Jacob M. Mattinson focuses his practice on employee benefits and matters related to 401(k), 403(b), pension, executive compensation, health care reform, and cafeteria and welfare plans.

Jacob assists clients in drafting employee benefit plan documents and amendments. He represents clients in matters before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), US Department of Labor (DOL) and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation with respect to plan qualification issues. He also counsels privately and publicly held corporations and tax-exempt entities on a variety of benefits and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) issues, including ERISA fiduciary issues, compliance with the Affordable Care Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), ERISA implications in corporate transactions, ERISA administrative claims and appeals, and executive compensation matters.

While in law school, Jacob was editor in chief of the Penn State Law Review. In addition, Jacob served as a legal intern for the Honorable Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Jacob is the Chairperson of the Young Professionals Board of Equip for Equality. Internally, Jacob serves on the Firm’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee.

Brian J. Tiemann counsels public and private companies on a broad range of employee benefit matters, including matters related to pension plans, 401(k) plans and executive and incentive compensation. He advises plan fiduciaries with respect to their fiduciary duties, investment policies and alternative investments. He also advises multinational clients on global employee benefits matters, particularly with respect to global incentive compensation plans. Brian has extensive experience negotiating investment management agreements and service provider agreements.

Brian regularly advises clients on prohibited transaction issues and has successfully obtained prohibited transaction exemptions from the US Department of Labor on behalf of multiple clients. His experience includes advising on compliance with statutory and class prohibited transaction exemptions, as well as on captive reinsurance arrangements.

He represents clients in negotiations before the Internal Revenue Service and the US Department of Labor and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, including in connection with plan audits. He has assisted clients with internal compliance reviews, voluntary correction filings under the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) and applications for determination letters on tax qualification.

Brian is a frequent author and speaker on employee benefits issues related to the investment of tax-qualified plan assets and issues resulting from domestic partnerships and same-sex marriages. Brian has presented at the Association for Financial Professionals’ annual conferences, the New York University Institute on Federal Taxation and the Out & Equal Workplace Summit.

Brian serves on the Firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the Recruiting Committee, and co-heads the Firm’s summer associate programs for the Chicago office.

Julian André helps clients achieve the best outcomes when facing government enforcement actions, prosecutions and investigations, defending against complex civil litigation and performing internal investigations. Leaning on his experience as an Assistant US Attorney in Los Angeles prosecuting financial crimes, Julian adds an inside perspective when devising defense strategies for companies and individuals facing criminal and civil investigations by state and federal agencies such as DOJ, HHS-OIG, SEC, and DOL. He also regularly advises clients on matters involving corporate governance and regulatory compliance, including anti-money laundering and anti-corruption issues.

Julian’s experience prosecuting complex fraud cases and acting as a first chair trial attorney make him a valuable asset to healthcare clients, who regularly call on him to navigate False Claim Act investigations and civil litigation. Throughout his career, he has helped healthcare companies save hundreds of millions of dollars in potential government fines and civil judgments.

In recent years, Julian has also defended several companies in ERISA litigation involving Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). Julian’s strategic approach and strength in the courtroom have led to favorable outcomes for ESOP plan sponsor companies, their directors and officers, and plan fiduciaries in class action lawsuits brought by plan participants.

Prior to rejoining McDermott in 2021, Julian spent six years as an Assistant US Attorney. During this time, he served in the Major Frauds Section and was the US Attorney’s Office’s Securities Fraud Coordinator and Education Fraud Coordinator. Julian prosecuted and investigated a wide range of financial crimes, including healthcare fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud, public corruption, tax evasion, and money laundering. Two marquee cases handled during his time as a federal prosecutor include the prosecution of Michael Avenatti and the prosecution of China Zhongwang, the world’s second-largest aluminum extrusion producer at the time.

Other notable trial experience includes education fraud, bribery and tax cases in the US District Court for the Central District of California, and patent infringement trials in the US District Courts for the Northern District of Texas and Middle District of Florida.

Julian is also an accomplished appellate advocate, having handled dozens of appeals before the US Supreme Court, and the US Courts of Appeals for the Second and Ninth Circuits. Prior to entering private practice, Julian served as a law clerk for the Honorable Harry Pregerson of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Ted Becker is co-head of McDermott Will & Schulte’s ERISA Litigation practice and a Fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel.  He focuses his practice on litigation under ERISA and related federal and state actions, and defense of government investigations and audits relating to employee benefit, health and welfare, and retirement plans brought by the US Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service, and the US Department of Justice. He is a leading voice and nationally recognized practitioner in this complex practice area.

