Barclay Damon announces Michael McGovern has joined Barclay Damon as a partner in the firm’s Employee Benefits Practice Area, based in the New York City office. McGovern brings nearly two decades of experience advising clients on executive compensation, ERISA compliance, and the employee benefits aspects of complex corporate transactions.
McGovern has advised public and private companies, private equity sponsors, and venture-backed startups on the design and implementation of incentive compensation plans, M&A-related benefits and compensation issues, and Internal Revenue Code compliance, including Sections 280G and 409A. McGovern’s experience spans a wide range of industries, including health care, technology, consumer products, and finance.
“Michael is a tremendous addition to our team,” said Art Marrapese, chair of Barclay Damon’s Employee Benefits Practice Area. “His blend of large law firm sophistication, in-house business acumen, and regulatory insight strengthens our capabilities and enhances the value we provide to clients navigating today’s evolving benefits and compensation landscape.”
McGovern has held senior legal positions at a venture-backed telehealth platform, where he played a key role in scaling the company’s legal and HR infrastructure, and most recently was an associate at a full-service law firm in New York City. He has also served as external general counsel to early-stage companies and advised on the full lifecycle of employment and compensation matters—from equity incentive plans to executive departures and benefits administration.
Barclay Damon attorneys team across offices and practices to provide customized, targeted solutions grounded in industry knowledge and a deep understanding of our clients' businesses. With approximately 300 attorneys, Barclay Damon is a leading regional law firm that operates from a strategic platform of offices in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, New Haven, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, Washington DC, and Toronto. Our firm serves clients across the country and, for some practices, provides US legal services around the globe. For more information, visit our award-winning website at barclaydamon.com.