Employee Equity Compensation Lawyer in Portsmouth, NH
You work for a tech company or defense contractor on the Seacoast and part of your pay is equity. Maybe you hold stock options that have not vested yet. Maybe your company just announced a sale and you are not sure what that means for your RSUs. Or maybe your employer denied equity you believe you earned. These situations are more common than people realize, and the dollar amounts at stake can be substantial. An equity compensation lawyer in Portsmouth, NH at Whitney Law Group helps Seacoast employees protect the equity they have worked for.
Why Portsmouth Professionals Choose Whitney Law Group for Employee Equity Compensation Matters
New Hampshire’s technology sector is growing, with companies at Pease Tradeport and around Greater Portsmouth offering equity compensation packages that rival those seen in Boston or Manchester. But many employees here have never had to deal with an equity agreement before. Whitney Law Group brings Boston-level expertise to the Portsmouth market. We have helped employees throughout Rockingham County understand their stock option agreements, exercise their rights after separation, and challenge employers who improperly cancelled or denied equity grants. We know New Hampshire employment law and we know how to apply federal securities law concepts to real-world equity disputes. We work with employees at both private companies and publicly traded employers.
Equity Compensation Lawyer Services in Portsmouth, NH
Whitney Law Group helps Portsmouth-area employees with all types of equity compensation issues. We review stock option agreements, including ISOs and NSOs, and explain the tax treatment of each. We analyze RSU award agreements, including vesting conditions, forfeiture provisions, and what happens when employment ends. We help employees understand their rights when a company is sold, goes public, or goes through a restructuring. We explain 83(b) elections, exercise periods, and what “double trigger acceleration” means in your specific agreement. We also handle equity disputes, including claims that an employer wrongly terminated vesting, miscalculated grant shares, or failed to honor acceleration provisions. If you signed an equity agreement with a company in Portsmouth or on the Seacoast and you believe your rights have been violated, we can review the documents and advise you on the best path forward.
What Clients in Portsmouth Are Saying
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My Portsmouth employer was just acquired. Will I lose my unvested stock options?
Not necessarily. Some agreements include change-of-control acceleration clauses. Others require you to stay through the closing. Review your grant agreement right away so you understand your timeline.
Q: I left my job at a Pease Tradeport company. What happens to my equity?
Most option agreements give you 90 days to exercise after separation. RSUs typically forfeit immediately on termination. The exact terms depend on your grant agreement, which we can review quickly.
Q: Can a New Hampshire employer take back equity I have already vested?
Generally no, but some agreements include clawback provisions. Have your agreement reviewed so you know exactly what your employer can and cannot do.