Collaborative, solutions-oriented employee benefits, executive compensation legal counsel

Lauren Schuster partners with human resources, total rewards, general counsel, transactional attorneys and litigators to develop a strategy and to simplify complex employment tax, compensatory securities and ERISA regulatory issues. Lauren works with public and private companies, nonprofit organizations, districts, universities and public utilities with respect to their benefit and compensation programs. She helps clients navigate transitions and resolve issues related to retirement, health and compensation plans, including:

• 401(k), profit sharing, 403(b) and 457 retirement plans
• Employee stock ownership plans (ESOP)
• Collectively-bargained multiemployer pension plans
• Self-funded, level-funded and fully insured health plans
• ERISA fiduciary best practices, training, prohibited transaction exemptions and compliance issues
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Labor (DOL) benefit plan audits, investigations and corrections
• Stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units (RSU), phantom stock and incentive arrangements
• Benefits and compensation aspects of mergers and acquisitions (M&A)

On deal teams, Lauren helps buyers and sellers with employee benefits and executive compensation matters, including resolving issues and establishing new equity compensation arrangements and executive employment agreements, as well as identifying and negotiating responsibility for underfunded defined benefit pension plans, retiree medical and insurance arrangements, union multiemployer pension plan issues, non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements and related compliance issues.

Throughout her career, Lauren has been committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and has served in various leadership capacities for LGBTQ+ and disability advocacy organizations.

Bar Admissions

• Illinois
• Missouri
• Wisconsin

Education

• Loyola University Chicago School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2014)
  • Alpha Sigma Nu
  • National Jesuit Honor Society

• Missouri State University (B.S., 2006)
  • International Business Administration and Spanish

• "Equity-Based Compensation for Corporations, Partnerships and LLCs"
• 2023 Year-End Employee Benefits Updates

Seminar

• 26th Annual Paul Plevin Quarles Employment Law Update
• Employer Health Plans: A New Arena for ERISA Fee Litigation
• SECURE Act 2.0—What’s Effective Now and Planning for 2024