Sarah Burke
Partner
Overview
Sarah Burke advises public and private companies, private equity sponsors and financial services clients on the employee benefits, executive compensation and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) issues that can shape the success of complex transactions. She helps clients navigate compensation and benefits considerations in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity investments, financings and restructurings, aligning legal strategy with broader business objectives while managing transaction risk.
Sarah works closely with M&A, private equity and investment management teams on high-value and cross-border transactions. Her practice includes advising on compensation, benefits and ERISA matters that arise throughout the deal life cycle, from diligence and transaction structuring to post-closing integration and compliance.
She drafts and negotiates a wide range of executive compensation arrangements, including employment, retention, separation, equity and profits interest agreements. Sarah also prepares related disclosure and transaction documentation, helping clients address evolving business, governance and workforce considerations in strategic transactions.
In addition to her transactional practice, Sarah counsels clients on employee benefits compliance matters involving plan design, administration and ongoing operational issues. She has experience assisting clients with the correction of retirement plan operational failures through IRS compliance programs, helping organizations maintain compliance while supporting workforce and business goals.
Before joining Holland & Knight, Sarah practiced at several international law firms, where she advised corporate, private equity and financial services clients on executive compensation, employee benefits and ERISA matters. Her more than 15 years of experience provide a practical perspective on the compensation and benefits challenges that arise across transactions and day-to-day operations.
Prior to beginning her legal career, she served with Teach for America and taught kindergarten in Los Angeles.
Representative Experience
- Advised a manufacturer of electrical conduit, cable management and infrastructure solutions in the sale of its high-density polyethylene and conduit business to a provider of polyethylene pipeline solutions
- Advised a global specialty reinsurance and insurance underwriter in the sale of its Canadian retail insurance operations to another Canadian mutual insurance firm
- Advised an industrial distributor and solutions provider in its acquisition of a global provider of flow control distribution, service, repair and manufacturing solutions
- Advised an investor group in its $7.4 billion acquisition of a British-American global asset management group
- Advised a global digital solutions and services provider in its acquisition of an Ireland-headquartered information technology (IT) solutions and managed services provider
- Advised a global specialty reinsurance and insurance underwriter in the sale of the renewal rights for its global retail commercial insurance business to AIG
- Advised a global leader in IT services in the acquisition of a 100 percent stake in a leading Salesforce Summit partner
- Advised a global alternative investment firm in its sale of a U.S.-based manufacturing business to a British investment firm in a transaction valued at approximately $1.9 billion
- Advised a nationwide platform in the essential home services industry in a significant equity investment from an investment firm
- Advised a U.S. streaming platform in its acquisition of a subscription streaming service
- Advised an American private equity company in its investment to fund a $2.7 billion acquisition of a leading manufacturer of safe lifting and securement solutions
- Advised a global digital solutions and services provider in its acquisition of a majority stake in an Elite ServiceNow partner
- Advised a Japanese multinational equipment and materials manufacturer operating in the healthcare and industrial industries in the $600 million sale of its subsidiary to an American health technology company
- Advised a retail chain that sells home improvement, agriculture, lawn and garden maintenance, livestock, equine and pet care equipment in its acquisition of an online pet pharmacy
- Advised a telecommunications company in its $20 billion acquisition of the largest pure-play fiber internet provider in the U.S.
Credentials
- Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, J.D., cum laude
- Loyola Marymount University, M.A., Elementary Education
- Northwestern University, B.A., History and Philosophy, cum laude
- New York
- American Bar Foundation, Honorary Fellow