Overview
Kara’s practice is focused in the areas of Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation. She represents public, private, governmental and non-profit employers in designing and documenting retirement plans, welfare benefit plans, fringe benefit plans and executive compensation plans.
Areas of Focus
Credentials
Recognition
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (2021-2023)
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2021-2024)
- North Carolina Super Lawyers, Rising Stars (2020-2023)
- Staff Member and Contributing Editor, North Carolina Law Review, 2010-2012
Education
- University of North Carolina School of Law, high honors, J.D., 2012
- Order of the Coif
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with distinction, B.A. in Political Science, 2009
- Phi Beta Kappa
Affiliations
- Board Member, Food Runners Collaborative, 2017-Present, Secretary, 2019
- Board Member, Raleigh Kiwanis Foundation, 2016-2018
- President, Triangle Benefits Forum, 2016-2019
- Board Member, Domestic Violence Action Project, 2010-11
- Member, Civil Legal Assistance Clinic, 2011-12
- North Carolina Bar Association, Membership Committee, 2017-Present
- YLD Community Relations Committee, 2016-2017
- Wake County Bar Association
Experience
- Advised a multistate skilled nursing, home care, and I/DD company with employee benefits-related matters in its definitive agreement to acquire the largest home care company in Rhode Island.
- Represented a North Carolina bank and its parent with respect to the employee benefits aspects of an approximately $220 million merger with another bank.
- Advised a life sciences company with employee benefits-related matters in its acquisition of a clinical manufacturing facility for an undisclosed amount.
- Advised a private equity fund and its contract research solutions portfolio company in employee benefits matters related to their acquisition of a statistical programming, consulting, and data management company.
- Advised a life sciences company on its acquisition of a clinical manufacturing facility for an undisclosed amount.
- Advised a company specializing in video game and software development on employee benefits matters related to the definitive agreement to acquire a company that developed a presence-based social networking platform connecting users online through live video on mobile and desktop apps.
- Advised a provider of services to people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities on employee benefits matters related to the acquisition of another provider of support and services to help individuals with developmental and physical disabilities.
- Amending and restating qualified retirement plans to comply with the Pension Protection Act and other changes in the law.
- Advising employers regarding designing and administering benefits plans in compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA.
- Drafting and revising health and welfare plan documents and summary plan descriptions.
- Assisting employers with identifying and correcting plan errors through DOL and IRS compliance programs.
- Reviewing and amending executive compensation arrangements.
- Advised a leading CRO in Asia on the employee benefits aspects of its acquisition of CRO assets in the United States.
- Advised a publicly-traded health information technologies and clinical research company on the employee benefits aspects of its sale of a consulting line of business.
- Advised a private equity fund on the employee benefits aspects of its acquisition of a specialty pharmaceutical company.
- Advised a leading contract research organization in a definitive agreement to acquire a provider of contract research, clinical and regulatory and other consulting services. Advised specifically on benefits reps, warranties and covenants, conducted due diligence and helped the company navigate integration issues.
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Advised a closely held company, a leading provider of tailored operational, training and technical solutions in support of national security missions, in the sale of its business.