Lynne Wakefield - Lawyer in Charlotte, NC

Lynne Wakefield regularly assists clients with issues relating to employer-sponsored health and welfare benefits, including the design, implementation and administration of group health plans, cafeteria plans, health savings accounts (HSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), wellness programs and retiree medical and private exchange coverage. She also provides compliance advice, including with ERISA reporting and disclosure requirements, ACA compliance obligations, COBRA continuation coverage rights, HIPAA portability, nondiscrimination, privacy and security requirements and Internal Revenue Code qualification issues. Lynne also regularly advises clients on qualified retirement plan issues, including the design, implementation and administration of 401(k), profit sharing and traditional pension and cash balance plans, compliance with applicable ERISA and Internal Revenue Code requirements and correction of qualified plan defects and related submissions under the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor voluntary correction programs.

Lynne assists clients with employee benefit plan governance, including committee structures and charters. She provides fiduciary training and best practices, negotiates vendor contracts and services agreements, responds to participant claims and appeals and assists with benefits issues in plan litigation. She also conducts full-scale benefit plan audits to identify compliance gaps under the myriad of laws impacting employee benefit plans and assists with benefits issues in mergers and acquisitions, including benefits due diligence and post-transaction benefits integration.