Biography

For 35 years, Lisa has practiced at Verrill exclusively in the areas of employee benefits and executive compensation, with a primary focus on the design, drafting, and operation of 401(k) plans, IRS correction programs for qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, and ERISA fiduciary duties and responsibilities.

Lisa regularly advises 401(k) plan and 403(b) plan clients regarding the design and implementation of ADP/ACP test safe harbors and automatic contribution arrangements (including QACAs and EACAs); and procedures for plan loan administration, QDRO administration, missing participants, and uncashed distribution checks. She has extensive experience (1) advising clients on the requirements applicable to tax-qualified retirement plans and nonqualified deferred compensation plans, (2) representing clients whose employee benefit plans are audited by the IRS and the U.S. Department of Labor, and (3) advising clients on employee benefit plan issues in mergers and acquisitions. She also has deep experience drafting plan documents, fiduciary committee charters, investment policy statements, and participant disclosure documents including SPDs and required notices.

Since 2019, Lisa has served as co-editor of the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group’s blog, Employee Benefits Update. She is past Chair of the firm's Associate Review Committee, and in 2017 she chaired the firm's Associate Leave Policy Task Force. As a mother of triplets, Lisa enjoys mentoring younger attorneys on work/life balance issues.

Services/Industries

Education

  • Duke University School of Law  (J.D.)
  • Hamilton College  (B.A., magna cum laude)
    • Phi Beta Kappa

Public Service

  • Past President and Member, Falmouth Maine Emergency Medical Team

Bar Admissions

  • Maine

Memberships

  • Maine State Bar Association, including the Women's Law Section
  • Maine Employee Benefits Council
  • New England Employee Benefits Council

Honors

  • Named the Best Lawyers® 2024, 2022, 2018, and 2015 Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Portland, Maine
  • AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Recognized in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business under Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law in Portland, Maine

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