Bringing Benefits to Your Business Goals
Employee benefit and executive compensation plans can be hard to get right. Employers must contend with challenges across multiple fronts when seeking to attract and retain employees, including changes in markets and regulations, mounting global competition, and increasingly litigious plaintiffs. Effective benefit and compensation plans must be competitive, compliant, and designed to minimize litigation risk while supporting the organization’s financial objectives. Smith Gambrell & Russell works with clients to develop and implement benefit and compensation plans that address each of these priorities.
Our Capabilities
Our attorneys assist clients in all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation, including day-to-day consulting; designing benefit plans and policies; drafting plan documents and employee communications; assisting with plan operations and corrections; providing training to fiduciary committees and benefits teams; coordinating government audits; performing vendor searches; negotiating administrative services agreements; and helping clients resolve conflicts through negotiations, claims procedures and litigation. We focus on clear, practical guidance that supports business goals and manages risk.
We have extensive experience advising on employee benefits and executive compensation issues arising in corporate transactions, including conducting due diligence and risk assessments, reviewing and negotiating transaction documents, and supporting post-closing integration of employee benefit plans and compensation arrangements. This experience enables us to provide transaction-focused advice that aligns employee benefits and executive compensation considerations with broader deal objectives.
Our Approach
At Smith Gambrell & Russell, there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” approach. Instead, we tailor advice to each client’s workforce, goals, and risk tolerance. We understand that the laws and regulations impacting employee benefit and executive compensation plans are highly technical, and we work within those technical rules to create business solutions that satisfy your unique objectives. Whatever your need, we’ll be there with “exceptional service, partnership, and expertise” (Chambers USA).
Our Credentials
Chambers USA commends our “unmatched depth of knowledge” and “impressive capabilities across the breadth of employee benefits and compensation mandates.” As leaders in the field, we closely monitor marketplace trends and legal developments. Our attorneys also regularly present on emerging issues, allowing us to provide timely, real-world advice to our clients. We often foresee a potential issue or challenge before our clients do, and we act fast to produce solutions that help them stay competitive and compliant.
Our attorneys also possess extensive operational knowledge. Having spent so many years working directly with plan service providers, we understand the ins and outs of major recordkeeping systems, administrative procedures, and payroll systems. This allows our team to clearly explain the risks, rewards, and practical implications of any decision, then propose a path forward that will keep your operations running smoothly.
