Summary
The employee stock-ownership plan, or ESOP, is one of the most powerful legal innovations in recent US history. Since its introduction in the mid-1970s, millions of employees have benefited from being co-owners of the companies where they work. But ESOP formation has slowed in recent years, and it has come with shortcomings. A new generation of lawyers, investors, and worker advocates has been exploring new strategies for broad-based ownership—potentially serving employees, contractors, and community stakeholders. Many of these involve reworking the mechanics of the trust, the legal structure at the heart of the ESOP.
In this interactive webinar, we’ll hear from some of the leaders of this emerging conversation about the promise and pitfalls of new strategies for democratic ownership.