Biography

Chris pursued a career in the law because he enjoys solving problems. Although Chris is an employee benefits and executive compensation "generalist" capable of advising clients on a range of pension and welfare benefit plan issues, he has significant experience correcting retirement plan administrative errors, defending IRS audits and DOL investigations, and winding down plans administered by bankrupt entities. Chris also defends fiduciary breach claims and claims for benefits under both pension and welfare benefit plans.

Chris also advises plan fiduciaries, sponsors, and service providers regarding general ERISA compliance, fiduciary advice, and plan design matters. Specific to welfare benefit plans, Chris regularly assists clients with health care reform compliance, wellness programs, and consumer-driven health care arrangements such as health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs).

Chris understands the importance of developing and implementing efficient solutions to business problems. While his practice is focused exclusively on employee benefits and executive compensation, Chris's clients benefit from his background in bankruptcy law and business. Prior to joining Verrill, Chris served as a law clerk in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and, while in law school, worked at a multinational securities brokerage firm. These experiences helped shape the business perspective Chris brings to his practice and to his clients.

A Maine native, Chris enjoys nature and the outdoors. He is Co-chair of the firm's Sustainability Committee and during his time away from the office can be found exploring the wilds of Maine, hiking, canoeing, and paddle-boarding with his family and friends.

Services/Industries

Education

  • Duquesne University Law School  (J.D., cum laude)
  • Allegheny College  (B.A., cum laude)

Public Service

  • Board of Directors, Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine (formerly the Maine Health Management Coalition)

Bar Admissions

  • Maine
  • Pennsylvania

Memberships

  • New England Employee Benefits Council
  • Maine Employee Benefits Council
  • American Bar Association, Joint Committee on Employee Benefits (JCEB)

Honors

  • Gerald K. Gibson Memorial Award
  • Susan H. Wilkie Professional Responsibility and Ethics Award
  • Recognized in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business under Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
  • Received Katahdin Counsel Recognition for pro bono efforts (2016)
  • Selected by peers for inclusion in New England Super Lawyers© under Employee Benefits

To learn more about third-party ratings and rankings, and the selection processes used for inclusion, click here.

Clerkships

  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Western District of Pennsylvania, Honorable Jeffery A. Deller

Court and Other Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the District of Maine
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Firm Highlights

Blog

Establishing Practices and Procedures to Support Self-Correction of Operational Failures

The self-correction of retirement plan operational failures under IRS correction principles has been conditioned upon a plan sponsor’s establishment of compliance practices and procedures since the creation of the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System...

Blog

DOL Continues Enforcement of Non-Quantitative Treatment Limitation Requirements

Introduction : Fifteen months ago, we wrote that the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) had informed Congress that it intended to devote substantial resources to enforcing the new comparative analysis requirement for non-quantitative treatment...

News

30 Verrill Attorneys, Across Four Offices, Recognized in 2023 Chambers & Partners Guide

Blog

Update on the Debate over Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Investing

The debate over investment of retirement plan funds based on environmental, social, and corporate governance (“ESG”) factors continues to make waves. This post provides a high-level overview of the current state of play for...

Blog

Retiree Medical Coverage: Just Get the COBRA Waiver

The interaction between employer-provided retiree medical coverage and COBRA [1] is complex. Many employers incorrectly assume they do not have to offer COBRA at retirement if they offer a retiree medical plan or a...

Publication/Podcast

Establishing Practices and Procedures to Support Retirement Plan Self-Correction

The opportunity to self-correct mistakes in maintaining a retirement plan has been dramatically expanded by the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”); see our February 10 blog post for details. However, IRS interim...

Matter

Advised Fortune 500 Company on Group Health and Welfare Benefit Plans

We were engaged by a Fortune 500 manufacturing company to provide legal and compliance services regarding its group health and welfare benefit plans. During the course of our representation, we have advised the company...

Blog

Catch-Up Contributions: IRS Provides Relief from Roth Requirements of SECURE 2.0

On August 25, 2023, the IRS issued IRS Notice 2023-62 , providing much needed relief for employers who have been struggling to implement Section 603 of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0&rdquo...

Blog

How to Comply with the Health FSA Debit Card Claims Substantiation Rules

The IRS’s recent Chief Counsel Advice Memorandum 202317020 (the “Memo”) brings into focus the importance of compliance with the debit card claims substantiation requirements for medical care expenses reimbursed or paid for through a...

Blog

Reasonable Compensation Under ERISA: Thoughts on Two Recent Cases

Two recent court decisions bring into focus two seldom-asked questions about the reasonable compensation requirement under ERISA. When must an ERISA plan’s service provider compensation be reasonable? And why shouldn’t a plan fiduciary be...

Contact Verrill at (855) 307 0700