Seth J Safra

Mr. Safra's practice focuses on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation, including the design, and administration of retirement plans (tax-qualified and non-qualified), equity and other performance-based compensation plans, and health and welfare arrangements. He also has extensive experience structuring and negotiating employment, deferred compensation, retention, and separation arrangements. He represents clients before the Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service, and other government agencies. Mr. Safra routinely helps clients balance complex legal risks with practical business needs, and his creativity and pragmatism have helped clients find common ground with regulators and adversaries. REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS Principal outside employee benefits and executive compensation counsel to several companies, including some of the country’s largest employers. Advising major employers on IRS challenges to qualified status of several pension plans with over a billion dollars in assets. In addition to advocating on the merits, he has found creative ways to end audits favorably without litigation. Advising employers on pension de-risking transactions, including plan redesign, lump-sum cashouts, changes to investment strategy, annuitization, and termination. Advising large employers on compliance and strategic planning related to health reform and retiree medical obligations. Advising large public company on executive compensation, pension, and fiduciary issues related to tax-advantaged spinoff of a significant business. Advising companies on design, disclosure, and tax issues related to executive compensation programs. More Representative Matters HONORS AND RANKINGS Legal 500 US, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation (2011-2012) Washington DC Super Lawyers "Rising Star," Employee Benefits/ERISA (2013) Human Resources Executive, The Nation’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys--Up-and-Comers (2012) Law360, 10 Under 40 Rising Star - Employment (2010) MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS Chair, D.C. Bar Taxation Section Committee on Employee Benefits