McDermott Will & Schulte, a global law firm

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.