Linda J. Haynes is a partner practicing in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Department. She has substantial experience counseling mid-sized to Fortune 500 clients in all elements of employee benefit plans and executive compensation. Ms. Haynes regularly counsels public and private clients in connection with the design, development and on-going compliance of their employee benefit programs, including qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, health plans, cafeteria plans, and other types of welfare plans.

Ms. Haynes has significant experience in advising clients concerning their defined benefit pension plans, including cash balance and pension equity plans. In addition, Ms. Haynes has extensive experience in developing and implementing executive compensation programs (including equity-based and deferred-compensation programs) for public and private companies. Ms. Haynes’ practice also includes advising clients on employee benefits and executive compensation issues raised in mergers, acquisitions and dispositions.

She has substantial experience in advising employee benefit plan fiduciaries regarding their duties and responsibilities. For numerous clients, Ms. Haynes routinely participates in their fiduciary committee meetings. She frequently conducts training for fiduciary committees, including training regarding general fiduciary duties under ERISA, prohibited transactions and current developments. Ms. Haynes regularly advises clients regarding fiduciary issues and obligations raised by proposed plan investments. In addition, she counsels clients regarding employee benefit plan investment policies, negotiates investment management agreements, and reviews alternative investment vehicles. Ms. Haynes works closely with the firm’s Employee Benefits Litigation group in cases involving complex ERISA issues, including fiduciary issues and hybrid defined benefit plan issues.