KRISTEN DAVIS
Glastonbury,USA
Summary
Legal professional specializing in ERISA compliance within the financial services and retirement plan industry. Skilled in advising on a wide range of ERISA and tax matters across the retirement plan business. Collaborative partner to cross-functional teams, providing strategic legal guidance that drives product development, improves operations, and mitigates risk.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Counsel, Retirement Products & Compliance
Human Interest
San Francisco, USA
03.2023 - Current
- Advise Human Interest on laws and regulations impacting the retirement plan business, including the application of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code to retirement plan products and services
- Partner with the product and engineering teams to integrate applicable retirement plan regulatory requirements into recordkeeping platform development, supporting scalability while promoting customer experience
- Provide strategic guidance on retirement, ERISA, and tax matters during the design and implementation of new and existing business policies and procedures across various business teams
- Deliver training to internal teams to promote retirement plan knowledge ensuring company compliance
- Advise on tax qualification and ERISA application to plan operational matters, including advising on applicable IRS corrections on larger scale incidents, and assist with the resolution of complex plan issues
- Provide mentorship and oversight to a legal analyst, enhancing their skills in writing, legal research, and compliance
- Monitor and communicate legislative and regulatory changes and guide implementation across business processes
- Interpret and provide guidance on the pre-approved plan document utilized by Human Interest clients
- Engage with DOL and other regulators and respond to regulatory inquiries
- Resolve contractual and operational disputes with plan sponsors and their counsel and successfully negotiate settlement agreements to mitigate litigation risk and preserve business relationships
- Advise on privacy matters impacting retirement plan administration and Human Interest's AI governance
Counsel - Employee Benefits
Empower Retirement
Denver, USA
01.2021 - 03.2023
- Provided legal advice to Empower regarding the tax qualification and application of ERISA to employee benefit plans supporting the sales, operations, marketing, and compliance functions
- Provided legal counsel during the integration of MassMutual's retirement business to Empower, ensuring compliant plan migration to Empower's recordkeeping platform while mitigating regulatory and operational risk
- Monitored and communicated regulatory developments to internal clients, plan sponsor clients, and participants, including advising on SECURE 2.0 to support compliance and effective plan administration
- Negotiated and advised on a variety of agreements, including Empower's master services agreement and settlement agreements, with plan sponsors and their legal counsel
- Responded to DOL and IRS regulatory inquiries and subpoenas
- Assisted in the resolution of participant and plan sponsor complaints, and advised on plan document issues, plan operational issues and the IRS EPCRS program
Staff Attorney - ERISA
MassMutual
Enfield, USA
07.2017 - 12.2020
- Provided legal advice to MassMutual's Retirement Services Business, which included advising on ERISA and retirement plan matters for 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans
- Advised MassMutual on day-to-day legal matters including risk-based compliance approaches to its business policies and procedures, analysis of technical ERISA and tax issues, plan operational issues, and IRS EPCRS program
- Drafted and negotiated administrative service agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and settlement agreements to effectively resolve plan sponsor and participant complaints
- Drafted and reviewed IRS Voluntary Correction Program applications
- Reviewed and responded to liens, garnishments, power of attorney forms, and other court orders related to plan participants and performed legal research with respect to a variety of retirement plan matters
- Responded to requests for proposal and other pre-sale inquiries with respect to MassMutual's legal positions on product and service offerings, regulatory developments and plan administration best practices
- Conducted a legal and compliance review of MassMutual's marketing materials and other external communications
- Participated in the Law Department's pro bono initiatives
Associate Attorney
Morrison Mahoney LLP
Hartford, USA
12.2013 - 03.2014
- Provided assistance to Attorney's in litigation defense practice, including general legal research, document review, and drafting of FOIA requests
Legal Intern
Bose Corporation
Framingham, USA
01.2013 - 05.2013
- Provided legal support in the area of trademark law, including trademark clearance, prosecution, maintenance and enforcement on a global basis
- Researched and investigated sellers of counterfeit products
- Drafted cease and desist letters, settlement agreements, USPTO office action responses, and notice of opposition to be filed with the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
- Conducted legal research to support Intellectual Property litigation
Summer Legal Internship
Iron Mountain
Boston, USA
06.2012 - 08.2012
- Reviewed and negotiated a variety of customer contracts, including non-disclosure agreements, contract amendments, and service agreements, for $3 billion global information management company
- Researched and drafted legal memoranda for attorneys in the compliance, contracts, and intellectual property groups on various topics, including Canadian privacy regulations, state medical waste regulations, and class action lawsuits for data breaches
Education
Juris Doctor -
Suffolk University Law School
Boston, MA05.2013
Bachelor of Business Administration -
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA05.2007
Skills
- ERISA & Internal Revenue Code compliance
- Recordkeeping platform & product development
- Regulatory monitoring and analysis
- Cross functional collaboration and training
- Contract drafting and negotiation
- Risk management and dispute resolution
Certification
- Connecticut, 11/01/13
- Massachusetts, 11/01/13
Timeline
Senior Counsel, Retirement Products & Compliance
Human Interest
03.2023 - Current
Counsel - Employee Benefits
Empower Retirement
01.2021 - 03.2023
Staff Attorney - ERISA
MassMutual
07.2017 - 12.2020
Associate Attorney
Morrison Mahoney LLP
12.2013 - 03.2014
Legal Intern
Bose Corporation
01.2013 - 05.2013
Summer Legal Internship
Iron Mountain
06.2012 - 08.2012
Juris Doctor -
Suffolk University Law School
Bachelor of Business Administration -
James Madison University