International Executive Mobility

Baker & McKenzie’s International Executive Mobility Practice Group (IEM) advises multinational employers on the tax, social security, employee benefits, compensation, employment law, and other legal issues related to the cross-border transfer of executives.

How We Can Help

• Expatriate Employment Agreements - Our lawyers structure and draft expatriate employment, executive compensation, and termination agreements taking into account the applicable tax, employee benefit, compensation and employment law, and immigration law issues in order to reduce the employer’s exposure to home and host country laws.
• Global Employment, Compensation and Payroll Structure - We recommend tax-effective compensation and payroll procedures and employment structures for global executives. We advise employers on the structure of the hiring of local nationals (e.g., employee vs. independent contractor) and on the requirements to satisfy Social Security agreements so that duplicate social security can be avoided.
• International Assignment Policies - We advise employers on the development, revision, implementation and communication of international assignment policies including tax equalization and tax protection policies. We regularly conduct legal reviews of international assignment policies and make recommendations to reduce the employer’s legal exposure to local laws as a consequence of the policy document.
• International Retirement Plan Issues - IEM lawyers frequently advise on tax minimization strategies regarding cross-border distributions from retirement plans. We also advise on the appropriate choice of retirement plan structure and jurisdiction for corporate executives working internationally and the required steps for regulatory compliance by the retirement plan sponsor in the applicable jurisdiction.
• Global Employment Law Reviews - IEM lawyers perform global legal and regulatory  employment compliance reviews such as an Employment Practices Review, a Global Equity Plan Review, an I-9 Review, a Data Privacy Standards Review, an Expatriate Program Review and an Employee Disloyalty Protection Review.
• Multi-jurisdictional Reductions in Force - We regularly assist clients with multi-jurisdictional reductions in force by advising on each jurisdiction’s notice, severance and other applicable requirements with a view to reducing the employer’s costs and burdens on staff associated with the reduction.
• Tax Compliance Review - We advise clients regarding required tax reporting and withholding (both employer and employee) in connection with the international transfer of employees.
• Private Banking - We develop and implement tax planning strategies and structures for high net-worth individuals with respect to their international investments, businesses and estate planning.