Barnes & Thornburg LLP announced today that Bonita L. Hatchett has joined the firm’s Chicago office as a partner in the Corporate Department. Hatchett was previously a partner in the Chicago office of K&L Gates LLP.
Hatchett brings more than 15 years of experience counseling publicly traded, privately held, collectively bargained, government and tax-exempt employers on a number of employee benefit matters.
Her experience covers all aspects of compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), as well as the tax qualification and other requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, applicable to qualified plans, nonqualified plans, health and welfare agreements, executive compensation and other compensatory arrangements.
Hatchett regularly designs and drafts qualified plans, nonqualified plans, health and welfare arrangements, executive compensation, other compensatory arrangements, as well as service provider agreements. She also provides advice to employers on regulatory changes and amends employee benefit plans as required to comply with current law.
At Barnes & Thornburg, Hatchett will play a key role in helping employers understand the many implementation requirements for complying with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) both in the short-term and long-term.
“In light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, employers must be mindful of the changes that have already gone into effect, and how to prepare for the future,” said Barnes & Thornburg Managing Partner Alan A. Levin. “Bonita will be essential in helping our clients keep up with the large volume of guidance being issued by implementing agencies, and helping them tailor their operations with an eye toward future compliance.”
“As we continue to grow the presence of our Corporate Department in Chicago, we are pleased to add an attorney of Bonita’s caliber to the firm,” added Mark Rust, managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg’s Chicago office. “We welcome her to the firm and look forward to her contributions.”
With more than 200 legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg’s Corporate Department has the depth and breadth of resources to assist clients in handling transactions ranging from simple to complex. The firm’s Corporate Department is complemented by dedicated industry service teams focused on industries such as life sciences, information technology, e-commerce, healthcare, telecommunications, financial institutions, construction, energy, transportation, global logistics, associations and foundations, aviation, media and utilities.
