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Laurie joined Reed Smith in 2002 as counsel in the Tax, Benefits & Wealth Planning Group, and practices in the areas of health and welfare benefits, qualified plans, governmental plans and HIPAA.  She represents local, national, and international employers, as well as public sector and not-for-profit entities, with respect to employee benefits and ERISA.  Her work includes the design, drafting and operation of tax-qualified benefit plans and 403(b) plans; counseling clients on plan design matters and innovations; advising clients on fiduciary and income tax concerns as well as compliance with the Internal Revenue Code, ERISA, and other statutes affecting employee benefit plans; benefit issues relative to mergers, acquisitions and other corporate transactions; and representing clients before the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor and PBGC regarding audits and correction programs. 

With regard to welfare benefit plans, Laurie regularly advises and counsels clients in all aspects of employee benefit and ERISA issues relative to health plans, cafeteria plans, welfare benefit plans, flexible compensation programs, and post-retirement welfare benefits.  Laurie's expertise includes benefit and plan design, plan compliance, COBRA, HIPAA, Medicare Part D, domestic partner benefits, and plan administration.  Laurie has analyzed the 2010 health reform act legislation and assists clients with its implementation.

Representative Matters

• Coordinated and implemented transition of service providers for a large publicly traded company involving defined contribution, defined benefit, executive compensation, and stock purchase plans, which included provider negotiations, document preparation, employee communications, and compliance matters.
• Assisted in the merger of multiple plans into a single plan design concept for a publicly traded company involving both defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
• Established a post-retirement medical plan account for a large public pension fund with thousands of members.
• Negotiated and established a multi-million-dollar pharmacy provider contract for an international pharmacy company's self-insured medical plan, with emphasis on liability limitations, HIPAA, transfer of fiduciary liability, and claims administration.
• Developed and implemented HIPAA policy, procedures, and business associate agreements for numerous self insured health plans, many with more than 10,000 participants.  Developed extensive HIPAA privacy training protocol for group health plans, and presented such training.
• Designed post-retirement medical plans and VEBA trusts, along with union-negotiated plans, for a large manufacturing employer.

Speeches / Presentations

• Laurie has been an instructor for the Duquesne University Benefits Institute, and is a regular speaker on employee benefits for the National Business Institute, WEB and other benefit organizations.

Experience

Legal Education

Undergraduate Education

Professional Admissions / Qualifications

• Pennsylvania

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court - Western District of Pennsylvania

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• WEB, Pittsburgh Chapter (a national benefits organization) – former President