Lauren Schuster
Practice Expertise
- Employee Benefits
Areas of Practice
- Employee Benefits
Profile
Collaborative, solutions-oriented employee benefits, executive compensation legal counsel
Lauren Schuster partners with human resources, total rewards, general counsel, transactional attorneys and litigators to develop a strategy and to simplify complex employment tax, compensatory securities and ERISA regulatory issues. Lauren works with public and private companies, nonprofit organizations, districts, universities and public utilities with respect to their benefit and compensation programs. She helps clients navigate transitions and resolve issues related to retirement, health and compensation plans, including:
401(k), profit sharing, 403(b) and 457 retirement plans
Employee stock ownership plans (ESOP)
Collectively-bargained multiemployer pension plans
Self-funded, level-funded and fully insured health plans
ERISA fiduciary best practices, training, prohibited transaction exemptions and compliance issues
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Labor (DOL) benefit plan audits, investigations and corrections
Stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units (RSU), phantom stock and incentive arrangements
Benefits and compensation aspects of mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
On deal teams, Lauren helps buyers and sellers with employee benefits and executive compensation matters, including resolving issues and establishing new equity compensation arrangements and executive employment agreements, as well as identifying and negotiating responsibility for underfunded defined benefit pension plans, retiree medical and insurance arrangements, union multiemployer pension plan issues, non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements and related compliance issues.
Throughout her career, Lauren has been committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and has served in various leadership capacities for LGBTQ+ and disability advocacy organizations.
Lauren Schuster partners with human resources, total rewards, general counsel, transactional attorneys and litigators to develop a strategy and to simplify complex employment tax, compensatory securities and ERISA regulatory issues. Lauren works with public and private companies, nonprofit organizations, districts, universities and public utilities with respect to their benefit and compensation programs. She helps clients navigate transitions and resolve issues related to retirement, health and compensation plans, including:
401(k), profit sharing, 403(b) and 457 retirement plans
Employee stock ownership plans (ESOP)
Collectively-bargained multiemployer pension plans
Self-funded, level-funded and fully insured health plans
ERISA fiduciary best practices, training, prohibited transaction exemptions and compliance issues
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Labor (DOL) benefit plan audits, investigations and corrections
Stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units (RSU), phantom stock and incentive arrangements
Benefits and compensation aspects of mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
On deal teams, Lauren helps buyers and sellers with employee benefits and executive compensation matters, including resolving issues and establishing new equity compensation arrangements and executive employment agreements, as well as identifying and negotiating responsibility for underfunded defined benefit pension plans, retiree medical and insurance arrangements, union multiemployer pension plan issues, non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements and related compliance issues.
Throughout her career, Lauren has been committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and has served in various leadership capacities for LGBTQ+ and disability advocacy organizations.
Bar Admissions
Illinois Missouri Wisconsin
Education
Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, Certificate, Quarles & Brady Leadership Program (2025)
Loyola University Chicago School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2014)
Alpha Sigma Nu
National Jesuit Honor Society
Missouri State University (B.S., 2006)
International Business Administration, Spanish
Areas of Practice
- Employee Benefits
Professional Career
Articles
"Equity-Based Compensation for Corporations, Partnerships and LLCs" 2023 Year-End Employee Benefits Updates Deadline for Employers to Comply with Reproductive Health Care Privacy Changes - Dec. 22, 2024 Department of Labor Proposes Electronic Delivery Safe Harbor for Group Health Plan Disclosures Employer Provided Work-Life Referral Programs Considered Nontaxable Fringe Benefit Employer's Duty to Monitor Retirement Plan's New Investment Advice Fiduciaries ERISA Fiduciary Duties and Voluntary Benefits: New Litigation Trends Final Anti-Discrimination Rule Protecting Gender Identity May Indirectly Impact Employer Health Plans Final Rule under MHPAEA Clarifies NQTL Comparative Analysis Requirement Forfeiture Funds: Legal Requirements, Permitted Uses, and Litigation Risk Management IRS Releases 2025 Limits for Benefit Plans IRS Releases 2026 Limits for Benefit Plans Key SECURE 2.0 Act Updates for Defined Contribution Retirement Plans Limited Guidance on "No Tax on Tips" and "No Tax on Overtime" Deductions Navigating Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Relief: IRS Notice 2024-35 SECURE 2.0 Act Retirement Plan Update: Roth Catch-Up Contributions in 2026 The One Big Beautiful Bill Act and Changes to Certain Workplace Benefits Uncertain Future for ACA Preventive Services Mandate Uncertainty on Health Care Rules Amid Administration Change Year-End Corporate Transparency Act Reporting - Benefits Highlights
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