Category Archives: Legal

Negotiating a severance package

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Joe Ahmad

Litigation avoidance is very high on most companies’ priority lists, and when a company is considering letting an executive go, one of their biggest concerns is how to keep their soon-to-be-former executive from hiring someone like me to file a … Continue reading →

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What’s the Best Way to Take People With You to a New Company?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Joe Ahmad

I’ve devoted a couple of blogs (here and here) to what things executives should and should not take with them when they change employers. Simply playing that part right can help avoid litigation with former employers. Where it gets really … Continue reading →

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Mandatory Retirement Age Policies Not so Mandatory

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Joe Ahmad

Two recent high-profile executive retirements, both citing the companies’ mandatory retirement age policies, raise the question “how can mandatory retirement age policies be legal?” The truth is, most of them aren’t. Neither IBM CEO Sam Palmisano nor Freddie Mac Chairman … Continue reading →

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Changing Jobs? Here’s What Not to Take With You

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Joe Ahmad

In my last blog, I discussed what executives should take with them when they’re leaving their company. In this blog, we’ll go over something just as important: what they shouldn’t take with them. The short answer is, besides the employment … Continue reading →

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Executives Should Proceed With Caution When Changing Jobs

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Joe Ahmad

One of the biggest, and most likely, legal headaches highly placed executives can give themselves involves their actions just before and just after leaving one company and joining another. An executive’s actions during this time are critical to avoid getting … Continue reading →

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Executive Deposition Tips, Part 7: Practice Makes Perfect

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Joe Ahmad

The most important step in preparing for a deposition is a full-blown cross examination dress rehearsal—minus opposing counsel, of course. After I’ve coached my client on all the do’s and don’ts of depositions (click here to see previous Executive Deposition … Continue reading →

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Executive Deposition Tips, Part 6: Lose the Ego

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Joe Ahmad

Executives face several perils in a deposition, but perhaps none more perilous than their own egos. Few executives got where they are by being shy, retiring types. They probably achieved success the old fashioned way: by being disciplined, demanding, type … Continue reading →

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Executive Deposition Tips, Part 3: Steer Clear of Innuendo

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Joe Ahmad

Executives might be tempted to aim disparaging comments at the opposing side during a deposition. Avoiding this urge can be difficult when opposing counsel is peppering an executive with questions impugning his or her credibility, competency and intellect. But resisting the … Continue reading →

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Radio Shack Knew of Monster Risk When Hiring Exec

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Joe Ahmad

 A few weeks ago, I wrote about the phenomenon of individual executives being held criminally liable for the acts of their employers. Now, we have a case that opens the possibility of the opposite happening: an executive who is the … Continue reading →

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Executive Deposition Tips, Part 2: It’s Not a Basketball Game

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Joe Ahmad

 With the NBA Finals upon us, it seems appropriate to take up my continuing series of Executive Deposition Tips with this bit of advice: control the tempo. If you’re being deposed, you’re running out the shot clock. The opposing counsel, … Continue reading →

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