Practice Areas & Industries: Bracewell & Giuliani LLP

Practice/Industry Group Overview

Our attorneys work with clients to develop state-of-the-art employee welfare benefit plans and related arrangements, including group health plans, cafeteria and other flexible benefit plans, medical expense reimbursement plans, and dependent care assistance plans.  We provide full support on issues related to the administration of welfare benefit plans, including compliance with COBRA, ADA, FMLA and HIPAA requirements.  We aggressively defend plan administrators and trustees in Employee Retirement and Income Security Act (ERISA) claims.  These include lawsuits alleging breach of fiduciary duty, violations of participants’ rights and other prohibited transactions.

The firm’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation attorneys work with clients to ensure retirement and welfare plan compliance with relevant regulatory mandates, including tax and ERISA matters.  We structure the employee benefit aspects of corporate reorganizations, acquisitions, mergers and divestitures ensure that all plan provisions receive due diligence scrutiny.

Services Available

We help private-sector employers ensure the proper documentation and IRS compliance of tax-qualified pension plans, including:

• Profit sharing plans
• Salary deferral 401(k) plans
• Defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Cash balance plans
• Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
• Stock Bonus Plans.