16. EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION

Restricted Stock Units

On November 2, 2012, the Company’s board of directors adopted the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan.

A total of 1,687,500 shares were originally reserved and available for issuance under the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan. As of March 31, 2018, 690,077 shares are available for grant. The equity interests may be issued in the form of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock and Class B units of SLP. (All references to units or interests of SLP refer to Class B units of SLP and accompanying shares of Class B common stock of Silvercrest).

The purposes of the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan are to (i) align the long-term financial interests of our employees, directors, consultants and advisers with those of our stockholders; (ii) attract and retain those individuals by providing compensation opportunities that are consistent with our compensation philosophy; and (iii) provide incentives to those individuals who contribute significantly to our long-term performance and growth. To accomplish these purposes, the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan provides for the grant of units of SLP. The 2012 Equity Incentive Plan also provides for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, or SARs, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, performance-based stock awards and other stock-based awards (collectively, stock awards) based on our Class A common stock. Awards may be granted to employees, including officers, members, limited partners or partners who are engaged in the business of one or more of our subsidiaries, as well as non-employee directors and consultants.

The Compensation Committee may impose vesting conditions and awards may be forfeited if the vesting conditions are not met. During the period that any vesting restrictions apply, unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee, the recipient of awards that vest in the form of units of SLP will be eligible to participate in distributions of income from SLP. In addition, before the vesting conditions have been satisfied, the transferability of such units is generally prohibited and such units will not be eligible to be exchanged for cash or shares of our Class A common stock.

In August 2015, the Company granted 966,510 restricted stock units (“RSUs”) under the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan at a fair value of $13.23 per share to existing Class B unit holders.  These RSUs will vest and settle in the form of Class B units of SLP.  Twenty-five percent of the RSUs granted vest and settle on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the grant date.

In May 2016, the Company granted 3,791 RSUs under the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan at a fair value of $13.19 per share to existing Class B unit holders.  These RSUs will vest and settle in the form of Class B units of SLP.  Twenty-five percent of the RSUs granted vest and settle on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the grant date.  

In May 2016, the Company granted 3,000 RSUs under the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan at a fair value of $13.19 per share to certain members of the Board of Directors.  These RSUs vested and settled in the form of Class A shares of Silvercrest.  One hundred percent of the RSUs granted vested and settled on the first anniversary of the grant date.

In May 2016, the Company granted 7,582 RSUs under the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan at a fair value of $13.19 per share to an employee.  These RSUs will vest and settle in the form of Class A shares of Silvercrest.  Twenty-five percent of the RSUs granted vest and settle on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the grant date.

For the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company recorded compensation expense related to such RSUs of $800 and $810, respectively, as part of total compensation expense in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the period then ended.  As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 there was $4,340 and $5,140, respectively, of unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested awards. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested awards is expected to be recognized over a period of 1.84 and 2.09 years, respectively.

A summary of these RSU grants by the Company as of March 31, 2018 and 2017 is presented below: