Widely regarded as a leader in the employee benefits and executive compensation field, the practice at Groom Law Group, Chartered marshals its unique knowledge and expertise as a few boutique firm in the area to provide major clients with a holistic service regarding benefit, compensation, health and welfare, pension and retirement plan design and compliance. A thought-leader in the field, the department is led on the employers side by David Levine, who assists in design and redesign of the most complex benefit and compensation plans, and by Malcolm Slee, an expert in ERISA and regulatory compliance, and they are joined by benefit plan tax expert Louis Mazawey. The health service side is led by the highly valued Lisa Campbell and Seth Perretta, and can boast the talents and experience of Jon Breyfogle, valued by health insurers and major financial firms alike for his expertise in ACA regulation, and Kathryn Bjornstad Amin, whose leads in health and welfare plan design and administration. All attorneys are based in Washington DC.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP ‘s large employee benefit and executive compensation practice provides a full range of plan design services to some of the most prominent clients in the business world, working with a broad interdisciplinary group of practitioners, all with employee benefit plan experience. Led by New York’s Craig Bitman and Philadelphia’s Amy Pocino Kelly, the team provides design and implementation counsel on the full array of concerns clients face regarding benefit, compensation, pension, and retirement plans, as well as regulatory compliance. Boasting a broad range of skills and experience, the team’s most prominent partners are Althea Day, who counsels clients on complex multiemployer plan issues; Jonathan Zimmerman, an expert on ERISA compliance and fringe benefit plans, and Rosina Barker, who leads on tax and securities on the most complex compensation and benefit plan designs, all of whom are based in Washington DC. In the Pittsburgh office, Elizabeth Goldberg advises benefit plan sponsors on fiduciary compliance, and Michael Gorman handles both plan design and governance plus compliance with legislation.

The team at Proskauer Rose LLP provides a comprehensive service in employee benefits and executive compensation plan design, with the practice’s multifaceted approach providing clients with high-quality and deep counsel across benefit and compensation plan design, issues regarding corporate transactions and employee benefits, and ERISA litigation all covered by the team. Based in Washington DC, Seth Safra leads the department, providing design assistance largest executive compensation plans to day-to-day administration and compliance advice He is joined from New York by Robert Projansky, an expert in employee benefits for clients in the entertainment industry, representing major entertainment companies on benefit plans valued in billions, and Michael Album, a thought-leader in the executive compensation field, representing management teams in multi-billion-dollar MBOs across a variety of sectors. Other leading attorneys in the department include New York’s Anthony Cacace, trusted in the ERISA multiemployer space, and Washington DC’s Justin Alex, an expert in distressed pension issues. Katrina McCann from NY is a leading associate in the field of benefit plan design.

With an ‘extremely knowledgeable, responsive, and client-focused’ team capable of working at a global scale on the full spectrum of employee benefit and executive compensation issues, DLA Piper LLP (US) can serve all facets of their client’s needs. Practice head Rita Patel from Washington DC specializes in equity and compensation arrangements regarding ERISA and fiduciary governance matters, and she is assisted there by an ‘outstanding legal resource’ in Jonathan Rose. In Chicago, Richard Ashley is renowned for his work in the financial sector, dealing with a range of benefit and compensation issues as well as highly complex ERISA Title I matters for some of the largest plan providers. From San Francisco, the ‘efficient and succinct’ Dean Fealk has particular expertise in designing equity and other compensation arrangements for international businesses in global transaction scenarios, and Washington DC’s Erin Sweeney leads in health privacy and welfare benefit claim matters.

Well-regarded for its skills and experience at the national and international scale, the team at Eversheds Sutherland is a thought-leader in the employee benefit and executive compensation field. From Washington DC the practice is led by Adam Cohen, whose track record of success regarding complex issues regarding compensation, benefit and pension plan design and tax compliance has made the firm an adviser of first choice in the financial service field and to nationally recognized brands. The DC team is bolstered by the talents of Carol McClarnon, noted for her understanding of the retirement plan design industry and ERISA and federal tax issues, and Michael Hepburn, who excels in designing, administering, and terminating retirement and welfare plans. In Atlanta, Brenna Clark plays an important role in transactions covering multiemployer pension plans and nonqualified retirement plans.

