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Patricia
K. Keesler
Patricia
K. Keesler
Managing
Shareholder. Patricia K. Keesler is the founder and managing shareholder
of Benefits Law Group, P.K. Keesler, P.C. Patti has more than 20
years of experience with the technical and regulatory aspects of
employee benefit matters, including qualified retirement plans,
governmental plans, health and welfare plans, stock options and
other executive compensation issues. She has also worked extensively
with clients performing compliance reviews, resolving compliance
and fiduciary issues, converting defined benefit retirement programs
to defined contribution programs and assisting with service provider
arrangements. Before founding the firm, Patti served as head of
the Technical Support Unit for the Atlanta office of William M.
Mercer, Inc. providing her with a solid background in the day to
day administration of retirement plans.
Patti
graduated from Emory Law School in 1980 and immediately thereafter
worked for the Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service
in Washington, D.C. until 1984. She was responsible for assisting
in writing tax legislation, drafting regulations and preparing counsel
opinions. In particular, she drafted the regulations under the
pension withholding rules, the employee leasing rules and the affiliated
service group/controlled group rules. After leaving the IRS, she
became a participating associate with the law firm of Fulbright
& Jaworski in Houston, Texas for the next 5 years, specializing
in employee benefits matters.
Patti
is a member of the Atlanta, Georgia, Texas, District of Columbia,
and American Bar Associations. She is also a founding member and
former Vice President of the WEB-Atlanta. Patti also speaks frequently
on such topics as nonqualified deferred compensation, compliance
reviews and the IRS compliance programs, fiduciary issues and issues
unique to governmental plans.
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Susan
L. Sherman
Of
Counsel. Susan has extensive experience with the preparation and
design of tax-qualified retirement plans, including 401(k) and profit
sharing plans, defined benefit plans, target benefit plans and ESOPs,
as well as the analysis of issues relating to controlled groups
of corporations, affiliated service groups and QSLOBs. Susan’s
practice emphasizes the preparation and review of Qualified Domestic
Relations Orders for both corporate and individual clients, as well
as assisting domestic relations attorneys with respect to the division
of retirement assets. Susan’s background also includes nonqualified
plans, executive compensation arrangements, welfare benefit plans
and compliance issues with respect to these types of plans.
Susan
graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia where
she received her B.B.A. and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi. Susan
graduated with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law
and was the Executive Articles Editor for the Georgia Law Review.
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Terri
W. Taylor
Of
Counsel. Terri has extensive experience with the drafting and design
of tax-qualified 401(k), profit sharing and defined benefit retirement
plans, as well as issues that arise from the ongoing administration
and operation of retirement plans. A significant portion of her
practice has involved the benefits issues that arise before and
after corporate mergers and acquisitions. In addition, Terri has
substantial experience with the fiduciary and prohibited transaction
aspects of the investment of the assets of ERISA plans, both from
the viewpoint of the employer and the investment provider. In this
regard, she has represented numerous banks, institutional trust
companies, broker-dealers, investment advisors, mutual fund sponsors
and others in the investment industry.
Terri
graduated magna cum laude from Auburn University in 1989,
and from the Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1992.
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Alison
Cline Earles
Participating
Associate. Alison has a broad background in employee benefits
law. She concentrates her practice in the areas of fiduciary issues,
governmental retirement plans, health and welfare plan compliance,
review of Qualified Domestic Relations Orders and ERISA litigation.
Alison speaks frequently on such subjects as the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act, ERISA Litigation, Computerized
Benefits Communication and ERISA Claims Review Procedures. She
has also published articles on these topics.
Alison
graduated with an A.B. in Religion from Princeton University in
1992. She received her J.D. from the Duke University School of
Law in 1995. Alison is a member of the Atlanta and Georgia Bar
Associations, the WEB - Network of Benefits Professionals and Women
in Pensions. She was named a “1999 Eckerd 100 Woman of Achievement”
for her efforts as founding President of the ATLAS Foundation, Inc.,
a non-profit mentoring organization for girls that was adopted by
the Girl Scout Council of Northwest Georgia.
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Gwendolyn
Chapman
Paralegal
Gwendolyn
has over 30 years experience in employee benefits.
She has worked in all areas of employee benefits, focusing on
ERISA and other issues arising with respect to the administration of
qualified and non-qualified retirement plans.
This includes interpretation of plan documents, insurance
policies, plan design, assembling packages for submission to the
Internal Revenue Service for letters of determination, governmental
compliance, summary plan descriptions, working with clients directly
to establish procedures for administering employee benefit programs
and developing administrative procedures manuals.
Gwendolyn
graduated from Auburn University in 1970.
She is an enrolled agent with the IRS, a member of the
Georgia Association of Paralegals, Inc. and a member of Women in
Pensions.
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