Best Lawyers in America for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
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James O. Fleckner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Litigation - ERISA. James O., who practices law in Boston, Massachusetts, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James O. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Scott is a lifelong Clevelander who loves this city and treasures his ability to represent people across the Greater Cleveland Area. His mother’s parents were Holocaust survivors and his parents instilled in him the value and need to fight for the little guy. He does this every day in his work. Scott enjoys providing people with some measure of comfort during difficult times and works to be a reliable, trustworthy voice and advocate for his clients. When he’s not in the office, Sc...
Katherine “Kathy” Conklin is an attorney with Kean Miller who advises businesses and individuals on employee benefits, tax, estate planning, and employment law matters. Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, she works with clients across the United States, with a significant focus on Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and the complex regulatory requirements affecting employer-sponsored benefit programs. Kathy is Board Certified in Tax Law and Estate Planning by the Louisiana Board of Legal S...
Timothy McDonald is a Shareholder in the Compensation & Benefits/ERISA Section. His practice focuses on health and welfare, corporate pension, 401(k), profit sharing, 403(b), executive compensation, nonqualified deferred compensation, employee stock ownership (including S corporation ESOPs), cafeteria, voluntary employees’ beneficiary association (VEBA), and flexible benefit programs. He works with publicly-traded and private for-profit businesses, tax-exempt entities, municipalitie...
Matthew A. Secrist is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Tax Law. Matthew A., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Patty advises employers, fund sponsors and investors on compliance with the legal rules that regulate benefit plans and funds in which benefit plans invest. Patty advises employers on the full spectrum of employee benefit matters, with a particular focus on the design, implementation and administration of broad-based pension and retirement plans, health and other welfare benefit plans, and executive compensation programs. She has extensive experience in assisting employers with unionized and ...
Clay Walts concentrates his practice in employee benefits and executive compensation, which includes drafting and preparing qualified retirement plans, welfare benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements for both public and closely held companies; addressing employee benefit issues in corporate transactions; advising clients on issues relating to the investment of plan assets and exemptions from the plan asset and prohibited transaction rules; and counseling clients on issues relati...
Amanda Stout is an attorney with Kean Miller in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she represents employers and businesses in labor and employment law , commercial litigation , and related regulatory matters. Her practice includes both trial and appellate work, with a focus on helping clients navigate complex disputes efficiently and in compliance with applicable law. Amanda’s labor and employment practice involves defending local government entities and private employers against claims alle...
S. John Ryan is a partner in Seward & Kissel’s Employee Benefits Group. He joined the Firm in 1998. John advises a variety of clients — publicly and closely held corporations, partnerships, governmental entities, tax-exempt foundations and sole proprietorships — concerning all aspects of employee benefits matters. These matters include representation involving the structuring, drafting, operation, amendment and termination of qualified and non-qualified pension, profit-s...
Marla Aspinwall concentrates her practice in the tax, ERISA, labor and securities aspects of executive compensation for publicly held, private and tax-exempt organizations, including employment agreements; nonqualified deferred compensation; and equity, retirement, incentive and welfare benefit plans. Ms. Aspinwall has extensive knowledge of insurance-funded executive benefits and estate planning arrangements. She also specializes in the tax and business aspects of agricultural cooperative or...
Matthew Antinossi's practice includes all ERISA-related areas, and he has extensive experience with the employee benefits aspects of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, including ESOP transactions. In addition to his transactional practice, Matthew is frequently involved in representing debtors in the employee benefits aspects of bankruptcy, insolvency and restructuring. Such representations frequently involve resolution of complex ERISA Title IV issues. A significant portion of Matthew's...
Steve is a tax attorney who specializes in employee benefits, executive compensation, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). He works with employers of all stripes—including health care entities, businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, and individuals—on ERISA requirements and liabilities, Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MEPERS) compliance and controversies, as well as the tax and ERISA implications of mergers and acquisitions. In addition, Steve repres...
Benton L. Toups is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law - Individuals and Employment Law - Management. Benton L., who practices law in Wilmington, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Benton L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Brian Williams’ practice includes estate planning, estate and trust litigation, estate and trust administration, federal and state tax, and corporate and business transactions and issues. He practiced for 6 years as an in house counsel for a publicly traded corporation before entering private practice with his present firm in 1986. Brian graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama in 1976, B.S. degree/accounting major. He obtained his J.D. degree in 1979 from Cumberland School of...
Ira G. Bogner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Ira G., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ira G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.