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Ms. Roberson provides strategic advice on a broad spectrum of employee benefits matters including health and welfare plans, qualified retirement plans, executive compensation arrangements, and equity compensation plans. She advises global public companies, tax-exempt organizations, universities, and governments. She represents clients before U.S. federal agencies responsible for regulating employee benefits plans, including the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
Ms. Roberson’s experience includes plan design and drafting, regulatory compliance, ERISA litigation, and handling employee benefits matters and plans in corporate transactions. In addition, Ms. Roberson has extensive experience advising employers and state governments on compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “Affordable Care Act”).
A member of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation, Employee Benefits Committee, Ms. Roberson often speaks and writes on employee benefits topics.
- Provide strategic advice to plan sponsors on benefit plan design, implementation, and administration.
- Advocate for employer sponsors of tax-qualified retirement plans before the U.S. Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service in connection with plan audits or to correct operational and document errors under voluntary correction programs.
- Testify before federal and state governmental authorities on issues related to the Affordable Care Act.
- Counsel employers and service providers on design and implementation of wellness programs and international health and welfare plans.
- Advise companies and non-profit organizations on the design of non-qualified deferred compensation plans and executive compensation arrangements.
- Advise on employee benefit matters arising from acquisitions of other companies, including qualified plan mergers, severance benefits, and excess parachute payments.
Pro Bono
- Developed a proposal for environmental advocacy group regarding new regulations for the allocation of timber concessions in Liberia.
- Advised a Virginia citizen's organization concerned with the environmental impacts of a proposed access and parking development project to be implemented by the U.S. Park Service.
Memberships and Affiliations
- American Bar Association Section of Taxation, Employee Benefits Committee
February 2021
As the legal, regulatory, and commercial implications of coronavirus COVID-19 continue to evolve, our lawyers and advisors are helping clients navigate the complex considerations that companies around the world are facing and develop plans and strategies in response. Reach out to our COVID-19 task force at COVID19@cov.com. Below is a compendium of resources ...
January 21, 2021, Inside Compensation
On January 12, 2021, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (“EBSA”) of the Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced new guidance on a range of issues related to missing participants: In Missing Participants – Best Practices for Pension Plans, EBSA has provided examples of best practices that it has identified as being effective at minimizing and ...
December 17, 2020, Covington Alert
On December 10, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association holding that Arkansas’s Act 900, which regulates pharmacy benefit managers’ (“PBMs”) pharmacy reimbursement practices, is not pre-empted by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). PBMs have long asserted ...
December 3, 2020, Inside Compensation
On October 29, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and the Department of the Treasury released the final “Transparency in Coverage” rule. The rule requires most group health plans and issuers to provide individualized cost-sharing information to participants, beneficiaries and enrollees upon request, and to publicly ...
July 20, 2020, Inside Compensation
On May 27, 2020, the Department of Labor (“DOL” or “Department”) published a final rule providing an alternative safe harbor for furnishing ERISA pension plan disclosures electronically on a website or via email. We previously blogged about the proposed rule here. This post provides an overview of the final rule and highlights some key changes...… Continue ...
May 15, 2020, Covington Alert
On May 7, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced that it had finalized the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2021 (“2021 NBPP Final Rule”). The final rule, which will go into effect on July 13, 2020, expressly allows certain health plans to determine, to the extent permitted by state law, whether to count pharmaceutical ...
May 14, 2020, Inside Compensation
On May 12, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) published Notices 2020-29 and 2020-33. Notice 2020-29 is the latest installment in COVID-19 relief guidance targeted at health and welfare benefits. The Notice enables employers to provide flexibility to employees to modify their health coverage and flexible spending account (“FSA”) elections and gives ...
April 17, 2020, Inside Compensation
On April 11, 2020, the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services issued joint guidance on certain provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act relating to health and welfare benefits. This post analyzes some of the key provisions in the guidance....… ...
April 6, 2020, Inside Compensation
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the largest economic stimulus bill in U.S. history: the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). In this blog article, we take a closer look at the provisions affecting health and welfare plans. Coverage of COVID-19 Tests and Associated Visits Starting April 2, 2020, the...… Continue Reading
March 11, 2020, Inside Compensation
The Internal Revenue Service has issued guidance (Notice 2020-15) that allows sponsors of high deductible health plans (“HDHPs”) to reimburse up to the full cost of medical care services and items for testing and treatment of COVID-19 before plan participants meet the plan’s minimum statutory deductible. Accordingly, participants in a HDHP that waives cost ...
