Client Collaborations

Completed three secondments for two tribal enterprises, serving as in-house attorney both on-site and remotely. Secondments ranged from three to twelve months.

Assisted plan sponsors to correct various fiduciary breaches, including the failure to timely deposit elective deferrals, failure to hold plan assets in trust, exclusive benefit violations, prohibited transactions, and failure to properly value plan assets.

Achieve federal registration of certification mark for regional certifier of Skagit Valley agricultural goods and services

Represented a private equity company in a minority investment in a Tennessee corporation.

Energy Permitting. Obtained local approvals to expand infrastructure for traditional energy companies.

Assisted residential developer obtain special use permit for 60-unit multifamily project.

Reviewed hundreds of contracts and advised on day-to-day operations of enterprises, including on issues related to advertising, procurement, property damage, employment, patron exclusion, and compliance with codes and policies.

Assist plan sponsors with the federal laws that apply to their group health plans, including the ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, USERRA, Medicare Part D, nondiscrimination rules applicable to self-insured health plans, mandated coverage and benefits, and ERISA's trust requirement. Also assist plan sponsors with the issues involving the coverage of domestic partners, including plan design and tax consequences.

Counsel plan sponsors regarding compliance with the ACA, including the play or pay rules, health coverage reporting, the tax exclusion and required coverage of adult children, the grandfathered plan rules, the rules regarding excepted benefits, the restrictions on lifetime and annual limits, preexisting condition exclusions, rescissions, the required notices to participants, and the internal and external claims review process.  Helps plan sponsors respond to proposed penalties from the IRS for failing to offer health coverage or failing to do the required health coverage reporting. 

Advises plan sponsors on all aspects of COBRA. Prepares and reviews COBRA notices. Assists plan sponsors with COBRA administration issues, including issues relating to qualifying events, COBRA notices, the applicable premium, correction of COBRA failures, early termination of COBRA coverage, duration of COBRA coverage, special rules for health FSAs, COBRA in mergers and acquisitions, and the coordination of COBRA and USERRA coverage.

Conducted trademark and IP due diligence for major craft brewery acquisition.