Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Partner

Gould & Ratner LLP is seeking a highly experienced Employee Benefits (ERISA) & Executive Compensation Partner to join its Human Resources and Employment Practice. This attorney will have significant experience counseling clients on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation matters, including qualified retirement plans, ERISA requirements, healthcare and welfare plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and stock option agreements. This is an excellent opportunity for an attorney who is interested in expanding their business, stepping into meaningful client relationships, taking on a leadership role and being part of the Firm’s overall succession plan. Please note that this role allows a flexible work schedule with a hybrid remote/in-office presence.

Requirements

• Significant experience counseling clients on the design and implementation of all types of qualified retirement plans including, 401(k) plans, pension plans, profit-sharing plans, ESOPs and other defined benefit plans.
• Experience advising clients on ERISA requirements and reviewing employee retirement plans to ensure legal compliance.
• Substantial understanding of the “controlled group rules” and the “controlled group analysis” for employee benefits plans.
• Significant experience structuring and administering healthcare plans (medical and dental insurance), welfare plans (life and disability insurance) and cafeteria plans in compliance with the requirements of ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
• Significant experience counseling clients on the design and implementation of all types of executive compensation plans and agreements, including non-qualified deferred compensation plans, bonus and other incentive compensation plans, stock option agreements, phantom stock plans, restricted stock awards and other supplemental retirement arrangements.
• Experience counseling clients on all employee benefits and executive compensation issues that may arise during corporate mergers and acquisitions, including advising buyers and sellers on due diligence issues, determining benefit plan liability exposure, merging target company benefit plans into acquiring company benefit plans, establishing new tax-qualified retirement plans, designing new equity-based executive compensation arrangements and/or taking steps to terminate or spin off overlapping, conflicting or costly benefit programs.
• Ability to handle all administrative and operational issues associated with implementing employee retirement plans, healthcare and welfare plans and executive compensation plans.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. This attorney will serve as a business advisor to clients, guiding them through a full range of financial, business and tax-related matters throughout their life cycle. The ideal candidate will have the confidence and demeanor to interact and build relationships with the Firm’s current clients, as well as the drive and ability to develop additional client relationships and business.
• Exceptional leadership skills. This attorney must have the ability and desire to step into a leadership role and develop an Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation group within the Firm.
• A degree or background in tax, finance or business is a preferred, but not required.
• A significant portable book of business is required.
• Candidates must be currently licensed in Illinois or licensed in another state with a UBE score that qualifies in Illinois for comity, be eligible to waive in, or be willing to sit for an upcoming IL bar exam (open to relocation candidates that meet these requirements).

Benefits

• Opportunity to step into meaningful client relationships and be a key component of the Firm’s succession plan.
• Opportunity to develop and lead your own employee benefits and executive compensation practice.
• Flexible work schedule with a hybrid remote/in-office presence.
• Emphasis on professional and business development.
• Low turnover, collegial and collaborative environment.
• Healthcare (medical, vision, dental), life and disability insurance.
• Competitive compensation, benefits package, pension plan and a generous 401k plan.
• Paid maternity and paternity leave.
• Employee discounts (e.g., commuter benefits) and wellness programs (e.g., in-office gym and massages; 24/7 tele-medicine).