• Tax
  • Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
  • ERISA
  • HIPAA Privacy
• Securities and Corporate Governance Team
• Private Equity Industry Team

Mark Edwards has over 30 years of experience representing publicly traded and privately owned companies in the design, implementation and administration of employee benefit plans and executive compensation matters. Mr. Edwards handles matters involving all aspects of employee benefits, including qualified and non-qualified pension benefit arrangements and health and welfare plans, executive deferred and stock-based compensation arrangements, corporate and lending transactions, securities, bankruptcy, trust and fiduciary matters, regulatory audits, and administrative proceedings with the IRS, PBGC and the Department of Labor. Mr. Edwards has represented public companies in connection with mergers with other public companies as well as companies in connection with initial public offerings (IPOs) and going private transactions, with respect to employee benefit considerations.

Mr. Edwards is the practice group leader for the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation group and is a member of Gardere's Private Equity Team and the Corporate Governance and Securities Specialty Practice Group. Mr. Edwards is a former member of Gardere's Compensation and Recruiting Committees, and former chair of Gardere's Associates Committee.

Mr. Edwards' practice includes representation of large public companies, as well as private companies and investor groups, and executives negotiating compensation arrangements. Mr. Edwards has been involved in the benefit plan implications of numerous complex corporate transactions, mergers of public companies, lending arrangements, ESOP leverage buyouts, bankruptcies, and audits by the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor. He has also been involved in the negotiation of closing agreements with the Internal Revenue Service, and obtaining letter rulings and no-action letters and exemptions on behalf of clients from the Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Labor. Mr. Edwards has worked with distressed employers in evaluating employee benefit design and restructuring matters, and has assisted employers in reviewing employee benefit issues associated with downsizing.

Mr. Edwards' legal representation includes;

• Represented several public companies in connection with mergers with other public companies regarding employee benefit matters.
• Represented numerous public and private companies, as well as private equity investors, with respect to the design and implementation of equity-related compensation programs and related securities regulation filings and participant disclosures.
• Represented numerous companies with respect to employee benefit plan issues in connection with mergers and acquisitions.
• Represented numerous companies in connection with IRS and Department of Labor filings relating to employee benefit plan compliance and correction programs.
• Represented numerous executives of public and private companies in connection with employment, change in control and severance agreements.
• Represented numerous employers and third party administrators with respect to group health plan tax and privacy compliance matters.

• J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law (1976)
• B.B.A., Southern Methodist University (1973)

Publications

• Author, Making Your Section 409A List and Checking It Twice: Year-End Deadline for Amending Agreements Providing for Certain Severance Payments Contingent on Employee Action, Gardere Tax Alert, Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, Dec. 7, 2012.

Speeches

• Co-Presenter with Michael Donohue, Carrie Hoffman and Robert Sarfatis, Address at Session Four of the Gardere M&A Toolbox: Deal Structure (Feb. 21, 2012).

• Member, State Bar of Texas
• Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Taxation Committee
• Member, Dallas Bar Association
  • Employee Benefits/Executive Compensation Section
• Member, Southwest Benefits Association

• Recognized, The Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine (2013)
  • Tax: ERISA/Employee Benefits
• Recognized, Who's Who Legal: Texas
  • Employee Benefits
• Recognized, AV^® Preeminent^™ 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell^® PEER REVIEW RATINGS^™

• Member, SMU Mustang Club
• Member, Highland Park United Methodist Church
• Former Board Member, March of Dimes, Dallas
• Former Chair, Gardere’s United Way Campaign