Counsel - Employee Benefits And Tax

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

Work Setting / Position Demands

Travel Requirements

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