The employee benefit and executive compensation team at Seyfarth Shaw LLP leverages both experience and bench depth to supply counsel covering a range of benefit, compensation and retirement plan issues to clients across the nation. The team is led from the Chicago office by the highly experienced national chair Diane Dygert, whose breadth of expertise covers the establishment, implementation and administration of benefit plans and fiduciary governance training alongside general transactional counsel. She is joined by Jennifer Kraft, who specializes in qualified retirement plans and traditional defined benefit plans, as well as Jon Karelitz, who has worked on some of the largest pension design projects in US history, and Ben Conley, who specializes in reproductive health benefit plans. Across the nation, the team is represented by experts in Seattle’s Liz Deckman regarding plan design legislation during M&As and New York’s Richard Schwartz in special tax and ERISA rules.

Winston & Strawn LLP ‘s employee benefit and executive compensation department offers a larger range of services to clients than other EBEC teams, such as public company reporting, Title I investment advice, and support on international HR matters. In Chicago, practice co-chair Joseph Adams counsels clients on plan design, compliance with fiduciary duties, and advising equity arrangements amid M&As, divestitures and spin-offs. Also prominent are Washington DC’s David Rogers, frequently consulted for his skills and experience by some of the world’s largest employers for his benefit plan and executive compensation arrangement experience, Amy Gordon, an authority in employee health plans regarding ACA and HIPAA laws, Anne Becker, co-lead of the qualified retirement plan component of the practice, and Erin Weber, who has extensive experience in pension plan de-risking transactions. All named attorneys based in Chicago unless otherwise stated.

The employment and compensation practice at Baker McKenzie LLP employs the strength of its national and international connections to provide plan design advice to a diverse array of clients, renowned particularly for its ‘deep expertise’ in executive compensation matters. Based in San Francisco, practice head Barbara Klementz is praised by clients as ‘amazing’ for her treatment of equity compensation programs amid corporate transactions, where she is joined by the ‘solution-oriented, responsive, and pro-active’ Sinead Kelly, reputed for her expertise in practical executive compensation plan design and implementation as well as for her counsel on the relevant federal and state legislation, and Victor Flores, who specializes in ERISA issues arising during compensation plan design and administration. From Chicago, Brian Wydajewski excels in the design of employee stock option purchase plans.

Acclaimed for its ‘deep technical expertise coupled with practical knowledge’, McGuireWoods LLP‘s employee benefits and tax practice covers both traditional benefit and compensation matters as well as issues demanding a broader, multidisciplinary approach. The team is led from Charlotte by Taylor French, whose expertise covers the range of benefit, compensation and retirement plan design and implementation for clients that range from large financial entities to nonprofit organizations. Also in Charlotte is Allison Tanner, who counsels clients on plan issues arising under ERISA and the IRC. The leading lawyer in the Richmond office is Robert Wynne, whose ‘ability to distill complex legal concepts into actionable advice’ makes him a specialist in plan design in the context of M&A, and Chicago’s Carolyn Trenda leads in health, welfare and fringe benefit plan design.

Troutman Pepper Locke LLP‘s employee benefit and executive compensation practice is prepared to serve clients on any tax or regulatory problem regarding benefit, compensation and retirement plan design. Integrating a dedicated and experienced team within the rest of the firm, the team provides deep and vital counsel to a clientele spanning many industries. From Charlotte the team is led by James Earle, a point of contact for major clients on day-to-day benefit and compensation matters, including related disclosure issues for public companies. He is ably assisted by the experienced Lynne Wakefield, whose expertise covers the design and implementation of group health plans, benefit plan governance, and ERISA and ACA compliance. In Philadelphia, David Kaplan advises boards on design, negotiation, and documentation of stock-based and deferred compensation arrangements, and Sheri P. Adler supports clients on the benefits and compensation aspects of their key transactions.

