(September 10, 2007, Chicago) – Only five months after entering a combination with Sachnoff & Weaver, Reed Smith LLP, one of the 15 largest law firms in the world, has hired five new lateral partners in Chicago, including William H. Nichols, who will join the Tax, Benefits & Wealth Planning Group, effective immediately.
Mr. Nichols was formerly a partner at Ungaretti & Harris, LLP in Chicago. He received his J.D. from Cornell Law School in 1979, and his B.A. from Amherst College in 1976.
Mr. Nichols has more than two decades of experience in employee benefits law. His practice spans all retirement and welfare benefits matters, including the design and operation of tax-qualified retirement plans, and health and other welfare benefit plans, including severance pay and open window separation plans. He is experienced in matters involving benefits’ aspects of business mergers and acquisitions; employee stock ownership plans; nonqualified executive compensation programs; management incentive plans; flexible benefit programs; executive employment and separation agreements; COBRA and HIPAA compliance; multi-employer pension withdrawal liability; and resolving government audits of benefit plans.
“Bill has a strong foundation in both the union and non-union sides of employee benefits, as well as significant experience in the fast-changing world of executive compensation,” said John Martini, Reed Smith’s Tax, Benefits & Wealth Planning Practice Group Leader. “He will be a great asset to our clients who face the looming end-of-year deadline to achieve compliance with the 409A regulations. Having his experience in our Chicago office will permit us to serve local and national clients.”
Mr. Nichols’ clients range from Fortune 500 corporations to private businesses, municipalities, tax-exempt employers, and Taft-Hartley pension and welfare benefit funds. He also has experience in court, in arbitration, and at the collective bargaining table representing employers in employee benefits matters. These include involvement in seminal cases concerning ERISA preemption of state laws, modifying retiree medical benefits, multi-employer pension withdrawal liability, and investment standards for pension funds.
“Bill’s practice spans both the executive compensation and ERISA sides of a traditional benefits practice,” said Michael A. LoVallo, Reed Smith’s Chicago Managing Partner. “He fills a critical niche in the Chicago office for additional benefit support for our very active corporate and private equity transactional practices. In addition, Bill’s experience and broad background will allow him to provide post-transactional services to clients on a variety of compensation-related matters.”
“I am looking forward to expanding my practice and working with a team that can serve the transactional and other clients who require highly sophisticated benefits work,” Mr. Nichols said. “I am also interested in developing and growing the work that naturally flows from advising executives on compensation matters, including work in the labor and employment, litigation, tax, and corporate and securities areas.”
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is one of the 15 largest law firms in the world, with more than 1,500 lawyers in 21 offices throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its attorneys provide litigation services in multi-jurisdictional matters and other high stake disputes, deliver regulatory counsel, and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising and media, shipping, international trade and commodities, real estate, manufacturing, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com
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