About the team
LYNN DUBOIS, Partner
Tel: 415.463.4633
ldubois@esoplawgroup.com
Ms. DuBois practices in the Employee Benefits/ERISA area where she focuses on tax-qualified retirement plans, with a particular emphasis on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). Her practice includes company, trustee, and shareholder representation in a wide variety of ESOP transactions, including leveraged buy-outs, corporate stock repurchases, ownership succession transactions, and corporate reorganizations. Ms. DuBois also counsels clients with respect to management incentive plans implemented in connection with ESOP transactions.
Ms. DuBois also possesses substantial expertise in health and welfare plans and deferred compensation plans. She advises clients on all aspects of employee benefits in connection with corporate mergers and acquisitions, including the transition of employees and the treatment of employee benefit plans following a transaction. Ms. DuBois advises clients on qualified plan compliance issues, COBRA compliance, fiduciary responsibility issues, ERISA controversies and prohibited transactions, and she has represented clients before the IRS and the Department of Labor.
In 2014, Ms. DuBois filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Fifth Third Bancorp v. Dudenhoeffer on behalf of The ESOP Association arguing in favor of a rule providing certain investment decision protections for ESOP fiduciaries.
Education
J.D., Stanford Law School, 1994, Executive Editor, Stanford Law and Public Policy Review
A.B., Smith College, 1991, summa cum laude
Honors
In 2024, The ESOP Association awarded Ms. DuBois the association’s prestigious Lifetime Service Award.
Admissions
California State courts
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships
Member, State Bar of California
Member, National Center for Employee Ownership
Member, The ESOP Association
Past Chair of the Advisory Committees Chairs’ Council of The ESOP Association and a member of its Board of Directors
Past Chair, Administrative Advisory Committee, The ESOP Association
Member of many legal organizations, including the California Bar Association
Lynn Dubois
LARRY GOLDBERG, Partner
San Francisco Tel: 415.463.4631
New York Tel: 646.632.3731
lgoldberg@esoplawgroup.com
Mr. Goldberg focuses his practice on the design, implementation and operation of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (“ESOPs”), and he is nationally recognized for his extensive experience in structuring a wide variety of ESOP transactions. These ESOP transactions are often designed as part of a family ownership transition, management buyout, or investment diversification/liquidity strategy for shareholder groups.
Mr. Goldberg has advised numerous corporations, shareholders and directors, of both closely-held and publicly-traded companies, on the use of ESOPs and ESOP-related strategies. He regularly serves as legal counsel to ESOP trustees, and advises investors and lenders with respect to ESOP transactions. Mr. Goldberg also advises clients on various types of pension and profit sharing plans, and management incentive plans implemented in connection with an ESOP transaction.
In 2014, Mr. Goldberg filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Fifth Third Bancorp v. Dudenhoeffer on behalf of The ESOP Association arguing in favor of a rule providing certain investment decision protections for ESOP fiduciaries.
Admissions
California
Texas
U.S. Supreme Court
Education
LL.M., Georgetown University Law Center, 1984 (Taxation)
J.D., University of Houston Law Center, 1983
B.B.A., University of Texas, 1980
Honors
Top Benefits & Compensation Lawyers in the Bay Area, Bay Area Lawyer Magazine
Memberships
Member, National Center for Employee Ownership
Member, State Bar of California
Member, Steering Committee, The ESOP Association, California/Western States Chapter
Past Chair, Legislative and Regulatory Advisory Committee, The ESOP Association
Past Chair, Administrative Advisory Committee, The ESOP Association
Member, Board of Directors, Western Pension and Benefits Conference, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
Larry Goldberg
KRIS MOTOLA, Corporate Attorney
Tel: 415.463.4646
kmotola@esoplawgroup.com
Mr. Motola’s practice includes mergers and acquisitions and intellectual property; advising and assisting with start up companies and debt and equity financing; the formation and operation of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs); wine industry client representation; advising on various facets of intellectual property, including licensing and distribution agreements, terms of service, work for hire agreements, and contest rules; as well as general corporate counseling and a range of commercial transactions.
Education
J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law; Graduated magna cum laude, Senior Member of Law Review; President of Business Law Association; Environmental Law Negotiations Moot Court Competition
B.A., San Francisco State University, English with an emphasis in Creative WritingInternships
Law Clerk for the Senior General Counsel of Panalpina, Inc.
Intern at the Department of Justice, Office of the United States Trustee in Oakland, CA
Admissions
California
Experience
Mergers and acquisitions of both private and public companies
Intellectual Property
General corporate representation and various commercial transactions
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
Memberships
Member, State Bar of California
Member, The ESOP Association
Member, National Center for Employee Ownership
Kris Motola
MOLLY LATEINER, Corporate Attorney
Tel: 415.463.4645
mlateiner@esoplawgroup.com
Ms. Lateiner’s practice encompasses general corporate and securities matters, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, public offerings, securities compliance and general corporate governance, and the formation and operation of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs).
Education
J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law, 2002, Cum Laude, Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal, Witkin Award for Academic Excellence for Legal Writing and Research, CALI Excellence for the Future Awards for Legal Writing and Research, Honorable Mention for Best Oral Advocate, Moot Court, Civil Justice Mediation Clinic, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Externship.
B.A., University of California, Los Angeles, Communications, 2009, Magna Cum Laude, minor in political science, Phi Beta Kappa honors society.
Admissions
California
Experience
Mergers and acquisitions of both private and public companies
Securities compliance and general corporate governance
General corporate representation and various commercial transactions
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
Memberships
Member, National Center for Employee Ownership
Member, ESOP Association
Member, State Bar of California
Member, San Francisco Bar Association
Molly Lateiner