Overview

Rob Fowler is an executive compensation partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He has extensive experience in the negotiation and drafting of employment and consulting agreements, restrictive covenants, clawback arrangements, golden parachute arrangements and other executive compensation and incentive programs, including the various forms of equity compensation arrangements, and regularly advises clients on issues under Sections 409A and 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code. Rob also regularly advises clients regarding the executive compensation aspects of mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures and regarding the integration of plans and arrangements following a transaction. Rob has helped design and implement compensation and benefits arrangements for numerous master limited partnerships (MLPs).

He also has broad experience in the design and implementation of employee benefit plans, including multiemployer plans and related tax-qualification requirements, reporting and disclosure matters, prohibited transaction issues and other fiduciary concerns. Additionally, Rob advises clients regarding employee stock ownership (ESOP) transactions, and has also been involved in several benefits litigation matters.

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Thought Leadership

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, “Modification, Termination and Continuation of Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans in Corporation Transactions,” Virtual Employee Benefits in Mergers and Acquisitions National Institute, 2022

Speaker, “Modification, Termination and Continuation of Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans in Corporation Transactions,” Employee Benefits in Mergers and Acquisitions National Institute Webinar Series, 2021

Recognition

Ranked Band 1 for Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation in Chambers USA, 2023–2024

Ranked Band 2 for Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation in Chambers USA, 2019–2022

Recommended in The Legal 500 U.S., 2013, 2020 & 2023–2024

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward White, Inc.), 2012–2015

Recognized as 2014–2015 Houston Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers (Woodward White, Inc.)

Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer (Thomson Reuters), 2014, 2015 & 2018

Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer-Rising Star (Thomson Reuters), 2004–2009

Memberships & Affiliations

State Bar of Texas, Employee Benefits Subcommittee of the Tax Section

American Bar Association, Tax Section

Houston Bar Association

Chairman, Houston Young Lawyers Foundation, Board of Trustees, 2006–2007

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • Texas

Education

  • University of Chicago Law SchoolJ.D.with High Honors1996
    Order of the Coif
  • Texas A&M UniversityB.S., Mechanical Engineering1993