Rob is the leader in the firm’s Richmond office of the employee benefit and executive compensation group. He assists a wide variety of clients including public, private, tax-exempt and governmental entities on qualified retirement plans, health and welfare plans, executive compensation and other related benefit matters.
Rob’s practice is focused primarily on finding practical business solutions for client needs, problems and issues that arise within the technical regulatory framework of employee benefit law under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. Rob has substantial experience in advising clients regarding the design, administration, operation, reporting and disclosure of defined benefit plans, 401(k) retirement plans, 403(b) and 457 plans, employment agreements, non-qualified deferred compensation, multi-employer plans and health plans. He helps employers obtain rulings from the IRS, DOL and other governmental agencies, and also assists clients in obtaining favorable outcomes on audits by such agencies. Rob also regularly provides advice on the employee benefit aspects of mergers and acquisitions and helps clients assimilate those plans and workforces following such transactions.
Rob regularly speaks at employee benefit programs, presentations and conferences. He is a member of the Central Virginia Employee Benefit Counsel, the American Bar Association and has taught classes at the Southeastern Trust School. Rob has served on the firm’s Recruiting Committee and Associate Committee, and is currently on the firm’s Pension Committee and acts as chair. Rob earned his law degree from the Cleveland Marshall College of law at night while working for a large national accounting firm.
“I think what sets us apart from other employee benefit practices throughout the country is not only exceptional lawyers, but our team approach to clients. We can react quickly, efficiently and effectively with the right group of lawyers to virtually any employee benefit plan problem or issue a client may have.”
Experience
- Obtain a private letter ruling from the IRS that saved a plan sponsor $20 million in additional pension costs.
- Representation of a public company in the spin-off of a new public company and assist the companies in the establishment of all employee benefit plans for the new public company, including defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, executive compensation plans and welfare benefit plans.
- Advice on the design and restructuring of several defined benefit pension plans and defined contribution plans for a Fortune 500 company.
- Representation of several university general counsels and boards of trustees in the design and negotiation of employment agreements and deferred compensation plans for executive officers and athletic coaches.
- Representation of a multinational corporation in a merger and identified $2 million in savings from potential costs associated with non-compliant non-qualified deferred compensation plans.
- Cleveland State University, Cleveland-Marshall College of LawJD1994
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBS1988
Member, Central Virginia Employee Benefits Counsel
Former Adjunct Faculty Member, Southeastern Trust School
- Speaker, "Excess Benefit Transactions/Senior Leadership Compensation Structures", 19th Annual Nonprofit Seminar, Richmond and Charlottesville, September – October 2022
- Speaker, "Employee Benefits", 18th Annual Nonprofit Seminar, November - December 2021
- Speaker, "The New Round of 401(k) and 403(b) Plan Litigation", Hot Topics in Employee Benefits, McGuireWoods Webinar, November 10, 2016
- Speaker, "Hot Topics in Employee Benefits and Payroll", 13th Annual Nonprofit Seminar – Staying Current and Avoiding Trouble: What Nonprofits Need to Know, September 15 & 30, 2015
- Co-speaker, "Best Practices for Board and Staff Orientation", 12th Annual Nonprofit Seminar, September 30, October 9, 2014
- Co-speaker, "Effective Management of Staff", 11th Annual Nonprofit Seminar: Best Practices in Nonprofit Management, October 15 & 29, 2013
- Speaker, " 403(b) Plans – Compliance and Enforcement", 10th Annual Nonprofit Seminar, September 25, October 9 & 16, 2012
- Virginia
Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Woodward/White, Inc., 2009-2024
Selected for inclusion in “Legal 500 United States,” Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Transactional, 2022, 2023; Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design, 2023
Selected for inclusion, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Band 2, Virginia, Chambers USA, 2021-2023
Named “Lawyer of the Year,” Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Richmond, The Best Lawyers, 2021
- Author, IRS Delays SECURE 2.0 for Roth Catch-Up Contributions, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 30, 2023
- Author, SEC’s Final Pay for Performance Regulations – A Presentation Resource, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 30, 2022
- Author, Updated IRS Correction Principles and Changes to Voluntary Correction Program, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 20, 2021
- Author, COVID-19 and Employee Benefit Plans, Part 2: CARES Act, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 1, 2020
- Author, IRS Issues Proposed Regulations Under Code Section 162(m), McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 31, 2019
- Author, IRS Updates Retirement Plan Correction Program, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 8, 2018
- Author, Third Parties Face Pension Liability Under Controlled-Group and Successorship Theories, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 18, 2018
- Author, Supreme Court Again Rejects Sixth Circuit Finding of Lifetime Retiree Medical Benefits, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 15, 2018
- Author, The New Tax Rules for Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 29, 2017
- Author, GOP Tax Reform Bill: Major Impact on Employee Benefits, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 6, 2017
- Author, Nonqualified Deferred Compensation: IRS Proposes New Section 457 Regulations and Section 409A Clarifications, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 29, 2016
- Author, IRS Updates Guidance on Certain Midyear Changes to Safe Harbor Plans, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 8, 2016
