Stoel Rives LLP is seeking an attorney with 5 or more years of experience to join our growing employee benefits group. At Stoel Rives, we partner with clients to navigate the ever-changing and complex world of employee benefits. From strategy to implementation, administration to communication, audit to error correction, our experts understand how business needs and benefits requirements intersect. This role would work closely with our clients on all aspects of employee benefits, qualified retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, and health and welfare plans.  We advise on benefit program design, drafting, preparing plan documents and corporate resolutions, communication with employees, establishing administrative procedures, managing IRS audits and DOL investigations, and correcting mistakes under the IRS and DOL correction programs. Additionally, our benefits lawyers work with clients to negotiate, plan and consult with third party administrators, actuaries, accountants, investment advisors, commercial trustees and insurance companies.

Skills Needed to Be Effective in This Role

We pride ourselves in forming diverse teams with a wide array of interpersonal and professional attributes. We don’t expect any one person to embody all these skills, but the below serves to describe our ideal team player. If you have many of these skills, and are enthusiastic to learn, we encourage you to apply. 

· Experience with, or interest in employee benefit plans in organizations at various sizes and industries;

· Familiarity with health and welfare and qualified plan requirements under the Code and ERISA that apply to large employer plans. Government plan requirements is a plus.

· Experience with a wide variety of benefit plans, including health and welfare plans, cafeteria plans, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, defined benefit pension plans, and cash balance plans, understand plan operations and IRS and DOL correction programs;

· A specialty focus on a subset of plans is a plus;

· Ability to manage multiple projects in collaboration with our partners and senior attorneys;

· Excellent written and oral communication skills;

· Good judgment, responsiveness, and perseverance;

· Strong intellectual curiosity;

· Self-motivation;

· A commitment to client service and team success;

· JD from an accredited university;

· Active membership in a current state bar.

Stoel Rives: Part of our Team

A broader question you may have is, “How will this position enhance my legal skills and career trajectory?”  At Stoel Rives, we offer a unique lateral integration program and core competency model that are designed to provide a roadmap of the practical skills, abilities, and client service techniques our lawyers need to succeed and progress at the firm.  We also established a New Lawyer Integration Program that has deepened our relationships and connections with our new lawyers, while providing them with the mentoring, resources, and information necessary for success.

How You Will Live Life Well at Stoel Rives

At Stoel Rives, you will enjoy a robust benefits package that includes a remote work policy, an inclusive parental leave policy, paid family medical leave, equivalent health benefits for LGBTQ+ employees’ spouses and partners, a generous employer health savings account contribution, telemedicine services, day care spending account and medical expense flexible spending account, and an employee assistance program. In 2017, we launched an extended leave support program for our lawyers who take family, medical, and other approved leaves. This program also aids with transitioning to and from leave.

We are also proud participants of the ABA Well-Being Pledge, strongly believing that the well-being of our employees is paramount to the success of the firm. In addition, the firm’s Culture Committee supports the firm’s mission, vision, and values in bringing together spectacular client service and job satisfaction. 

What We Are Doing to Ensure A Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Environment

Stoel Rives places a high priority on attracting and retaining lawyers with different backgrounds and life experiences. This makes us better and happier as people, as an organization, and as legal advisers. We are proud to offer many engagement opportunities including a firmwide DE&I Committee, Associates Committee, Pro Bono Committee, Affinity Groups, and Parenting Circle.

We proudly partner with Diversity Lab to implement innovative programs to advance Stoel Rives’ DE&I goals, including the aggressive metrics-based goals we’ve adopted as one of five founding Move the Needle Fund firms. Our efforts with Diversity Lab include certification under the Mansfield Rule, to boost the representation of diverse lawyers in our firm’s leadership by broadening the pool of candidates considered for opportunities, along with participation in the OnRamp Fellowship for legal returners and the OnTrack Sponsorship program.