Biography

Eric maintains a diverse employee benefit and executive compensation practice with a focus on retirement plans, executive compensation, deferred compensation, and fiduciary governance.

Eric has extensive experience in issues that affect the benefit plans of employers in the health care industry and higher education, as well as other tax-exempt employers. He works extensively with boards of directors and compensation committees in the establishment of executive compensation programs and the development of sound fiduciary governance and compliance policies and practices.

Eric is the Chair of the firm's Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group, a regular contributor to the Group's blog, Benefits Law Update, and a frequent speaker on employee benefits topics.

Eric has served in leadership positions on a number of nonprofit boards in Portland. He is particularly proud of his work on the restoration of the Portland Observatory (1807), which achieved National Historic Landmark status. Eric recently served as President of the Portland Public Library. Eric enjoys time aboard his boat in Casco Bay and visiting New York City to reconnect with his urban roots.

Services/Industries

Education

  • University of Chicago  (J.D.)
  • Columbia University  (B.A., M.I.A.)

Public Service

  • Trustee (2005-2016), President (2012-2015), Portland Public Library
  • Trustee (2004-2011), President (2007-2009), Portland Ballet
  • Trustee (1992-1998), Advisory Trustee (1999-present), Greater Portland Landmarks
  • President, Portland Observatory Restoration Trust (1997-2001)

Bar Admissions

  • Maine

Memberships

  • National Association of College and University Attorneys
  • Tax and Health Law Sections, Maine State Bar Association
  • Maine Employee Benefits Council

Honors

  • AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Recognized in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business under Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
  • Named the Best Lawyers© under Business Organizations (including LLCs and partnerships) "Lawyer of the Year" in Portland, Maine (2019)
  • Named the Best Lawyers© under Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Portland, Maine (2017)
  • Named the Best Lawyers© under Health Care Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Portland, Maine (2015, 2020)
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© under Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Health Care Law, and Business Organizations (including LLCs and partnerships) in Portland, Maine (2024)
  • Named to the 2019 New England Super Lawyers© list under Employee Benefits and Health Care

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

Firm Highlights

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

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...

Matter

Comprehensive Benefit Plans Representation of Seller in Strategic Acquisition

We represented the largest physician network in Massachusetts in the employee benefits and executive compensation aspects of its acquisition by one of the largest health care companies in the United States. After several rounds...

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...

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...

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...

News

82 Verrill Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2024, Including 10 Named Lawyers of the Year

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

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...

Contact Verrill at (855) 307 0700