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Counsel - Employee Benefits And Tax
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Salary
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Overview
Provides legal advice and counsel on employee benefits matters to all Western & Southern Financial Group business and shared service units throughout the Enterprise. Provides legal advice to mitigate risk and address issues that arise. Manages benefits-related disputes directly and/or through outside counsel. Works with minimal supervision and escalates to General Counsel/Deputy General Counsel and business unit management as appropriate. Preferred candidates will also have general familiarity with the Internal Revenue Code, and particularly life insurance and annuity product tax issues, so that they may also support and advise on tax-related issues and litigation.
Responsibilities
What you will do:
- Advises Benefits Department and executive management on ERISA and other legal issues relating to the Enterprise's benefits plans.
- Reviews, monitors and revises employee benefit plan programs to ensure continued compliance with regulatory and statutory changes in federal and state laws; offers expertise and advice on complex legal issues related to benefit plan programs.
- Manages and handles benefits-related litigation matters, customer questions and disputes, and similar issues with little direction or supervision. Communicates and negotiates with opposing counsel and business/shared service unit leaders to resolve disputes and accomplish objectives.
- Identifies, retains and manages outside counsel handling (subject matter) litigation, and manages risks of litigation or threatened litigation in line with business unit/shared service initiatives and budgetary considerations.
- Provides regular training on various ERISA topics (with a particular focus on compliance) of interest to Company associates in Insurance Operations, FWIA, Touchstone, Claims, and other administration and servicing areas.
- Influences business unit and shared service leaders throughout the organization to exercise fair, compliant and ethical behavior in the course and scope of their management decision-making.
- Drafts, negotiates and finalizes complex legal contracts and documents.
- Undertakes complex research assignments from General Counsel and/or Deputy General Counsel.
- Assists other attorneys as needed with issues relating to benefits and tax questions.
- Effectively and efficiently manages outside counsel substantively on issues as well as on budget.
- Is detail-oriented and resourceful with excellent follow-through skills.
- Preferred candidates can also support business units and shared services areas (e.g. the Actuarial, Tax, Insurance and Annuity Operations, and Institutional Markets Departments) on general corporate tax matters, including but not limited to: • Interpreting the applicability of tax laws and regulations, tax planning, legislative and regulatory developments, and federal, state and local tax matters. • Advising on customer questions. • Managing tax litigation, to include negotiating with opposing counsel and advising business/shared service unit leaders to resolve disputes and accomplish objectives. • Providing regular training on tax topics (with a particular focus on compliance) of interest to Company associates in Insurance Operations, FWIA, Touchstone, Claims, and other administration and servicing areas. • Advising on product tax issues for both new and existing annuity products, particularly in connection with qualified plans and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), as well as life insurance products, including but not limited to: Definition of Life Insurance (Internal Revenue Code Section 7702); Modified Endowment Contracts (Internal Revenue Code Section 7702A); and other federal and state tax laws and statutes, including state premium taxes.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
- Complies with all policies and standards.
Qualifications
- Juris Doctor degree from a recognized and accredited law school and above average class standing; top 25 percent preferred. - Required
- Master of Laws (LLM) degree in Employee Benefits or Tax is preferred but not required. - Preferred
- Substantial experience (typically 6-10 years of experience following law school) in the role of Counsel, Senior Counsel or equivalent in title and experience handling complex benefits matters and related litigation. - Required
- Extensive experience in a corporate legal department and/or law firm, working independently with clients on complex matters. - Required
- Demonstrated leadership and supervisory skills, interpersonal skills, and ability to work cross-functionally, both to build relationships with business unit clients and other attorneys and to develop associates in skills and proficiency while achieving tactical and strategic goals. - Required
- Preferred candidates will have experience in handling tax matters and related litigation, and ideally life insurance and annuity product tax issues. - Preferred
- Excellent issue identification, negotiation and conflict resolution skills (creativity and problem solving). - Required
- Sound judgment and initiative in selecting the most effective solutions. - Required
- Strong contract drafting and excellent written communication/technical drafting skills. - Required
- Excellent verbal communication/interpersonal skills, detail-oriented and resourceful with excellent follow-through skills. - Required
- Ability to work under pressure, prioritize and manage multiple tasks and priorities; meeting deadlines is imperative. - Required
- Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with executive leadership, and to influence others beyond direct control, both inside and outside the Company. - Required
- Demonstrated ability to lead teams of other attorneys and colleagues in the organization on legal and regulatory matters, cases and/or issues. - Required
- Demonstrated ability to focus on big picture corporate vision and collaborate with other business unit and shared services unit management; appreciable knowledge and perspective of businesses. - Required
- Proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office suite. - Required
- An OH license to practice law, or the ability to obtain an Ohio Corporate Counsel license if admitted in another state. Upon Hire - Required
Work Setting/Position Demands:
- Works in an office setting and remains in a stationary position for long periods of time while working at a desk, on a computer or with other standard office equipment, or while in meetings.
- Requires the ability to verbally communicate and exchange accurate information to customers and associates on a regular basis.
- Requires visual acuity to read and interpret a variety of correspondence, procedures, reports and forms via paper and electronic documents, visual inspection involving small defects; small parts, and/or operation of machinery (including inspection); using measurement devices continuously. Visual acuity is required to determine accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of work assigned.
- Requires the ability to prepare written correspondence, reports and forms using prescribed formats and conforming to rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style on a regular basis.
- Requires the ability to apply principles of logical thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions
- Performs substantial movement of wrists, hands, and fingers for continuous computer work.
- Extended hours required during peak workloads or special projects/events.
- Occasional after-hours work needed
Travel Requirements:
- 5% travel Attend occasional conferences and litigation matters
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