Laura A. Ryan

Practices

• Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation

Professional Experience

Laura is the leader of the firm's Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation practice group. She focuses her practice on the design, maintenance and termination of tax-qualified retirement plans and trusts; analysis of employee benefit issues in the context of corporate mergers and acquisitions; welfare plan and flexible benefit plan administration and documentation; various aspects of executive compensation including establishment and maintenance of non-qualified deferred compensation plans; IRS and Department of Labor plan audits; governmental reporting obligations; compliance with ERISA fiduciary and prohibited transaction rules; and corrective actions under regulatory relief programs.

Laura rejoined the firm in 2006 after serving as Senior Attorney for Convergys Corporation. The combination of her years of experience in private practice and as in-house counsel to a large public corporation with a global footprint provides her with unique and valuable perspective and experience.

Laura is licensed to practice in Ohio.

Education

• University of Cincinnati College of Law, J.D., 1992
• Northern Kentucky University, B.S., 1989, cum laude

• "Health Care Reform Update - Changes Coming for Over-the-Counter Drugs" · CBA Report, November, 2010
• "Health Care Reform Update - External Reviews of Benefit Claims Under Health Care Reform" · CBA Report, October, 2010
• "Health Care Reform Update - Employers Must Take Second Look at Grandfathered Status" · CBA Report, September, 2010
• "Health Care Reform Update - More Questions Answered" · CBA Report, August, 2010
• "Health Care Reform Update - Complying With Federal, State Dependent Coverage Requirements" · CBA Report, July, 2010
• "Understanding Required Changes for Health Plans" · CBA Report, June, 2010
• "The Clock's Ticking on Compliance With New Compensation Rules" · Scrap Magazine, July/August 2007
• "New Tax Rules are Creating Work for Firms" · Cincinnati Business Courier, June 8, 2007
• "Changes in Benefits Part of Trade Treaty" · Cincinnati Business Courier, 1995
• "Rule 14(e)(3)’s Disclose or Abstain Rule and Its Validity Under Section 14(e)" · University of Cincinnati Law Review, 1991
• "Washington State Prison Procedures for the Forcible Administration of Antipsychotic Medication to Prison Inmates Does Not Violate Due Process" · University of Cincinnati Law Review, 1991
• Contributing Author, Doing Business in and with the United States

• "Plan Fiduciary Best Practices - What are they? Why are they so important?", Florida West Coast Employee Benefits Council, January 2011
• "New Laws, Trends and Best Practices Affecting Group Health Plans", Thompson Hine Spotlight on Women Program, December, 2009
• "Employee Benefit Trends and Issues in Tough Economic Times", Association of Corporate Counsel Southwest Ohio Chapter, February, 2009
• "The Clock is Still Ticking: Despite Extension Full Steam Ahead With 409A", Greater Cincinnati Compensation and Benefits Association, September, 2007
• Panelist, "Executive Compensation- No Longer Business As Usual," Business Courier Business Law Roundtable Series, Cincinnati Ohio, February, 2005
• "Pension Simplification and Health Care Legislation", Thompson Hine & Flory Seminar, 1996
• "An Introduction to Qualified Retirement Plans and Overview of ERISA", Cincinnati/Dayton Chapter of International CEBS Society, 1996
• "Retirement Plan Update", Thompson Hine & Flory and Society National Bank Seminar, 1995
• "Overview of Qualified and Non-Qualified Retirement Plans", Cincinnati Chapter of OSCPA, 1995