Legal Update: Avoiding Costly Mistakes in Plan Design, Documentation & Compliance

An effective total rewards strategy is more than a collection of benefit offerings—it’s a carefully structured framework that supports talent attraction, retention, compliance, and financial sustainability. In this highly practical session, Robert West and Marsha Woodward, ERISA attorneys with the law firm of Haynes Benefits, PC., will share legal real-world insights into the most common—and most costly—mistakes they see in total rewards plan design and administration.  They will also discuss developing legal trends and current legal issues affecting both health and retirement plans.

Drawing from years of legal experience reviewing plan documents and advising organizations, they will walk through best practices and critical pitfalls across key areas including 401(k) plans, pharmaceutical and health plan benefits setup, fiduciary obligations and compliance errors overall benefits structure, and compensation guidelines. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how misaligned plan documents, compliance oversights, and inconsistent compensation practices can create risk and unintended consequences.

This session will equip HR leaders and Total Rewards professionals with actionable legal strategies to strengthen governance, improve plan design, ensure regulatory compliance, and align compensation and benefits programs with organizational goals. Participants will leave with a practical checklist of red flags to watch for—and a roadmap for building more effective, legally compliant, and competitive total rewards programs.

Registration Fees (includes beverages and breakfast): 

• $35 Members
• $60 Non-Members/Guests

A special thank you to our sponsor: 

NOTE: This session will qualify for SHRM and HRCI recertification credit; however, participants must manually enter the activity into their certification portal to receive credit.