Best Lawyers in America for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
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Amy Sheridan, a member of the firm's Management Committee, concentrates her practice in the employee benefits and executive compensation area and is experienced in designing, structuring and addressing documentation and compliance issues for compensation and benefit arrangements. She has broad expertise with regulatory and tax requirements related to welfare plans (including the Affordable Care Act and HIPAA privacy and security requirements), qualified and nonqualified retirement plans and I...
Ian A. Herbert focuses his practice on all areas of employee benefits law. He has counseled clients on all aspects of the establishment and administration of pension and profit sharing plans, ESOPs, non-qualified deferred and executive compensation programs, equity and similar compensation plans, welfare benefit plans, cafeteria plans and VEBAs. In addition, he has wide-ranging experience in performing compliance reviews of qualified plan operations and assisting clients in correcting qualifi...
Lynn M. Stathas is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management. Lynn M., who practices law in Madison, Wisconsin, has been recognized since 2009. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lynn M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jack Burgin has a diverse legal practice, primarily advising and defending employers on a variety of labor and employee benefit related topics and on representing and advising government contractors about costs and labor issues. Jack's advice and litigation practice focuses on Representing and advising employers on all types of employment discrimination issues, including questions relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Representing and advising plan administrators and plan sponsors ...
Michael R. Leas is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Tax Law. Michael R., who practices law in Jacksonville, Florida, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Israel (Izzy) Goldowitz has more than 35 years of experience in employee benefits, most notably with mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, and bankruptcy as they affect pension plans. As the Chief Counsel for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), Izzy led the legal teams that helped save the pensions of such companies as Chrysler and American Airlines. Working closely with financial analysts, actuaries and outside advisors, he also led the legal teams that negotiated pension pro...
John concentrates his practice on advising private and public entities on employee benefits and equity compensation matters for early stage private companies through mature public companies with a focus on mergers and acquisitions. From Fortune 100 companies to start-ups, John assists clients with employment agreements and creatively structuring tax-effective and practical incentive arrangements that meet business and operational goals. Incentive Plan Design: John works with groups or related...
Thomas M. Cryan, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Thomas M., who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Bob Brant has an uncanny ability to do five things at once, and all of them proficiently. He was multitasking before the term even existed. He may be entering a timesheet while he dissects a tax problem and actively participates in a meeting. Just when you think there is no possible way he could be listening and doing so much simultaneously, out will pop a sentence that gets right to the heart of the matter. Those who have not been initiated will often sit back in stunned silence, even awe. B...
Thomas J. McCord’s practice deals primarily with employee benefits, including all ERISA issues, retirement plans, insurance and flexible benefit programs and executive compensation arrangements. He is also experienced in the areas of tax-exempt organizations and estate planning and administration. What do you focus on? My three decades of experience enable me to quickly analyze and develop an action plan for a broad range of employee benefits issues presented by clients. Recently, I hav...
Kimberly Wethly advises clients on the full range of executive compensation and employment‑related matters, with a particular focus on the design, implementation and administration of equity awards and other equity‑based compensation programs, including complex structures for both private and public companies. Clients note that she “is among the best executive compensation lawyers in the United States, demonstrating both deep expertise and pragmatism.”
Matthew R. Jones is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Matthew R., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew R. 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.