New DOL and IRS Regulations for Employee Benefits Plans, Participants, and Beneficiaries

Ms. Michel is the leader of the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group. Her practice primarily involves all aspects of qualified retirement plans, including profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and defined benefit plans, executive compensation matters (including Section 409A compliance) and welfare benefit plans for public companies, privately held companies, and not-for-profit entities. This includes compliance with laws including tax, labor, ERISA, Affordable Care Act ("ACA"), COBRA, HIPAA and other applicable laws, and administration and operation of all types of plans. Ms. Michel advises clients regarding fiduciary compliance matters, including prohibited transactions, vendor and insurance contract review, employee benefit plan claims and in matters involving the IRS, the DOL, and the PBGC. She provides advice on the design, drafting, and administration of traditional retirement plans, 401(k) plans and nonqualified executive pay plans. Ms. Michel has worked extensively with employee benefit matters related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and other corporate transactions. She also frequently lectures on qualified retirement plans and welfare benefit plans. She currently serves on the firm’s Board of Directors.

Ms. Darrow has extensive experience in all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation including counseling clients on the design, implementation, administration, operation and termination of employee benefit plans. Her practice includes advising clients on qualified retirement plans including, defined benefit plans, profit sharing plans, and 403(b) plans. Ms. Darrow also advises on health and welfare benefit plans, fringe benefit plans, executive compensation plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans (including compliance with Section 409A), and equity compensation plans. She has significant experience with advising clients on employee benefit issues related to corporate transactions, drafting and negotiating executive compensation agreements and advising clients on ERISA litigation. Ms. Darrow's practice also includes advising on the legal compliance of employee benefit plans under the Internal Revenue Code, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, Affordable Care Act ("ACA") and PHSA. She also advises clients on HIPAA privacy, security, breach notification and portability issues and ERISA fiduciary compliance matters. Ms. Darrow represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.