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® 2019 Business Organizations (including LLCs and partnerships) "Lawyer of the Year" in Portland, Maine
  • Named the Best Lawyers® 2017 Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Portland, Maine
  • Named the Best Lawyers® 2015 and 2020 Health Care Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Portland, Maine
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Health Care Law, and Business Organizations (including LLCs and partnerships) in Portland, Maine
  • 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

Blog

Casting a Wider Net: SECURE 2.0 Gives “Long-Term Part-Time Employees” Faster Access to 401(k) Plans and 403(b) Plans

The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”) promotes and expands access to retirement plans for American workers in several ways. Among other things, SECURE 2.0 strengthens and expands the special 401(k) plan eligibility...

Blog

A Last-Minute Gift – Prescription Drug Reporting Grace Period and Good Faith Relief

In a move akin to last-minute gift-giving, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury (the “Departments”) released FAQ 56 on December 23, 2022, which provides relief regarding the Prescription Drug...

Blog

When Cash is not King: Holiday Gifts as “De Minimis” Fringe Benefits

To celebrate the holiday season, this post highlights the tax consequences of employer-sponsored holiday perks such as gift cards, turkeys, hams and gift baskets. Under the current tax rules, employers may give infrequent low...

Publication/Podcast

Amending Your Retirement Plans this Year for SECURE Act and CARES Act Changes

This post was updated on September 29, 2022. On August 3, 2022, the IRS extended the deadline for retirement plan sponsors to adopt amendments necessary to comply with the Setting Every Community Up for...

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

401(k) Plan Matching Contributions: To True Up or Not True Up?

As a matter of plan design, for purposes of matching contributions some 401(k) plans provide that a participant’s compensation for the entire plan year is taken into account (regardless of whether the participant makes...

Blog

SECURE 2.0 Provides New and Expanded Retirement Plan Correction Rules

With the passage of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”) on December 29, 2022, Congress has made several changes related to the correction of errors in administering retirement plans. These changes include...

Blog

Pension-Linked Emergency Savings Accounts: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Forthcoming

Following the initial flurry of publications summarizing the retirement plan enhancements under the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”), this post takes a deeper dive into one of those enhancements: the optional “pension-linked...

Blog

Proposed Regulations on How to Use Forfeiture Accounts: Helpful Guidance and a Great Reminder to Plan Sponsors

On February 27, 2023, the IRS published proposed regulations on the use of forfeitures in qualified retirement plans. [1] For defined contribution plans, the regulations provide welcome clarity on what forfeitures can be used...

Blog

Next Steps for Making Collective Investment Trusts Available to More Retirement Plans

Collective investment trusts (“CITs”) have become an increasingly popular choice for 401(k) plan investment menus over the past decade, consistent with a trend toward lower-cost investment options that has been driven, in part, by...

Contact Verrill at (855) 307 0700