Melisa Brower is a partner in the New York office of A&O Shearman and a member of the Compensation, Employment, Pensions, and Governance practice group. Melisa focuses on a wide variety of compensation and human capital matters involving employment and compensation considerations in corporate transactions and securities law, with emphasis on U.S. public company advisory and corporate governance matters.

She has particular expertise advising global employers on employment laws, compensation and employee benefits issues in the context of domestic and cross-border transactions, including complex carveouts. She also advises listed companies on regulatory and reporting requirements relating to compensation and human capital management, advises boards and board committees on governance matters, and regularly advises clients on the design and implementation of equity and incentive compensation plans.

Melisa is a member of the New York City Bar Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Committee. She is also actively engaged in a variety of pro bono representations, including providing advice to various not-for-profit arts and education organizations and to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Rachel Lee is an associate in the New York office of A&O Shearman and a member of the Compensation, Employment, Pensions, and Governance practice group. She advises private companies and financial institutions on complex legal, regulatory, and contractual matters relating to the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and advises clients on employment, labor, benefits, and executive compensation issues in corporate M&A and finance transactions, including due diligence and negotiation of transaction documents.

Rachel is a leading member of the firm’s U.S. Asian Affinity Network and U.S. Associates Council and a member of the A&O Alumni Advisory Board. Under her leadership, A&O received awards from bar associations, such as the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the Asian American Bar Association of New York. Rachel speaks Korean and Spanish and has represented clients before the immigration and family courts on pro bono matters, in which she successfully obtained legal status and employment eligibility for her clients. Rachel is a recipient of awards for her leadership in and contribution to firm initiatives, pro bono and community investment, and recruitment efforts.

Charlotte Meerstadt is the Founder and CEO of Fram Energy, a VC backed company that develops software to make clean energy technologies economically viable for rental properties by splitting solar savings between landlords and tenants. With a background combining engineering, art, and business, Charlotte previously worked at X (the moonshot factory) in climate strategy roles and as an R&D Engineer at the Netherlands Aerospace Centre focusing on sustainable aviation. She holds an MBA from Stanford University and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Delft University of Technology. Charlotte's company has been recognized for its innovative approach to solving the split-incentive problem by the Department of Energy, Forbes and Stanford University.

Carolyn brings over 18 years of experience in Human Resources and currently serves as a People Business Partner at National Grid, focusing on the New York Electric business. In her role, she is instrumental in operationalizing HR strategies and executing the strategic plan that encompasses the entire employee lifecycle, ultimately driving business performance. Carolyn is passionate about talent development and is dedicated to cultivating a workforce of leaders and engaged employees to meet the challenges of the energy future. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Resource Development from Villanova University and has been certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) since 2013. Recently, she completed an ACT Leadership and Performance Coaching certification from Brown University, further enhancing her expertise in leadership development. Outside of her professional commitments, Carolyn enjoys spending quality time with her family and is a mother of two active children. She has a love for gardening and the outdoors, which allows her to unwind and connect with nature.