Best Lawyers in America for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
State
Ken Sachs is the Chair of Bodman’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group and is based in the firm’s Troy and Detroit offices. He has over 20 years of experience advising clients regarding their employee benefit plans, executive benefit programs and business planning. He also represents public and private entities concerning their corporate, fiduciary, and governance responsibilities. He designs, drafts, and establishes retirement plans, welfare plans, medical...
Angel L. Garrett is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Litigation - ERISA. Angel L. practices law in San Francisco, California Best Lawyers has recognized Angel L. Garrett since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Angel L. Garrett is held by other lawyers.
Mike Sanchez practices employee benefits, tax, and healthcare law. He counsels his clients on planning and structuring employee benefits plans. Mike often serves as a legal advisor to professional services entities and coordinates with other Taft attorneys to address these clients’ diverse legal needs.
Tamara Killion is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Tamara practices law in Washington, District of Columbia Best Lawyers has recognized Tamara Killion since 2027. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Tamara Killion is held by other lawyers.
Danny Johnson represents large and mid-size businesses and professional service firms regarding the implementation and administration of their employee benefit plans and compensation arrangements. Danny has more than 35 years of experience with a wide range of employee benefit and executive employment matters, including public company clients in connection with their executive compensation programs and dealing with golden parachute severance issues that arise in merger, acquisition, divestitu...
Tom Garth practices in the areas of taxation, corporate and estate tax, estate planning, qualified retirement plan, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, foreign tax planning, securities, and health care. He has practiced before Probate Courts, State Courts, U. S. District Courts, and Tax Courts. Mr. Garth regularly represents clients in the formation of family limited partnerships, LLCs, grantor retained annuity trusts, grantor trusts and other leveraged estate planning opportunities. In addi...
Joanna Kerpen is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Joanna practices law in Washington, District of Columbia Best Lawyers has recognized Joanna Kerpen since 2023. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Joanna Kerpen is held by other lawyers.
David Ashner is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. David practices law in Washington, District of Columbia Best Lawyers has recognized David Ashner since 2027. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which David Ashner is held by other lawyers.
Sarah Crooks, a partner in the firm's Commercial Litigation group, focuses her practice on navigating clients through complex business litigation, class action lawsuits and attorney general investigations across a variety of industry sectors, including the telecommunications, food and restaurant, childcare and education and real estate sectors. Sarah also has extensive experience representing clients in the areas of consumer protection, securities litigation, fraudulent transfer litigation an...
K. Coleman Westbrook Jr. is a partner in the firm’s Trust and Estate Planning Practice Group. His practice consists of performing analysis and planning for individuals with regard to gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes; charitable and other lifetime and testamentary transfers; probate and estate, trust and non-profit/tax-exempt administration. Coleman’s practice includes the drafting of and advising wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, living wills, benefic...
David J. Ledermann advises publicly traded companies, closely held businesses and nonprofit employers on complex employee benefits and executive compensation matters under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. His practice encompasses tax-qualified retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements, group health plans and employer-sponsored welfare benefit programs. David counsels employers on the design, implementation, operation and termination of retirement plans, including 4...
M. Courtney Williams' law practice involves advising companies on all aspects of their business, including employee benefits, mergers and acquisitions, securities, and federal, state, and local tax matters. In connection with his employee benefits practice, he regularly represents clients in connection with the formation, operation, and termination of employee benefit plans. In addition to the design and drafting of these plans, Courtney handles compliance matters involving the Internal Reven...
Michael E. Pietzsch is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Tax Law. Michael E. practices law in Phoenix, Arizona Best Lawyers has recognized Michael E. Pietzsch since 1987. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Michael E. Pietzsch is held by other lawyers.
Charles Seemann’s practice emphasizes ERISA and employment law, but also encompasses a variety of commercial matters. His practice includes the defense of ERISA plans and plan fiduciaries at both public and private companies, multi-employer plans and plan fiduciaries, and financial institutions providing services to ERISA plans. In addition to ERISA matters, Charles has recent and substantial experience in wide range of matters, including stock-option and executive-compensation disputes...
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.
