Overview
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery is pleased to announce that Michelle McCarthy has joined the Firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practice Group as a partner in Los Angeles.
“We are delighted that Michelle is joining us in Los Angeles, expanding our West Coast practice and providing substantial advice on evolving health and welfare challenges facing our clients,” said Andrew Liazos, global chair of McDermott’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practice Group. “There has been significant excitement across our group anticipating Michelle’s arrival as she is a brilliant addition to the Firm.”
Michelle focuses her practice on health and welfare plans, specifically design, amendment, administration and compliance matters, and brings with her a significant amount of experience representing multiemployer plans. Michelle joins McDermott from Morgan Lewis, where she was a Los Angeles-based partner in the firm’s employee benefits and executive compensation practice group and actively involved in the firm’s COVID-19 Taskforce, as well as its Reproductive Rights Taskforce.
“McDermott’s benefits, tax and health practices hold superior reputations around the world and the Firm offered a clear platform for me to elevate my practice, benefiting both current and future clients,” Michelle said.
Michelle counsels both single-employer and multiemployer plan sponsors on matters pertaining to plan operations (including claims and appeals), participant communications, fiduciary obligations, prohibited transactions, funding issues, service provider contracts, side letter negotiations, litigation, arbitrations and withdrawal liability issues. She also has experience helping clients address agency investigations and audits, including those involving the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the US Department of Labor (DOL) and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Michelle received her BA from the University of California, her JD from the University of San Diego and her LL.M in Taxation from the University of San Diego School of Law.
McDermott’s employee benefits practice operates worldwide, with the geographic coverage and deep resources necessary to serve clients at every level. Regularly advocating for clients before the US Department of the Treasury, the IRS and the DOL on employee benefits matters, we have deep industry experience and represent employers in virtually every sector, including manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, education and construction. McDermott is the only firm to have received top rankings in all major ranking directories, including Chambers USA, Legal 500 USA, U.S. News – Best Lawyers and Law360.
About McDermott
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,200 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
