Head of McDermott’s New York Executive Compensation Group Joins Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler

September 6, 2022

Steven Eckhaus, an executive compensation and employment attorney with decades of experience guiding C-Suite members, decision-makers, and prominent executives through negotiations and disputes, has joined Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler as a partner. He previously served as head of McDermott Will & Emery’s New York Executive Compensation group.

Eckhaus will negotiate employment contracts, litigate clawbacks and play a prominent role in managing HSW’s employment and executive compensation caseload. Eckhaus expects that most of his clients, which include high-powered professionals across a wide range of industries, will be moving to the firm with him.

“With the addition of Steve to our team, we are further fortifying one of the firm’s core strengths,” said managing partner Jonathan Harris. “He brings wide-ranging experience that will cement our position as one of the preeminent executive compensation and employment firms in New York.”

Eckhaus, a Chambers-ranked lawyer, started his own boutique firm before leading the Executive Compensation practice groups of several BigLaw firms. He said he was excited to return to a boutique setting and join HSW’s collegial culture.

“I’ve worked alongside members of the HSW team many times over the years as co-counsel and know first-hand the talent this firm has and how smoothly they work together,” said Eckhaus. “I’m excited to help build upon that and further grow HSW’s reputation as a go-to firm for stellar employment work.”

Over his years in practice, Eckhaus has been at the forefront of game-changing cases for employers and professionals before the Southern District of New York and Second Circuit. One of his matters secured the right for American employees of foreign companies to sue their employers in U.S. courts. Another expanded Title VII protections to cover discrimination based on motherhood and formed the jurisprudential basis for the emerging doctrine of Family Responsibility Discrimination. Eckhaus also represented the Big Ten Conference Compensation Committee for nearly seven years and served as counsel for a prominent hotelier and businesswoman.