Maureen O'Brien Joins McDermott Will & Emery
CHICAGO (March 15, 2010) — McDermott Will & Emery LLP today announced that Maureen O’Brien has joined the Firm’s Chicago office as counsel in the Employee Benefits, Compensation, Labor & Employment Practice Group. Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. O’Brien was a partner in the employee benefits group at Kirkland & Ellis. She was also previously an Assistant Regional Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel, Social Security Administration.
Ms. O’Brien advises clients on a broad range of employee benefits matters, including qualified plan design, welfare plan design, employee benefit plan compliance issues, fiduciary matters and employee benefit plan funding requirements. She regularly counsels clients regarding nonqualified deferred compensation plans and multiemployer pension plan issues. In addition, Ms. O’Brien has advised a wide variety of clients on employee benefits matters relating to corporate transactions and restructuring proceedings.
“We are delighted to welcome Maureen to the Firm,” said David Rogers, head of the Employee Benefits, Compensation, Labor & Employment Practice Group. “Issues related to executive compensation and employee benefits are of growing importance to our clients in today’s economy. Maureen brings a combination of skills and legal acumen that will be of tremendous benefit to these clients.”
“McDermott’s employee benefit lawyers have earned a national reputation for excellence and I am so pleased to be joining this group of outstanding professionals,” commented Ms. O’Brien.
Ms. O’Brien received her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif. She also received her B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles.
McDermott Will & Emery is a pioneer in the field of employee benefits. The Firm has been advising clients on a variety of employee benefits and executive compensation matters for more than 50 years. With the continuing stream of complex and technical employee benefits legislation and regulation and with the increased globalization of workforces, employee benefit plan administration has become increasingly difficult. Employers and plan fiduciaries must constantly reexamine and redesign employee benefit programs in light of the latest government guidance or case law. Because our attorneys are highly specialized and focus their practices in one or two primary practice groups, McDermott can help clients work through complex problems with a level of employee benefits and international expertise not found at most law firms.
McDermott’s diverse clientele adds yet another dimension to the Firm’s ability to respond quickly and efficiently with client-oriented solutions to real-world problems. McDermott represents more than 38 Fortune 500 companies and 10 Fortune 100 companies in employee benefits matters on a regular basis. Many of the Firm’s clients are service providers for employee benefit plans maintained by other employers (including trustees, record-keepers and insurers). The Firm’s broad client base allows it to help clients identify new trends in the field and quickly identify and address any new or potential legal hurdles.
