News

HPY Opening Napa Office with Prominent Employee Benefit Attorneys from Jackson Lewis

November 17, 2014 – Press Release

November 17, 2014 (Napa, CA) – Hawkins Parnell & Young is pleased to announce the opening of the firm’s ninth office in Napa, California with the arrival of four employee benefit, ERISA, litigation, transactional, and ESOP attorneys from Jackson Lewis P.C.

The team includes David R. Johanson, Rachel J. Markun, Douglas A. Rubel (based in Atlanta), and Teresa Y. Huang.

David stated, “we are honored to be a part of HPY and to bring our expertise in employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) matters and related transactions, ERISA fiduciary defense litigation, non-competition and shareholder disputes, regulatory investigations, corporate governance, tax, mergers and acquisitions, estate and business succession planning, and related subject matters to the firm.” Rachel added that "HPY offers our group the opportunity to continue to address the broad range of ESOP and ERISA issues that have been an integral part of our practice for plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and business owners; we are delighted to join a practice dedicated to excellence in practice standards and collegiality as we have found with HPY."

“We are excited to expand our employment and benefits area, particularly in light of adding such a high quality group of West Coast and East Coast lawyers” added Ronald Polly, managing partner of HPY.

MORE ABOUT THE NEW TEAM:

David R. Johanson (Partner-in-Charge, Napa) assists clients in general corporate matters and in employee ownership, benefit, ERISA, and related business matters, with an emphasis on executive compensation, equity incentive plans, non-qualified deferred compensation, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), ESOP transactions, mergers and acquisitions (and related tax planning), corporate governance, and business succession and estate planning. Mr. Johanson has served as outside general counsel to numerous corporate clients over the past 28 years.  Mr. Johanson also is actively involved in ERISA fiduciary defense litigation, the defense and/or prosecution of non-competition and shareholder disputes, and the defense of regulatory investigations of all kinds. 

Rachel J. Markun (Partner) advises clients regarding the corporate, tax and fiduciary issues relating to ESOPs and employee benefit plans. She has represented plan fiduciaries, employers and financial institutions in connection with legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to the Internal Revenue Code, ERISA, the federal securities laws, and the California tax laws. She has extensive tax expertise relating to tax-exempt entities, including matters involving unrelated business tax issues and all aspects of retirement plan qualification matters as well as fiduciary and corporate governance issues.

Douglas A. Rubel (Of Counsel) maintains a national litigation and counseling practice focused primarily in matters of, employment, ERISA and employee benefit claims, class action and complex litigation (including FLSA matters) and Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices.

Teresa Y. Huang (Associate) focuses on mergers and acquisitions and employee benefits, including employee stock ownership plans and trusts and merger and acquisition issues involving employee benefit plans.