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Executive Compensation & 409A Attorney

Sandra works with leaders across the professional spectrum, helping them navigate significant events in their career trajectory.

Her breadth of knowledge and ability to consistently resolve matters successfully have made her one of the leading executive compensation and employee benefits attorneys in North America. Clients and attorneys seek her practical advice and business-oriented approach to complex tax and employee benefits issues. She is known for deal-making and pragmatic problem-solving on private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, employment contract negotiations and development of incentive and deferred compensation strategies.

"She is very smart and has really strong technical skills and just an amazing bedside manner. She is able to make sure difficult situations get handled. She is a combination of analytically excellent, business-savvy and with an adept personal touch." - Client comment in Chambers & Partners USA Guide 2022

Counselling. Sandra has a wide range of industry experience from compensation of financial professionals, private equity partners, top business executives, university presidents, to entertainment industry producers of television and film, and globally mobile executives with international assignments, a specialty area that requires an understanding of the position. Her practice includes advice and counsel to employers on employee benefits matters and tax-qualified retirement plans, as well as non-qualified deferred compensation. Sometimes known as the "Section 409A Whisperer," she is the tax lawyer that other employment lawyers call when they encounter complex NQDC issues.

Coaching. Drawing from several decades of employee-related advisory experience, as a human-resources professional earlier in her career and later as an attorney advisor in executive compensation, Sandra coaches executives through significant events in their career trajectory - whether it’s getting hired, getting acquired or getting fired, or navigating tricky workplaces and difficult bosses.

Prior to founding Cohen & Buckmann, Sandra led the U.S. Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits practice in the New York office of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. She was previously an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, handling mergers and acquisitions and employee benefits matters.

Sandra is an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York University Law School, teaching Taxation of Employee Benefits in NYU's graduate tax program. In addition, Sandra is a highly sought-after speaker and author.

Speaking Engagements

“Future is Bright: Negotiating The C-Suite Offer”, Podcast, September 2023

“Negotiating Executive Contracts: Point Counterpoint” at Cool Compensation Considerations for the Private Company 2023: Pay, Performance, and Perspectives, Practising Law Institute (PLI), April 2024 and April 2023

“Hidden Traps when Settling Employment Discrimination Cases”, Employment Law & Litigation, Practising Law Institute (PLI), June 2022

“Modification and Termination of NQDC Plans in Corporate Transactions,” American Bar Association JCEB, May 2021, May 2022, May 2023, May 2024

“A Conversation on Compensation: What Men Ask for that Women Don't,” Vermilion Talent, May 2019

“Demystifying Tax Issues in Employment Agreements," American Bar Association, Employee Rights and Responsibilities Committee Winter Conference, 2016

“Trends in Executive Compensation and Employee Perks,” Benefits Without Borders, Global Pension and Employee Benefits Lawyers Conference, June 2014.

Publications

What's Next for Non-Competes?, C&B Insights blog, 2024

Equity Compensation: When are RSUs Deferred Compensation? C&B Insights blog, 2022.

Avoiding Surprise Taxation of Employment Settlements; Law360 Tax Authority, April 2022

Treatise Co-Author: Cohen, S. & Diamond, V., Global Share Plans: Issues for Multinational Employers, T.M. 322-1st, Bloomberg BNA (2016)

Chapter Author: Section 409A Handbook – Foreign Plans, Bloomberg Law, 2010, 2016, 2022

Equity Compensation: Top Seven Questions Executives Should Ask About Private Company Stock Options, C&B Insights blog, 2020.

Granting Restricted Stock in the U.S.? Section 83(b) Election News, Pension and Benefits Law Blog, November 2011