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James C. Paul

Partner
Sacramento

Contact Info:
Email: Send an email
Phone: (916) 444-1000
Fax: (916) 444-2100

Practice Areas:
ERISA and Employee Benefits
Employment
Corporate
Tax

Bio

ERISA and employee benefits law will continue to take on ever-increasing importance as employers try to comply with a dizzying array of statutes and regulations. The rules seem to change daily, making it hard for employers to control costs and provide meaningful benefits to employees. Jim Paul has been helping employers wade through “the ERISA swamp” for more than twenty years, providing practical and understandable guidance, advice and support.

From 401(k) plan compliance, to executive deferred compensation, and compliance with COBRA and HIPAA privacy rules, Jim has done most everything in the employee benefits arena. His experience includes counseling employers on design, compliance and operation of qualified retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, welfare plans, and stock based compensation plans. Jim also counsels employers on fiduciary issues and benefits issues in acquisitions, and has experience in pension and welfare benefits litigation, fiduciary litigation, and the operation of multi-employer/union trust funds.

He is sought after by national organizations for his expertise in his field. In his role as a Co-Chair of the Government Affairs/Administrative Relations Subcommittee of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), Jim periodically travels to Washington D.C. to meet with officials from the IRS and the Department of Labor to discuss benefits issues affecting employers. He actively participates in reviewing and commenting on pending employee benefits regulations and legislation.

Jim has successfully obtained IRS approval under Voluntary Correction Programs for –

•   Retroactive amendment of qualified retirement plans that were not timely amended for changes in the tax laws;

•   Retroactive amendment of qualified retirement plans to correct errors in drafting plan documents; and

•   Correction of operational errors in qualified retirement plans, including failure to vest participants in accordance with plan terms of plan and inadvertent exclusion of eligible employees.

He also has particular expertise counseling Native American tribes on benefits issues and dealing with the unique issues faced by public employers under California state laws affecting employee benefits.

Jim has served as President of the Sacramento Chapter of the Western Pension & Benefits Conference and he frequently speaks and writes on employee benefits issues.

Admitted to Practice in:
California, Arizona

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