Because Mike knows the realities clients encounter when managing employee benefits and executive compensation – and the impact on their employees – he takes a pragmatic approach to helping companies solve their problems and proactively mitigate risk. He is also able to provide succinct legal answers with a healthy dose of common business sense.

Mike works closely with clients to develop strategies to eliminate or minimize risk when denying or reducing benefits or responding to government inquiries. In addition, he advises employers and service providers in creating policies and procedures when implementing, changing, denying, or reducing benefits for welfare and pension plans, and in dealing with retirement plans and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Mike also assists clients with a wide array of inquiries and audits by various government agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Labor (DOL), and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

He also counsels shareholders, employers, trustees, third-party administrators and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) committees regarding the structure, installation, drafting and administration of ESOPs, as well as on matters related to the governance, sale or acquisition of ESOP-owned companies.

Mike spent several years as the compensation and benefits manager at Essex International, where, among other responsibilities, he administered a range of employee benefit plans.

As a trusted adviser, Mike has spoken extensively on virtually all aspects of ERISA, including the Affordable Care Act and HIPAA Privacy and Security rules, at conferences such as the American Conference Institute in New York City and Lex Mundi in Rome, Italy and Lisbon, Portugal.