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.

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.