September 1, 2026
–Blog Post
How Bonuses and Commissions Go Wrong
What Employers Need to Know about Employment & Benefit Matters

Sullivan represented Wonder Media Network (WMN), a female-founded, audio-first creative studio based in New York City, in its sale to Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast company. "WMN’s mission is so tightly aligned with that of Acast - bringing important and changemaking stories to the world," said WMN CEO Jenny Kaplan. "Together, we will allow both creators and advertisers to reach new audiences, build successful businesses, and shape the future of audio."
Lewis N. Segall, Joel R. Carpenter, Amy E. Sheridan, Erika L. Todd, Johanna Colpritt and Nathan Kosik-Desmond
Sullivan acts as outside general counsel for Skillsright, Inc., a nonprofit coalition of the country’s top employers and their CEOs with a mission of driving a skills-first movement to unlock career opportunities for talent without four-year degrees, for a more equitable and inclusive future workforce. Sullivan handles a wide range of matters including obtaining the organization’s nonprofit (Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3)) status, advising on a variety of legal issues associated with the organization’s work, negotiating intellectual property rights, drafting employment offers and dealing with related employment and benefits issues, overseeing all contracting issues and advising on corporate governance.
Kimberly Herman, David A. Guadagnoli, Judith G.H. Edington, Erika L. Todd and Michael S. Palmisciano
The environmental technology company, Nederman Holding AB, represented by Sullivan, recently acquired a leading industrial air filtration company RoboVent, significantly strengthening its North American position by becoming the number one player within the U.S. weld fume extraction segment. Sullivan has provided acquisition advice to Nederman since 2017. Sullivan’s Environment & Natural Resources group handled preparation of environmental provisions of the purchase agreement and disclosure schedules and advised as to regulatory compliance at the target company.
Michael J. Student, Avinash R. Rao, Amy E. Sheridan, Erika L. Todd, Douglas S. Stransky and Ida J. Vanto
Simon Cook, in his role as ITFA's Head of Education, will jointly moderate a Q&A on “The next generation: Three emerging leaders, three ideas”, together with Charlie O'Mulloy, chair of ITFA’s Emerging Leader Committee and Associate Banker at EBRD, at ITFA’s 52nd Annual International Trade and Forfaiting Conference in Split, Croatia on September 9. The Q&A will follow the presentations made by the finalists of the 2026 ITFA Emerging Leader
Any contractual commitment involves risk, but for bonuses and commission plans, wage and tax laws multiply that risk through statutory penalties and, in some cases, automatic multiple damages. A carefully designed compensation plan encourages strong performance while protecting against an expensive surprise. Automatic Penalties for Wage Violations If the description of an incentive compensation plan arrangement does not match what the business intended, or it was drafted casually or was not reviewed
Geoffrey Wynne will participate in a panel discussion at ITFA's 52nd Annual International Trade and Forfaiting Conference alongside Ailsa McNeil, Director at Texel, and Hernan Mayol, Board Member and Representative of ITFA Americas and Chair of ITFA’s Latin America Regional Committee (LARC). The session, titled “Financing the future: From defence to critical raw materials,” will be moderated by Clarissa Dann, Editorial Director at Deutsche Bank AG. The session will explore how trade
Sullivan represented BridgeAthletic, a leading strength and conditioning software platform, in its acquisition by VALD, a global provider of human performance technology. The acquisition brings together BridgeAthletic's program design and athlete management platform with VALD's objective measurement technology and performance data capabilities, creating a more comprehensive and connected platform for coaches and performance professionals. The transaction follows VALD's recent acquisition of GymAware and expands its capabilities across the full performance lifecycle,
When people hear “litigation,” they usually think about trials, dramatic cross-examinations and disputes beyond repair. They do not typically think about prevention. Yet one of the most valuable things a litigator can do is help avoid litigation altogether. At first glance, the concept may seem counterintuitive. Why would litigators want to reduce litigation? The answer is straightforward: it’s often in the best interest of their clients. While litigation is sometimes necessary, it
Sullivan partner Tehila Levi Lati will speak at a webinar held in collaboration with Amazon and Digate titled "Going Live in China" on September 8, 2026. Designed for decision-makers and technical leaders navigating regional expansion, the program will explore key technical, legal and operational considerations for launching in China, including cloud infrastructure, local licensing, data privacy and corporate risk management. During the webinar, Tehila will leverage her deep experience leading Sullivan's China and