ArentFox Schiff‘s employee benefit and executive compensation department provides reliable counsel to clients across a range of industries on all questions relating to plan design, well-regarded for its efficacy and clarity in communication. From Washington DC the team is led by Quana Jew, praised for her ‘analytical and practical guidance’, and is highly regarded for expertise in tax, regulatory and design issues applicable to pension, ESOP, and executive compensation plans. She is joined by New York’s Mamta Shah, who excels in all facets of employee benefit plan design and implementation during the context of mergers and acquisitions, and from Chicago by Brian Friederich, an expert in benefits, onboarding and separation, and the selection and implementation of retirement plan offerings.

BakerHostetler‘s full-service EBEC practice boasts a deep bench of experts. The team is led by Susan N. Lubow from Columbus, who specializes in both complex benefit plan structuring work and ERISA compliance and disputes, and Jennifer Mills from Cleveland, an expert in health and welfare plan design and implementation. The Columbus tax office is well-represented by Seth Hanft, who excels in reducing operating costs relating to benefit and compensation plans, and Stacy Wilhite leads in EBEC matters associated with M&As and divestitures. From the Dallas office, Stefan Smith serves as outside benefits counsel to clients across a range of industries, especially regarding reviews and redesigns of plan and compensation structures as well as tax compliance.

Ballard Spahr LLP‘s employee benefit and executive compensation team, renowned in the healthcare and life science industries, has a particular strength in helping clients navigate the ever-changing legal landscape surrounding health benefit plans, advising companies large and small. Based in Philadelphia, practice leader Brian Pinheiro focuses on statutory and regulatory rules concerning tax-qualified retirement plans, pension plans including cash-balance and 401(k) plans, and health and welfare benefit plans, and Edward Leeds focuses on issues relating to the design, administration and taxation of health and welfare plans as well as ACA and HIPAA compliance.  Washington DC’s D. Finn Pressly advises on domestic partner benefits, retiree health and welfare plans and assists employers in analyzing the impact of new legislation on benefit schemes.

A boutique firm based out of New York, each of the attorneys in Cohen & Buckmann‘s employee benefits and executive compensation Advisory Practice is a specialist in their field, and its attorneys are often sought by other law firms for their plan design expertise. The group’s co-heads are Sandra Cohen, the practice’s executive compensation specialist, excelling in drafting and implementing incentive and equity compensation plans with experience working on large cross-border deals, and Carol Buckmann, who has decades of experience in pension and retirement plan design matters as well as in ERISA compliance work. Gretchen Harders and Zahava Blumenthal work with public companies and plan sponsors and providers alike on a broad range of benefits, compensation and retirement plan design, governance and compliance concerns.

Greenberg Traurig LLP‘s benefits and compensation practice is co-led from Silicon Valley by Magan Ray, valued by some of the technology industry’s largest employers for her experience in employee benefit, health and welfare plan design, implementation and administration, and Miami’s Mindy Leathe, who advises public and private companies on executive compensation arrangements, including equity compensation and long-term incentive plans. Other prominent attorneys are Denver’s Rebecca Hudson, who advises clients on benefit and compensation plan issues during corporate events, Ian A. Herbert (Northern Virginia, Washington DC), highly experienced in plan implementation and compliance issues, and Silicon Valley’s Stephanie Ahmad, who excels in leading clients through the regulatory landscape regarding health and welfare plan design and administration.

The benefits, ESOP, and executive compensation practice at K&L Gates provides employers from all sizes and industries the full range of employe benefit advice and counsel. The department is led from San Francisco by Rikki Sapolich-Krol and the ‘approachable, responsive, and super knowledgeable’ Karrie Johnson Diaz from Seattle, who specialize in structuring and administrating benefit plans and compensation arrangements, and qualified retirement plan design as well as compliance and reporting issues related to the Affordable Care Act and COBRA respectively. The executive compensation expert on the team is San Francisco’s Ali Nardali, and the team’s leading associate from Seattle is Jennifer Addis, who has experience working with 401(k)s and other defined benefit pension plans.

