Schobel named Benefits MVP for 2025 by Law360
Michael Schobel, a partner in Wachtell Lipton’s Executive Compensation and Benefits Department, has been named a Law360 MVP for 2025 in the Benefits category.
Michael advises on executive compensation and employee benefits matters, particularly in connection with mergers and acquisitions and other complex business transactions.
Over the past year, he has played a pivotal role in numerous high-profile deals across diverse industries, including:
- Abbott Laboratories in its $22 billion acquisition of Exact Sciences
- Huntington Bancshares in its $7.4 billion acquisition of Cadence Bank
- The Free Press in its acquisition by Paramount
- Pfizer in its up to $10 billion acquisition of Metsera
- Charter Communications in its $34.5 billion merger with Cox Communications
- Inari Medical in its $4.9 billion acquisition by Stryker Corporation
Michael has been instrumental in structuring compensation arrangements for transformative transactions, ensuring compliance and strategic alignment in high-stakes deals. His recognition as a Law360 MVP underscores his leadership in shaping compensation practices that advance corporate strategy while meeting regulatory standards.
In his Law360 interview, Michael discusses what drives him, his most significant accomplishments of the year, and offers guidance to junior attorneys.
He has also been ranked by MergerLinks as the No. 1 Employment Lawyer in North America (by deal value) in both 2023 and 2024 and was previously named a Law360 Rising Star in 2019, recognizing him as one of the nation’s top five executive compensation and employee benefits lawyers under 40.