Areas of
Practice
Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation,
Business Transactions, Taxation
Education
J.D., with Honors, University of North
Carolina, 1987
A.B., Magna Cum Laude, Davidson
College, 1983
Profile
Gene has practiced in the employee benefits
and executive compensation area for over 15 years advising public and
private employers with regional, national and international operations, bank
trustees and third-party administrators. His expertise covers the full range
of qualified and non-qualified plans, welfare benefit plans, fringe benefit
plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and executive compensation
plans.
Representative Experience
Extensive experience in the design and drafting of
qualified retirement plans, including preparation of major amendments for
TRA ’86, GUST and EGTRAA, and qualifying plans with the IRS. Regularly
counsels employers on administrative and compliance issues, including
assistance in correcting qualification failures, prohibited transactions and
fiduciary breaches.
Regularly advises regarding welfare and fringe benefit
plans, including COBRA, HIPAA and non-discrimination issues.
Negotiated and drafted benefit provisions in corporate
acquisition for a national health services corporation.
Designed and drafted an executive compensation package
that included an incentive bonus plan for senior managers of a private
publishing company.
Drafted and consulted on comprehensive stock option
plans for public company.
Designed and drafted non-qualified supplemental
retirement plans for top management for various public and private
companies.
Professional/Community Activities
North Carolina Bar Association
Mecklenburg County Bar Association
Charlotte Benefits Forum, Past-president
Southern Employee Benefits Conference
Children and Family Services Center
- Vice-President, 2007
- Board of Directors, 2005 – present
Community Health Services
- Chairman, 2003 – 2005
- Board of Directors, 1997 – 2007
Catawba Lands Conservancy
- Board of Directors, 2001 – 2003
Friendship Trays volunteer, 1988 – present
Notable Accomplishments
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®
(Employee Benefits), 2007 - 2008
AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell®
Prior
Legal Experience
Partner, Helms Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC (formerly
Smith Helms Mulliss & Moore, LLP), Charlotte, NC
Law Clerk to Judge Robert Chapman, Fourth Circuit
Court of Appeals
