
• North Carolina Super Lawyers (2014-2019)
• North Carolina Lawyers Weekly "Women of Justice" Award Recipient (2019)
• North Carolina Lawyers Weekly "Leaders in the Law" Honoree (2017)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated
• Triangle Business Leader Media's Pro Bono Impact Award

• Advised a multinational Fortune 500 provider of product development and integrated healthcare services on benefits-related matters in its merger with a NYSE-listed global information and technology services company, creating a leading information and tech-enabled healthcare service provider. The equity market capitalization of the joined companies was more than $17.6 billion at closing.
• Provided employee benefits advice to a global LED lighting and semiconductor manufacturing company in connection with its agreement to sell $850 million of assets to a publicly traded German company. The parties terminated the sale before closing due to regulatory considerations.
• Represented a global provider of biopharmaceutical services in its $1.1 billion initial public offering and listing on the New York Stock Exchange, including design and preparation of new stock incentive plan and annual management incentive plan, and assistance with related disclosures.
• Served as company counsel with respect to ESOP’s participation in $2.04 billion aftermarket auto parts industry merger.
• Represented a pharmaceutical company being acquired by a global biopharmaceutical company and negotiated related 280G treatment and future severance protection and incentive arrangements for seller’s employees.
• Advised a public biotherapeutic company about the 409A issues associated with extending the term of expiring options and the correction of same.
• Represented an institutional ESOP trustee in connection with the purchase of 100% of the stock of a chemical supplier.
• Advise multiple companies about a variety of issues associated with the administration of their qualified retirement plans, including creating investment policy statements, reviewing investment performance and replacing investment options; analyzing fiduciary issues related to changes in employer contributions or other plan design issues due to changes in economic circumstances; and correcting operational failures arising in day-to-day plan administration.
• Advised a semiconductor and LED company on employee benefits aspects of the divestiture of its lighting products business unit for an initial cash payment of $225 million plus the potential to receive an earn-out payment based on the business’s post-closing performance.
• Advised a publicly traded health services company on the employee benefits aspects of its acquisition of a health services division of a privately held company for $105 million in cash.
• Advised a 100% Employee Stock Ownership Plan-owned company providing support services to the poultry industry in an acquisition by a private equity-backed buyer for approximately $21 million in cash and equity.
• Advised a private equity fund on the employee benefits aspects of its acquisition of a specialty pharmaceutical company.