The primary focus of Emily Mao’s practice is on design, compliance and operational issues for tax-qualified and non-qualified plans. Emily advises employers and plan administrators on a wide variety of retirement plan matters, including plan redesign projects, pension investments, plan governance, plan operations and administration, benefit claims and appeals, plan corrections, compliance with IRC Section 409A and IRS and Department of Labor audits. In addition, Emily counsels public and private companies on employee benefits matters arising from corporate mergers, acquisitions, outsourcings and restructurings. Emily also advises employers on issues affecting health plans, cafeteria plans, severance plans and other employee benefit arrangements, including compliance with tax, ERISA and other federal laws. Recently, she has advised employers on changes required by the Affordable Care Act.

Emily’s practice also includes advising employers on executive compensation matters, including compliance with IRC Section 409A, review of executive employment agreements and drafting and design on non-qualified deferred compensation plans.