- Author, Supreme Court Limits ERISA Healthcare Plan’s Reimbursement Rights: What Montanile Really Means, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 26, 2016
- Author, New FAQs on Preventive Services, Wellness Program Rewards and Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 4, 2015
- Author, SEC Finalizes CEO Pay-Ratio Rule with Delayed Effective Date, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 11, 2015
- Author, SEC Proposes Broadened Executive Compensation “Clawback” Rules, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 2, 2015
- Author, SEC Proposes “Pay-Versus-Performance” Disclosure Rules, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 1, 2015
- Author, New Regulations Permit Employers to Offer Limited Wraparound Health Coverage as Excepted Benefit, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 29, 2015
- Author, Executive Compensation Continues to be a Hot Button Compliance Issue for Charitable Organizations, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 19, 2014
- Co-author, "Sun Capital Decision Threatens Lenders with Controlled Group Liability", The Banking Law Journal, June 2014
- Author, Employers, Investors and Lenders Need to Understand Controlled-Group Liability, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 1, 2014
- Author, IRS Replaces Long-Proposed Regulations for Calculating UBTI of VEBAs and SUBs, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 28, 2014
- Author, New Wrinkle on Timing Requirements for Plan Investment Disclosures, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 26, 2013
- Author, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Issues New Proposed Regulations on Reportable Events, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 1, 2013
- Author, PBGC Extends Interim Guidance on Reportable Event Requirements, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 26, 2013
- Author, IRS Updates Correction Program for Retirement Plans, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 28, 2013
- Author, IRS Announces Benefit Plan Cost-of-Living Adjustments for 2013, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 23, 2012
- Author, IRS Provides Guidance on Notices for Funding-Related Pension Plan Benefit Limitations, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 28, 2012
- Author, A Plan Fiduciary’s Guide to the Service Provider Disclosure Rules, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 9, 2012
- Author, IRS Extends Deadline, Provides Sample Amendment for Pension Plans to Comply with Section 436, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 16, 2011
- Author, IRS Hangs Up on Efforts to Tax Cell Phone Use, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 16, 2011
- Author, Employee Release Provisions Present Section 409A Trap for the Unwary, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 31, 2011
- Author, Clarifications Proposed to Million Dollar Compensation Deduction Limit, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 6, 2011
- Author, New Incentives and Reporting Requirements for Tax-exempt Organizations, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 30, 2011
- Author, IRS Issues Guidance on Section 403(b) Plan Termination Process, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 28, 2011
- Author, Year-End Compliance for Qualified Retirement Plans, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 22, 2010
- Author, The Financial Reform Legislation’s Impact on Executive Compensation, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 13, 2010
- Author, DOL Issues Final Rules on Timing, Ordering of Domestic Relations Orders, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 17, 2010
- Author, McGuireWoods Healthcare Reform Guide: Installment No. 6 – Guidance on the Small Employer Healthcare Tax Credit, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 24, 2010
- Author, Employer Health Plans: DOL Issues Model Notice for New CHIP Disclosure Requirement, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 26, 2010
- Author, New Section 409A Document Correction Program Announced, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 8, 2010
- Author, Guidance Issued Concerning 2009 Waiver of Required Minimum Distributions, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 12, 2009
- Author, SEC Proposes New Executive Compensation and Governance Disclosures, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 16, 2009
- Author, HIPAA Guidance and Request for Comments: Securing Protected Health Information and Breach Notification, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 7, 2009
- Author, Employee Benefits in an Excess Benefit Transaction Analysis, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 23, 2009
- Author, IRS Expands Relief for Section 409A Operational Failures, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 16, 2009
- Author, Upcoming IRS Report to Focus on Tax-Exempt Hospital Executive Compensation, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 6, 2009
- Author, IRS and Treasury Release Proposed Section 409A Income Inclusion Regulations and Related Guidance, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 11, 2008
- Author, Split-Dollar Life Insurance Arrangements Need to be Reviewed for Section 409A Compliance by December 31, 2008, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 5, 2008
- Author, Employee Benefit Changes Included in Financial Bailout Law, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 8, 2008
- Author, HEART Act Provides New Benefit Plan Advantages for Military Personnel, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 18, 2008
- Author, Year-End Deadline Looms for Section 457(f) Plan Amendments, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 6, 2008
- Author, IRS Affirms Controversial Section 162(m) Position But Provides Helpful Transition Period, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 22, 2008
- Author, IRS Reverses Position on Performance-Based Exemption to 162(m): Employer Deductions in Doubt, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 1, 2008
- Author, IRS Announces Limited Correction Program for Section 409A Operational Failures, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 8, 2008