EdmundEmerson III
Partner
Employee Benefits
edemerson@seyfarth.com
Ed provides strategic guidance to employers to help them manage their most pressing employee benefits and executive compensation challenges.
More About Ed
Ed practices primarily in the area of employee benefits and executive compensation. He guides employers on the legal issues arising in connection with corporate mergers and acquisitions, plan mergers, and plan terminations. Clients frequently turn to Ed to help them correct plan document failures, operational errors, and other administrative issues under applicable self-correction and voluntary correction programs. Ed also assists clients with their fiduciary obligations under ERISA and frequently provides fiduciary training programs.
Ed frequently represents governmental employers and committees overseeing governmental plans and has extensive experience addressing the specialized needs of governmental plans, including compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Ed also represents college savings and ABLE plans formed pursuant to Sections 529 and 529A of the Internal Revenue Code, regularly advising such plans on regulatory compliance issues, including compliance with municipal securities laws.
Ed frequently represents governmental employers and committees overseeing governmental plans and has extensive experience addressing the specialized needs of governmental plans, including compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Ed also represents college savings and ABLE plans formed pursuant to Sections 529 and 529A of the Internal Revenue Code, regularly advising such plans on regulatory compliance issues, including compliance with municipal securities laws.
- JD, William Mitchell College of Law
- BBA, Mercer University
- BA, Mercer University
- Georgia
- Minnesota
Related Services
- Conduct substantive plan document and operational compliance reviews for large pension plans and 401(k) plans
- Advise public and private companies on “pension de-risking” transactions
- Represented public and private companies on spinoffs and terminations of pension plans, including the accompanying group annuity purchases
- Advise large employers on fiduciary governance for their benefit plans, including restructuring the fiduciary committees that oversee their benefit plans to ensure compliance and reduce risk
- Advise clients regarding benefit and tax issues related to non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements, equity-based compensation plans, and separation arrangements
- Negotiate compensation packages and employment agreements for senior executive officers
- Advise employers on compliance with Affordable Care Act, including negotiations with the IRS on reporting penalties
- Advise large employers on restructuring of retiree medical benefits to reduce costs and liabilities
- Assist public and private companies with employee benefit matters related to mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions, including diligence, negotiation and integration
Related News & Insights
-
Firm News
Jun 4, 2026
Seyfarth Earns Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2026
-
Recognition
08/21/2025
231 Seyfarth Lawyers Selected as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2026; 8 Seyfarth Attorneys Honored as “Lawyer of the Year” in Their Practices
-
Media Mentions
07/01/2025
Seyfarth’s Addition of 22-Lawyer Group Earns Extensive Coverage Across Multiple Major Media Outlets
-
Firm News
06/30/2025
Seyfarth Continues Aggressive National Growth by Adding Transactional Team of at Least 22 Attorneys
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2024-2026)
- Recognized by Chambers USA for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (2020-2025), Ranked Band One for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (2026)
- Georgia Association of Pension Plan Trustees (GAPPT)
- American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA)
- National Association of Public Pension Attorneys (NAPPA)
- Southeast Benefits Education Network (SBEN)
- Worldwide Employee Benefits Network (WEB)
- Co-presenter, "Legislative Update," Georgia Association of Public Plan Trustees’ (GAPPT) Sixteenth Annual Conference (March 24-27, 2025)
- Presenter, "Roles and Responsibilities of Key Players – Fiduciary Responsibilities," Georgia Association of Pension Plan Trustees Annual Conference (September 25, 2013)
- Presenter, "Hot Topics in Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans," Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta (September 18, 2013)
- Presenter, "Roles and Responsibilities of Key Players – Fiduciary Responsibilities," Georgia Association of Pension Plan Trustees Annual Conference (September 28, 2010)
Ed provides strategic guidance to employers to help them manage their most pressing employee benefits and executive compensation challenges.
More About Ed
Ed practices primarily in the area of employee benefits and executive compensation. He guides employers on the legal issues arising in connection with corporate mergers and acquisitions, plan mergers, and plan terminations. Clients frequently turn to Ed to help them correct plan document failures, operational errors, and other administrative issues under applicable self-correction and voluntary correction programs. Ed also assists clients with their fiduciary obligations under ERISA and frequently provides fiduciary training programs.
Ed frequently represents governmental employers and committees overseeing governmental plans and has extensive experience addressing the specialized needs of governmental plans, including compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Ed also represents college savings and ABLE plans formed pursuant to Sections 529 and 529A of the Internal Revenue Code, regularly advising such plans on regulatory compliance issues, including compliance with municipal securities laws.
Ed frequently represents governmental employers and committees overseeing governmental plans and has extensive experience addressing the specialized needs of governmental plans, including compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Ed also represents college savings and ABLE plans formed pursuant to Sections 529 and 529A of the Internal Revenue Code, regularly advising such plans on regulatory compliance issues, including compliance with municipal securities laws.
- JD, William Mitchell College of Law
- BBA, Mercer University
- BA, Mercer University
- Georgia
- Minnesota
Related Services
- Conduct substantive plan document and operational compliance reviews for large pension plans and 401(k) plans
- Advise public and private companies on “pension de-risking” transactions
- Represented public and private companies on spinoffs and terminations of pension plans, including the accompanying group annuity purchases
- Advise large employers on fiduciary governance for their benefit plans, including restructuring the fiduciary committees that oversee their benefit plans to ensure compliance and reduce risk
- Advise clients regarding benefit and tax issues related to non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements, equity-based compensation plans, and separation arrangements
- Negotiate compensation packages and employment agreements for senior executive officers
- Advise employers on compliance with Affordable Care Act, including negotiations with the IRS on reporting penalties
- Advise large employers on restructuring of retiree medical benefits to reduce costs and liabilities
- Assist public and private companies with employee benefit matters related to mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions, including diligence, negotiation and integration
Related News & Insights
-
Firm News
Jun 4, 2026
Seyfarth Earns Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2026
-
Recognition
08/21/2025
231 Seyfarth Lawyers Selected as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2026; 8 Seyfarth Attorneys Honored as “Lawyer of the Year” in Their Practices
-
Media Mentions
07/01/2025
Seyfarth’s Addition of 22-Lawyer Group Earns Extensive Coverage Across Multiple Major Media Outlets
-
Firm News
06/30/2025
Seyfarth Continues Aggressive National Growth by Adding Transactional Team of at Least 22 Attorneys
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2024-2026)
- Recognized by Chambers USA for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (2020-2025), Ranked Band One for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (2026)
- Georgia Association of Pension Plan Trustees (GAPPT)
- American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA)
- National Association of Public Pension Attorneys (NAPPA)
- Southeast Benefits Education Network (SBEN)
- Worldwide Employee Benefits Network (WEB)
- Co-presenter, "Legislative Update," Georgia Association of Public Plan Trustees’ (GAPPT) Sixteenth Annual Conference (March 24-27, 2025)
- Presenter, "Roles and Responsibilities of Key Players – Fiduciary Responsibilities," Georgia Association of Pension Plan Trustees Annual Conference (September 25, 2013)
- Presenter, "Hot Topics in Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans," Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta (September 18, 2013)
- Presenter, "Roles and Responsibilities of Key Players – Fiduciary Responsibilities," Georgia Association of Pension Plan Trustees Annual Conference (September 28, 2010)