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Jenna Wallace

Of Counsel

New York +1 212 841 1093

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Jenna Wallace advises clients on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation. Her practice covers a broad spectrum of plans and arrangements, such as:

    • tax-qualified retirement plans, including traditional and hybrid pension plans, 401(k) plans, and profit-sharing plans;
    • health and welfare plans, including medical, disability, cafeteria and severance plans;
    • equity-based compensation, including stock options, restricted stock, profits interests and phantom equity;
    • nonqualified deferred compensation plans;
    • employment, consulting and restrictive covenant agreements; and
    • international employment arrangements.

    Jenna guides employers with respect to the administration of 401(k) and pension plans (including standards applicable to the investment of ERISA-covered assets), the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, management employment and equity arrangements, employee separations and international employment issues. Jenna also advises public and private companies in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions, and advises private funds regarding investments by public and private employee benefit plans.

    Jenna has an active pro bono practice, with a focus on assisting organizations working in Africa and other parts of the developing world.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Principal outside counsel advising a large employer on changes to active and retiree health and other welfare arrangements.
    • Provided employee benefits and executive compensation advice in connection with mergers, acquisitions and divestitures by private equity funds, pharmaceutical, technology and other companies.
    • Advised on design and administration of various phantom equity plans.
    • Prepared prospectuses and other securities disclosures for equity plans.
    • Advised large employer on rules for wellness programs under Americans with Disability Act and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.

    • Prepared comment letters to the Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service on provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
    • Primary responsibility for a variety of employee benefits matters while on secondment to the in-house legal department of IBM.
    • Assisted sponsors of tax-qualified retirement plans with amendments to comply with recent changes in the law and correction of operational and document errors under Internal Revenue Service voluntary correction programs.
    • Analyzed parachute payment liabilities arising in connection with various corporate transactions and recommended approaches for minimizing these liabilities.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Harvard Law School, J.D., 2008
        • Board of Student Advisors
    • Princeton University, A.B., 2004
    Bar Admissions
    • New York
    Pro Bono
    • Advised multinational not-for-profit organization on employment agreements with key international staff.
    • Provides ongoing corporate, employment and general advice to the Accordia Global Health Foundation.
    • Represented not-for-profit corporation in the engagement of a fundraiser.
    • Advised a small not-for-profit employer with disclosure requirements for the employer’s 401(k) plan.
    • Assisted not-for-profit employers with the creation of employee handbooks and related issues.
    Memberships and Affiliations
    • New York City Bar Association
    Previous Experience
    • Straight Talk Foundation, Kampala, Uganda, Fellow (2004-2005)

    Areas of Expertise

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