ERISA AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
The ERISA and employee benefits practice at Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A. encompasses a full spectrum of employee benefit and executive compensation matters. Our attorneys are experienced in all aspects of employee benefits, including the technical requirements imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, ERISA and other laws upon compensation, retirement, welfare benefit and other employee benefits plans. Our clients include a broad range of employers, including both public and closely-held companies in the private sector, as well as governmental and tax-exempt entities. We also represent other employee benefit plan fiduciaries and service providers, such as trustees, investment advisors, administrative committees and third-party administrators in fiduciary and other matters.
A major component of our employee benefits practice is the design, drafting and implementation of all types of employee benefit plans, including tax-qualified retirement plans such as profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, money purchase pension plans, ESOPs and defined benefit plans; group health and other welfare benefit plans; cafeteria plans; dependent care plans; flexible spending arrangements; and medical reimbursement plans. In addition, we counsel clients regarding plan qualification issues; employee communications; plan administration; eligibility, participation and vesting issues; taxation issues; benefits and claims procedures; prohibited transactions and other fiduciary matters; reporting requirements; and other compliance issues.
We also advise clients on design and compliance issues, as well as documentation requirements, under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, COBRA, The Family and Medical Leave Act, the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, as well as various nondiscrimination and other laws that impact employee benefit plans. We also represent clients in all facets of employee benefit litigation, as well as administrative proceedings, ruling applications, EPCRS, and examinations, before the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Labor and other government agencies.
The employee benefits practice at Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A. also focuses on all aspects of executive compensation, ranging from executive employment agreements to complex executive benefit plans, such as non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements, SERPs rabbi trusts and other funding mechanisms, split-dollar insurance agreements, stock option plans and golden parachute arrangements. We provide our clients with expertise not only in the design and implementation of such plans, but also on compliance issues and the tax consequences of the various arrangements.
Employee benefits are an important consideration in acquisitions, mergers and other business transactions. Our employee benefits attorneys work closely with attorneys in our other practice areas to provide advice on issues such as the tax consequences to both the employer and participants, as well as technical guidance regarding the effect of the Code, ERISA and other laws on employee benefit plans in connection with such transactions.
Our employee benefits attorneys are dedicated to maintaining expertise in this constantly changing area in order to provide efficient and comprehensive advice to our clients.
Attorneys
Linda Bounds Keng
