In the increasingly challenging race to attract and retain top talent, investment advisers should consider all of the tools at their disposal. One of the most helpful and flexible options are profits interests.
Profits interests can be structured to provide an employee with the right to participate in a share of the ongoing net income earned by the firm and/or the proceeds from the sale of the firm down the road. Profits interests can also be structured to “vest” over time, meaning that an employee can only receive them after certain conditions have been satisfied (e.g., the employee remains with the firm for a period of time and remains in good standing), which provides employees with an incentive to remain loyal to the firm.
