We are pleased to announce that Michelle McCarthy has joined our newly formed Pensions, Benefits & Investments Group. The Group – formerly known as the Public Pensions & Investments Group – has rebranded itself to reflect the new line of services it offers clients with Michelle’s addition. She serves as a partner in the Los Angeles office and joins from McDermott Will & Emery.
Michelle’s practice focuses on advising clients of all types – from tax-exempt organizations to Fortune 100 companies – regarding every facet of employee benefits law, including the design, structure, implementation, administration and termination of pension health and welfare benefit plans. Michelle’s broad experience in the employee benefits area includes the representation of clients in collective bargaining, litigation, restructuring and mergers and acquisitions, among other things.
“Michelle’s deep, nuanced experience in the private and non-profit pensions and benefits field, and expertise in tax-compliance issues, allows us to significantly expand our tax-compliance related offerings to clients in the public pensions space and to provide our fiduciary, governance and litigation services as well to pension funds that are subject to ERISA,” said Ashley Dunning, co-chair of the Pensions, Benefits & Investments Group. “She adds a new dimension to our practice and we are excited to work with her.”
“We are delighted Michelle is joining Nossaman,” added Yuliya Oryol, co-chair of the Pensions, Benefits & Investments Group. “She is one the most respected benefits attorneys working in the private and non-profit pensions fund field, and her expertise in ERISA-compliance adds immediate value for our clients.”
Our Pensions, Benefits & Investments Group works alongside the people entrusted to administer and protect the pension, health and welfare benefits of employees in their plans. The practice leverages decades of experience in the public retirement plan sector along with robust experience that Michelle adds in the private and non-profit sectors, to offer thoughtful, independent advice on the legal and business issues affecting plans and their members. The accomplished team provides comprehensive legal services to pension, health and welfare benefit plans, as well as institutional investors, throughout the United States. Clients turn to us for fiduciary, governance, administration, investments and benefits counsel. When disputes arise, we represent funds and their boards in litigation.
Commenting on her move to Nossaman, Michelle said, “Nossaman’s pensions and investments work has an unparalleled reputation at both the state and national level,” and that she “looks forward to helping the practice expand its offerings into the benefits realm and assisting clients with their benefits needs.”
Michelle holds a J.D. and an LL.M. from the University of San Diego School of Law and a B.A. from the University of California, Riverside. She has been recognized by the Legal 500 in the Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans category and by Best Lawyers in the Employee Benefits (ERISA) category. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Taxation Section; the Free Arts for Abused Children organization, where she serves on the Board of Directors; and the Women’s Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.