Mayer Brown LLP‘s benefits and compensation team has both cross-border and multidisciplinary capabilities, drawing from the strength of the firm’s global resources to deal with complex plan design issues. The practice is led from Palo Alto by Maureen Gorman, valued in both the domestic and international contexts for her tax and benefit expertise and for her counseling on ERISA and fiduciary issues. She is assisted from Washington DC by Erin Cho, valued by hedge funds and private equity clients for her experience in finance regarding investments by benefit plan funds, as well as plan governance and expense issues. From Chicago, Hillary August excels in a wide range of benefit and compensation plan issues, ranging from design and implementation to amendment and risk mitigation.

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP‘s dedicated employee benefit and executive compensation team advises public and private companies in all aspects of benefit, compensation, pension and retirement plan design and redesign, administration, implementation and governance. The practice is led by Edmund Emerson, a pension expert whom employers across a range of industries turn to when faced with administrative errors during plan implementations, as well as for compliance advice and fiduciary training. Scott Wagner deals with a wide range of design issues, particularly in deferred compensation plans, and Ryan Gorman leads representation of clients in difficult plan merger matters. Washington DC’s Jeff Witt is a major addition this year. All attorneys are based in Atlanta, unless otherwise stated.

Valued by clients in the technology and finance industries, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP‘s executive compensation and benefits team deals with complex plan design matters, day-to-day counselling needs, and compliance advice. From Austin, practice leader Jessica Lutrin focuses on compensation and benefit plans in the context of corporate transactions, and NY’s Peter Hunt is renowned for his expertise in pension matters spanning regulatory guidance to 401(k) and deferred compensation plan design and implementation. Los Angeles’ Mark Jones, praised by clients for his ‘knowledge, expertise and practicable advice’, is a thought-leader is cross-border work regarding foreign investors offering ESOP opportunities to American clients, and San Francisco’s Christine Richardson is an ERISA specialist valued in the retail, ecommerce and consumer brands sector.

Steptoe LLP‘s employee benefits team covers fiduciary issues regarding ERISA compliance and is valued particularly by clients in investment and finance. One of the most experienced attorneys in the field, practice head Melanie Nussdorf, focuses on the tax-based rules for qualified benefit and pension plans and on advisory work concerning investigations, interpretation of exemptions and fiduciary compliance. Eric Serron deals with work concerning Title 1 of ERISA and breaches of fiduciary duty regarding benefit, compensation, welfare and pension plans. All employees based out of Washington DC.

Thompson Hine LLP‘s employee benefit and executive compensation practice is led from Cleveland by Julia Ann Love, who provides counsel for public and private companies alike on benefit, health and welfare, and compensation plans, and is considered leading legal expert on group health plan rules and regulations. In the Cincinnati office are Timothy Brown, who represents large employers on a wide array of plan issues as well as fiduciary compliance, David Whaley, who specialises in all forms employee benefit plan design, and healthcare plan specialist Kim Wilcoxon. They are joined from Washington DC by Katie Kohn, who specializes in plan design advice amid corporate transactions and bankruptcies.

Renowned by clients for its ‘responsiveness and clarity of communications’, Vedder Price‘s executive compensation & employee benefits practice covers the compensation, benefits and retirement plan needs of clients varying from multinational public companies to start-up enterprises. The department is led from Chicago by Christopher Collins, a health, welfare and retirement plan design and compliance expert who also provides benefit advice amid corporate transactions and DoL correction programs. Also in Chicago are Thomas G. Hancuch, who represents employers in benefit plan issues regarding ERISA, IRC and ACA compliance, and Kelly Starr, who specializes in executive compensation plan design. Leading associates are Washington DC’s Amal Rafiq, an ESOP expert, and Chicago’s Olivia Ustupski, who advises clients on fiduciary issues and regulatory compliance.

