What Employers Need to Know: Fiduciary Risk in Voluntary Benefit Plans

Rob is one of Pierson Ferdinand’s Founding Partners and has been practicing in the area of ERISA and Employee Benefits for more than 25 years and served as a co-chair of the Life, Health, Disability & ERISA practice of a leading AmLaw 100 law firm before joining Pierson Ferdinand. Rob represents employers, insurers, fraternal benefits societies, employee benefit plans, plan fiduciaries and third-party administrators in connection with disputes relating to employee benefits plans arising under both common law and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Based on this experience, Rob also served for 12 years by appointment as a member of the Board of Directors – Concordia Plan Services and Board of Trustees – Concordia Plans (including a defined benefit plan, defined contribution plan, health plan and life and disability plans). Concordia is the employee benefits provider for more than 6,000 Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod congregations, schools, universities and other organizations in the United States and in mission fields worldwide.

Candace Quinn is a partner at Pierson Ferdinand, focusing her practice on ERISA and tax law with extensive merger and acquisition experience including addressing ERISA and tax matters regarding pensions, executive compensation and employee benefits, health care, HIPAA, ACA, employer sponsored ERISA health plans and Pharmacy Benefit Manager compliance requirements and CAA2026. She advises multinational and domestic companies across a range of industries, including healthcare, life sciences, technology, manufacturing, software, energy, finance, and nonprofit organizations. Her work includes designing and implementing incentive compensation plans—such as Long-Term Incentive Plans (LTIPs), stock appreciation rights, Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Incentive Stock Options (ISOs), with a strong emphasis on tax compliance under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and regulations including Sections 409A, 280G, and 4960.