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

Lauren Schuster assists clients in the area of employee benefits, executive and equity compensation, navigating Code Section 409A, tax-qualified retirement plans, including 401(k) plans, cash balance plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOP), ERISA fiduciary issues, and the compensation aspects of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). On deal teams, Lauren helps buyers and sellers with employee benefits and executive compensation matters, including equity compensation arrangements, executive employment agreements, underfunded defined benefit and multiemployer pension plan issues, non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements and related compliance issues. She partners with transactional and litigation attorneys to develop a strategy and to simplify complex tax, compensatory securities and ERISA regulatory issues.

Throughout her career, Lauren has been committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and has served in various leadership capacities for affinity 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