Representing a large range of public and private companies compensation, benefit and retirement plan matters, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton‘s practice specializes in design matters amid the context of corporate transactions, also providing fiduciary and compliance training. Practice chair Michael Albano leads on executive compensation and corporate governance matters, with particular expertise in equity compensation scheme design and implementation. Elizabeth Dyer is the group’s ERISA expert, counselling pension plan sponsors and trustees on ERISA compliance matters, and Julia Petty works on cross-border matters providing securities, tax and governance advice regarding compensation and benefit plans. All attorneys are based in New York.

With capabilities covering both plan design, implementation and administration counsel as well as regulatory, compliance and day-to-day benefits advice, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP‘s executive compensation and employee benefits practice is well-suited to deal with a broad range of needs. The practice is capably led by the multidisciplinary skills of Austin’s Anthony (Tony) Eppert, who specializes compensation and benefits with particular expertise in ESOPs, and is also experienced in drafting and administering 401(k), 403(b) and defined benefit plans. In the Washington DC office, Jessica Agostino leads on regulatory compliance matters when issues arise regarding plan redesign and integration amid transactions, and Michelle Lewis drafts plan documentation and resolves compliance, negotiation and litigation problems facing retirement, health and welfare plans.

Husch Blackwell LLP‘s employee benefits and executive compensation practice works with both consumers – employers and in-house fiduciaries – and producers – banks, investment funds, plan sponsors – of benefit, compensation and retirement plans in order to provide a comprehensive service to clients. Kansas City’s Craig Kovarik leads the group, whose broad experience covers equity-based compensation, employee incentive plans, and non-qualified compensation arrangements. St. Louis’ Alan Kandel leads on ESOPs, phantom equity and fringe benefit plans, while Milwaukee’s David Eckhardt deals with a broad range of plan design and implementation as well as regulatory and tax compliance. Denver’s Molly Hobbs is an expert on how benefit and retirement plans are affected by ERISA, ACA, and HIPAA regulations.

Jackson Lewis P.C.‘s employee benefits practice group advises its clients in a variety of ways, with a collective skillset that covers the range of plan design, implementation and governance concerns in addition to day-to-day assistance on the ever-changing legal and regulatory landscape, all of which help employers to attract and retain employees. The practice is co-led by Baltimore’s Joy Napier-Joyce and New York’s Melissa Ostrower. Napier-Joyce specializes in both retirement, welfare and compensation plan compliance work as well as dealing with DoJ and IRS audits, while Ostrower focuses on qualified and nonqualified retirement plan administration, as executive compensation compliance. Baltimore’s Kellie Thomas specializes in the review and redrafting of healthcare, retirement and stock option purchase plans, plus ERISA and relevant IRC compliance work.

Reed Smith LLP‘s stand-alone employee benefit and executive compensation group works with both newer and long-term clients when designing, implementing and governing benefit plans, supports litigation efforts concerning ERISA, and provides comprehensive counsel on benefits issues in the context of corporate transactions. Practice chair Allison Sizemore specializes in qualified and nonqualified retirement plan compliance and day-to-day benefit plan administration, Jeffrey Aromatorio is the group’s executive compensation expert, focusing his practice on equity compensation plan design and implementation, as well as employee stock option plans and deferred compensation arrangements, and Jennifer Gardner handles multi-employer retirement plans and self-funded and insured health and welfare plans and arrangement matters.

Known by clients for its ‘wealth of experience and knowledge’ and ‘ability to explain confusing issues in detail’, Sullivan & Worcester LLP‘s employment and benefits practice is particularly renowned for its knowledge and experience in all areas of tax law pertaining to benefit, retirement and compensation plan design, redesign and implementation. The department is led by Boston’s David Guadagnoli, experienced in benefit, compensation and retirement plan design and compliance alike, with extensive practical experience in negotiation, and he is joined by Amy Sheridan, who specializes in documentation and compliance issues regarding benefits issues, as well as having been recognized for her skill in designing compensation agreements and analyzing ERISA and fiduciary issues.