Michael A. Hepburn

Michael A. Hepburn

Partner
US Head of Employment
Washington, DC, United States
+1 202 383 0104

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Michael counsels clients on a broad range of compensation, employment and benefits issues. 

Experienced in employee benefits, executive compensation and employment law, he advises clients on the design, administration, and termination of retirement and welfare plans. Michael has extensive experience in executive compensation-related matters and provides advice regarding tax, securities, and employment aspects of executive compensation arrangements, including nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements, and equity and equity-based compensation programs. He also handles employment, compensation, and benefits issues in mergers, acquisitions, and other business transactions.

Michael routinely counsels clients on labor and employment law issues, including hiring practices, employee evaluations, disciplinary actions, leave policies and practices, employment termination, discrimination charges, personnel policy review, and employment contracts. In addition, he advises business clients on consulting agreements, noncompetition agreements and other restrictive covenant arrangements, as well as severance and release agreements.

He and his team recognize the value that employees provide to every business enterprise and strive to partner with in-house resources from HR to legal, as well as tax and business partners to ensure that we deliver practical advice focused on individualized business needs.

Michael has extensive experience representing energy industry clients on all aspects of employment and benefits issues.

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  • Represented IGM Financial, one of Canada's largest diversified wealth and asset management companies, in its purchase of an approximately 20.5 percent equity interest in Rockefeller Capital Management, for consideration of approximately $622 million.
  • Represented Acacium Group, a portfolio company of Onex Partners, in its acquisition of R&D Partners, a staffing company.
  • Represented Mutual of America Life Insurance Company, a New York domestic mutual life and annuity insurer, on its acquisition of 100% of the stock of Grandmark Funds, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Landmark Life Insurance Company.
  • Eversheds Sutherland advised T.Y. Lin International in connection with its acquisition of Greeley and Hansen, a leader in developing innovative engineering solutions for a wide array of water, wastewater, water reuse and solid waste challenges.
  • Represented GEODIS, a world leader in transport and logistics headquartered in France, on entering into an agreement to acquire the US-based logistics company Need It Now Delivers.
  • Represented ITC Infotech in its strategic partnership with PTC, Inc. pursuant to which ITC Infotech purchased the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) business from PTC and acquired a portion of PTC’s PLM implementation services business, DxP services.
  • Represented DIAKRIT AB, a leader in global real estate marketing, on its acquisition of Virtuance, LLC, a US-based leading real estate photography provider.
  • Advised in the sale of a majority equity interest in Element Markets, LLC to TPG’s The Rise Fund.
  • Represented Safran S.A., a global tier-one supplier of systems and equipment to the aviation, defense, and space markets, on the sale of its Base2 Solutions subsidiary to Belcan, LLC.
  • Advised T5 Data Centers on its agreement with QuadReal Property Group to launch a platform for the acquisition, development and operation of data centers for enterprise and hyperscale users.
  • Represented SSM Partners in its acquisition of Kukui Corporation.
  • Represented a leading, UK-based operator of filling stations, convenience stores and food service providers in acquisition of the convenience store portfolio from the leading US truck stop and travel center operator.
  • Advised Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. on all US legal aspects of its acquisition of Alterra Power Corp., a Canadian renewable energy company with assets in Canada, the US, Iceland, Chile and Italy.
  • Represented private equity fund as deal counsel in its successful bid and acquisition of four coal-fired power plants totaling 1200 MW of generation capacity in New Jersey, West Virginia and Arkansas including back leverage financing to support the acquisition.
  • Represented The Forestland Group in the sale of the sawmill assets of its affiliate Anderson-Tully Lumber Company, which owns one of the largest sawmills in the United States.
  • Represented Southwire in acquiring Sumner Manufacturing Company, Inc.
  • Counseled a large international water services company on intercompany personal data transfers related to a significant IT outsourcing project.
  • Represented Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company on its acquisition of Jefferson National Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries
  • Basic foundations of US employment law, February 3 and 5, 2026, Eversheds Sutherland training course
  • Employment law in focus: The departing employees, October 28-29, 2025, Eversheds Sutherland CLE program
  • Hot Topics: US Employment Law, September 9, 2025, Eversheds Sutherland Course
  • Cookies and Questions Roundtable: A roundtable discussion on the Executive Orders affecting employers, June 4, 2025, Eversheds Sutherland webcast
  • A roundtable discussion on the Executive Orders affecting employers, February 19, 2025, Eversheds Sutherland Cookies & Questions Roundtable
  • Basic foundations of US employment law, February 4 and 6, 2025, Eversheds Sutherland training course
  • Cookies & Questions: A roundtable discussion on the 2024 election's impact on employment law, November 19, 2024, Eversheds Sutherland webcast
  • Shaping the future workforce: Key trends and themes in Global Workforce Transformation, October 1, 2024, ESI Global Employment, Labor & Pensions Webinar
  • A roundtable discussion on key DOL developments, June 18, 2024, Eversheds Sutherland Cookies & Questions Roundtable
  • A roundtable discussion on the FTC's Final Rule on non-compete provisions, May 15, 2024, Eversheds Sutherland Cookies & Questions Roundtable
  • Part of the global M&A team recognized with the 2025 “Industrials Deal of the Year” award from The M&A Advisor for work supporting the PPF and leadership of Kodak Alaris on its turnaround and sale to Kingswood Capital
  • Part of the global M&A team recognized with the 2025 “Cross-Border M&A Deal of the Year” award from The M&A Advisor for role advising Element Solutions Inc on the sale of its global graphic solutions business division
  • Recognized by The Legal 500 United States in the area of employee benefits and executive compensation (2015, 2018) and employee benefits and executive compensation and Retirement Plans (2025)
  • Recognized as a Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer (2022), an independent, client-driven recognition
  • Recognized as a stand-out lawyer by Acritas Stars: Independently Rated Lawyers (2020)
  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland
  • J.D., George Washington University Law School
  • B.A., Western Maryland College

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Michael Hepburn

Partner

US Head of Employment

+1 202 383 0104
Michael Hepburn

Partner

US Head of Employment

Email

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