Jennifer Kobayashi

312.833.5299
jenkobayashi@wkalegal.com

Jennifer Kobayashi is a partner at Wang Kobayashi Austin, LLC and practices in the area of employee benefits and executive compensation.

Jennifer has experience in a broad range of benefits and compensation matters, including qualified retirement plans, executive compensation, and welfare benefit plans. Jennifer frequently advises employers on correcting qualified plan errors, and has prepared numerous submissions under the IRS plan correction program. She also advises employers on plan mergers and plan terminations, including the preparation of related plan amendments, resolutions, IRS filings, and employee communications.

Jennifer handles the employee benefits and executive compensation aspects of a variety of corporate transactions, and advises on issues such as the assumption and integration of employee benefit plans and multiemployer and defined benefit pension plan obligations.

Jennifer has extensive experience with welfare benefit plans, including cafeteria plans, wrap plan documents, and severance plans, and regularly advises on compliance with ERISA, COBRA, and HIPAA requirements, including HIPAA privacy and security. She regularly counsels clients on the benefit claims and appeals process for both welfare and retirement benefits.

Prior to forming Wang Kobayashi Austin, Jennifer was an attorney in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Department of Winston & Strawn LLP.

Jennifer has received an AV Preeminent Rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 from Martindale-Hubbell.

Education:

J.D., University of California at Berkeley School of Law (Boalt), 2001
     Senior Articles Editor, Asian Law Journal

B.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1996
    Sociology, with distinction

Admitted:

Illinois

Presentations/Articles:

• "Health Care Reform and its Effect on Illinois Employers," DuPage County Bar Association, Lisle, IL (January 2013).
• "ERISA Employee Welfare Benefit Plans Wraps and SPDs," Strafford Live Webinar (November 2012).
• "The Golden Years: Addressing Disparities in Retirement," Chicago Bar Association, Chicago, IL (November 2011).
• "Benefit Law Changes Under the New Administration," Winston & Strawn LLP eLunch Briefings (April 2009).
• "Treasury TARP-edoes Executive Compensation Arrangements," with Sherene A. Jodrey, Practical Tax Strategies, February 2009.
• "Section 409A Deadline: And This Time the Government Means It," Winston & Strawn LLP eLunch Briefings (September 2008).

Professional Activities:

• American Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
• Chicago Bar Association
• IRS Tax Exempt/Government Entities Council, Great Lakes Area
• Domestic Violence Legal Clinic, Board Member