He has represented public and private companies that sponsor employee benefit, health and welfare, and retirement plans governed by ERISA, and their directors and officers and plan fiduciaries, as well as service providers to ERISA plans and plan sponsors. He has extensive experience in Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and has defended some of the highest profile lawsuits involving ESOPs, helping to define the landscape of the evolving law relating to ESOPs.

Ted has a considerable experience in trial and appeals courts, including arguing before the United States Supreme Court and several United States Circuit Courts of Appeals. He also has represented clients in arbitration proceedings. He has represented clients across the full spectrum of litigation, from avoidance, dispute resolution and pre-litigation planning, through dispositive motions, discovery, trial and appeal.

Ted’s clients include a number of Fortune 500 companies. He represents both public and private organizations, as well as non-profit organizations.

Myriem Bennani focuses her practice on employee benefits and executive compensation matters. She has extensive experience representing employers and plan sponsors in matters related to qualified and nonqualified employee benefit plans, with a particular emphasis on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and executive compensation issues.

Myriem frequently assists clients with plan administration and compliance issues as well as various benefit plan correction programs offered by the US Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service. She also advises on structuring and drafting equity-based and other incentives, nonqualified deferred compensation, executive employment agreements, and separation agreements.

Additionally, Myriem provides comprehensive support to clients facing issues involving ESOPs, other retirement plans, and executive compensation related to corporate transactions. She has assisted with numerous transactions, helping to coordinate analysis and due diligence, the negotiation of representations and covenants, and post-closing benefits and employee integration. Myriem also represents independent fiduciaries in ESOP transactions, advising them on their legal duties regarding the representation of ESOP participants and beneficiaries.

Erin Turley focuses her practice on employee benefits matters. She has extensive experience handling issues pertaining to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). Erin’s tenure as chief executive officer of a privately held company owned by an ESOP provides her unique insights into the legal and practical implications and requirements of ESOP-owned companies.

With respect to ERISA, Erin focuses on employee benefits, including qualified, nonqualified, and executive and deferred compensation and welfare benefit plans, as well as regulatory compliance with the Internal Revenue Code, ERISA, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Affordable Care Act. She also advises employers on the design, implementation, and administration of tax-qualified and nonqualified retirement plans and health and welfare benefit plans.

Erin regularly represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the US Department of Labor (DOL) in audit and correction matters and has successfully concluded more than five large case audits by the IRS for both publicly traded and privately held plan sponsors auditing their health and welfare plan compliance. She is experienced in working with employers, vendors, and health plans to design and implement a variety of health and welfare plan structures, including medical, prescription drug, wellness programs, disability, mental health benefits, cafeteria plans, health reimbursement arrangements and health savings accounts, and consumer-directed health plans. She also has experience in other welfare benefit programs, including commuter benefit plans and paid time off banks. She also advises employers on issues raised in connection with corporate mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures as they relate to the various benefit plans maintained by the affected corporate entity or entities.

Erin focuses her ESOP practice on the design and implementation of ESOP transactions and provides ongoing legal counsel to ESOP-owned companies. She has been involved in hundreds of transactions, including leveraged buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, and the structuring and financing of ESOPs using private equity. Erin also has extensive experience representing lenders in designing and negotiating credit facilities specifically tailored to the needs of ESOP-owned companies.

Erin writes and speaks regularly on ERISA and ESOP issues.

Allison Wilkerson focuses her practice on employee benefits matters. She has extensive experience handling issues pertaining to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs).

With respect to ERISA, Allison focuses on compliance issues and the Internal Revenue Code related to employee benefits, including qualified plans, nonqualified plans, and executive and deferred compensation. While advising employers on the design, implementation and administration of tax-qualified retirement plans and nonqualified retirement plans, Allison provides relevant guidance as to administrative and operational matters, and assists clients with various benefit plan correction programs offered by the Department of Labor (DOL) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Allison also has advised employers with respect to issues raised in connection with corporate mergers, acquisitions and divestitures as they relate to the various benefit plans maintained by the affected corporate entity or entities.

Allison focuses her ESOP practice on the design and implementation of ESOP transactions and provides ongoing legal counsel to ESOP-owned companies. She has been involved in hundreds of transactions, including leveraged buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, and the structuring and financing of ESOPs using private equity. She has advised employers on the implementation of nonqualified plans and executive compensation arrangements that complement the employee ownership structure and culture inherent in an ESOP-owned company. Allison also represents independent fiduciaries in their role as purchaser in an ESOP transaction as to their legal duties with respect to their representation of ESOP participants and beneficiaries.

Allison writes and speaks frequently on ERISA and ESOP issues.

Advises boards and senior executives on multidisciplinary executive compensation and employee benefits matters

Counsels clients on compensation strategy, governance, and regulatory compliance

Represents clients in executive compensation and employee benefits litigation

Guides organizations through complex compensation and benefits matters