Gregory Sampson was quoted in the August 23 Banker & Tradesman article, “A Green Light for Project Lite Brite?,” examining how Massachusetts’ evolving clean energy permitting framework could reshape the development of battery storage and other clean energy projects. The article focuses on Project Lite Brite, a proposed 62,000-square-foot battery storage facility in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood, and explores how Boston’s new clean energy zoning and changes under the state’s 2024 climate
Since the publication of this Client Alert on July 30, 2026, several significant developments have affected the implementation of NYC’s Non-Primary Residence Surcharge (the “Pied-à-Terre Tax”), including the NYC Department of Finance (“NYC DOF”) extending the deadline for property owners to submit exemption applications to September 18, 2026. On August 7, 2026, three NYC homeowners filed a lawsuit challenging the City’s implementation of the surcharge, including the City’s process of identifying
Douglas S. Stransky, partner and leader of the Tax Practice Group, has published the second post in his series for the LexisNexis blog, examining the U.S. tax consequences that surface when a cross-border joint venture ends. Using a hypothetical 50/50 venture between a U.S. manufacturer and a German strategic investing through a U.S. corporate blocker, the post explains how the Section 704(c) method choice buried in boilerplate moves real money between
Boston, MA – Sullivan & Worcester has been shortlisted for the International Tax Review (ITR) Americas Tax Awards 2026 for Massachusetts Tax Firm of the Year. Nominees will be recognized and winners will be announced at the ITR Americas Tax Awards gala on October 29, 2026, in New York. The annual ITR Americas Tax Awards celebrate the most accomplished and distinguished tax and transfer pricing teams across 35 jurisdictions worldwide. In
Simon Cook, in his role as ITFA's Head of Education, will jointly moderate a Q&A on “The next generation: Three emerging leaders, three ideas”, together with Charlie O'Mulloy, chair of ITFA’s Emerging Leader Committee and Associate Banker at EBRD, at ITFA’s 52nd Annual International Trade and Forfaiting Conference in Split, Croatia on September 9. The Q&A will follow the presentations made by the finalists of the 2026 ITFA Emerging Leader
Any contractual commitment involves risk, but for bonuses and commission plans, wage and tax laws multiply that risk through statutory penalties and, in some cases, automatic multiple damages. A carefully designed compensation plan encourages strong performance while protecting against an expensive surprise. Automatic Penalties for Wage Violations If the description of an incentive compensation plan arrangement does not match what the business intended, or it was drafted casually or was not reviewed
Geoffrey Wynne will participate in a panel discussion at ITFA's 52nd Annual International Trade and Forfaiting Conference alongside Ailsa McNeil, Director at Texel, and Hernan Mayol, Board Member and Representative of ITFA Americas and Chair of ITFA’s Latin America Regional Committee (LARC). The session, titled “Financing the future: From defence to critical raw materials,” will be moderated by Clarissa Dann, Editorial Director at Deutsche Bank AG. The session will explore how trade
Sullivan represented BridgeAthletic, a leading strength and conditioning software platform, in its acquisition by VALD, a global provider of human performance technology. The acquisition brings together BridgeAthletic's program design and athlete management platform with VALD's objective measurement technology and performance data capabilities, creating a more comprehensive and connected platform for coaches and performance professionals. The transaction follows VALD's recent acquisition of GymAware and expands its capabilities across the full performance lifecycle,
When people hear “litigation,” they usually think about trials, dramatic cross-examinations and disputes beyond repair. They do not typically think about prevention. Yet one of the most valuable things a litigator can do is help avoid litigation altogether. At first glance, the concept may seem counterintuitive. Why would litigators want to reduce litigation? The answer is straightforward: it’s often in the best interest of their clients. While litigation is sometimes necessary, it
Sullivan partner Tehila Levi Lati will speak at a webinar held in collaboration with Amazon and Digate titled "Going Live in China" on September 8, 2026. Designed for decision-makers and technical leaders navigating regional expansion, the program will explore key technical, legal and operational considerations for launching in China, including cloud infrastructure, local licensing, data privacy and corporate risk management. During the webinar, Tehila will leverage her deep experience leading Sullivan's China and