David M. Spaulding

Offers sophisticated, practical and comprehensible advice on complex benefits and compensation matters. More than two decades of experience advising clients of all sizes. Brings unique expertise in payroll tax treatment and reporting issues, including worker classification.

David Spaulding’s experience covers a wide range of employee benefits matters, including the design, implementation, communication, administration and amendment of all types of tax-qualified retirement plans, executive compensation arrangements, equity-based compensation plans, and health and welfare plans.

He advises clients on matters related to nonqualified and tax-qualified benefit arrangements including ERISA, IRC Section 409A and multidisciplinary issues involving corporate and tax laws relating to employee benefits. David has experience with retirement; welfare and fringe benefits; design, administration and disclosure matters for domestic and international equity-based compensation plans; and reporting, withholding, and tax controversy matters related to payroll taxes for compensation and benefits. In the context of mergers and acquisitions, he conducts due diligence, negotiates agreement terms and advises on post-merger integration issues.

Prior to joining Brownstein, David was counsel in the ERISA, employee benefits and executive compensation practice groups in the Palo Alto office of a global law firm.