March 9, 2020, Inside Compensation
Businesses are rapidly developing strategies to continue functioning and protect their workforces in the face of the growing Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. For obvious reasons, businesses may want to deploy health screening, testing, and professional medical advice services—including telemedicine—to their employees and dependents. It is critical that employers’ ...
March 6, 2020, Covington Alert
Businesses are rapidly developing strategies to continue functioning and protect their workforces in the face of the growing Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. For obvious reasons, businesses may want to deploy health screening, testing, and professional medical advice services—including telemedicine—to their employees and dependents. It is critical that ...
December 19, 2019, Inside Compensation
In October, the U.S. Department of Labor released a proposed rule that would increase plan administrators’ ability to make certain required ERISA pension disclosures through electronic, rather than paper, delivery. Below is a summary of the proposed rule with some highlights on aspects of the proposal that have been questioned by interested parties and ...
December 19, 2019, Inside Compensation
The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury released a new “Transparency in Coverage” proposed rule that requires most group health plans and issuers to publicly disclose negotiated rates with in-network providers and historical data showing amounts paid for covered items or services furnished by out-of-network providers. In addition, group ...
June 29, 2018, Covington Alert
In January, the Department of Labor (DOL or the “Department”) proposed a rule to allow more Association Health Plans (AHPs) to be regulated as large group health plans. The proposed rule garnered national attention and the Department received over 900 stakeholder comments from consumer groups, individual employers, employer associations, health insurance ...
February 14, 2018, Covington Alert
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Act”) became Pub. Law 115-97 on December 22, 2017. Many of its more startling provisions have become well known since then. Of less dramatic impact are several provisions affecting qualified employer plans, fringe benefits, and certain kinds of compensation. These provisions are described in this client alert. This client ...
January 16, 2018, Covington Alert
On January 5, 2018, the Department of Labor (DOL or the “Department”) published a proposed rule to allow more Association Health Plans (AHPs) to be regulated as large group health plans. 83 Fed. Reg. 614 (Jan. 5, 2018) (to be codified at 29 C.F.R. pt. 2510). The proposed regulation was developed in response to President Trump’s October 12, 2017 Executive Order ...
October 13, 2017, Covington Alert
In a court filing this morning and an Executive Order issued yesterday, the Trump Administration announced major policy changes affecting health insurers and employers. The Administration intends to cease making cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurers, while also expanding the availability of Association Health Plans, short-term health plans, and ...
Affordable Care Act Issues for US Expatriates
September 18, 2015, ABA Meeting
May 28, 2013
NEW YORK, May 28, 2013 — Omthera Pharmaceuticals and AstraZeneca announced today that the companies entered into a merger agreement under which AstraZeneca will acquire all of the outstanding stock of Omthera for an upfront payment of $12.70 in cash per share, approximately $323 million aggregate value ($260 million after subtracting cash), plus a contingent ...
October 22, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC, October 22, 2012 — Covington & Burling served as ERISA counsel to Verizon Communications Inc. on its transfer of $7.5 billion in pension liabilities to The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Many sponsors of defined benefit plans, especially frozen plans, are considering ways to “de-risk” by reducing or eliminating the volatility ...
November 7, 2011, BNA's Health Care Policy Report
June 28, 2011, Covington Advisory
Covington Announces Five New Counsel
April 1, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC, April 1, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP is pleased to announce the promotion of two lawyers to of counsel and three lawyers to special counsel. The new of counsel are as follows: Alex Chinoy (Washington) focuses his practice on the resolution of international intellectual property disputes, with an emphasis on Section 337 unfair import ...
September 9, 2010, Covington Advisory
July 27, 2010, Covington Advisory
May 11, 2010, Covington Advisory
April 1, 2010, Covington Advisory
February 4, 2010, Covington Advisory
Covington Advises Pfizer on Acquisition of Serenex
3/3/2008
NEW YORK, NY, March 3, 2008 — Pfizer Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Serenex Inc., a privately held biotechnology company. Covington & Burling LLP advised Pfizer on the transaction. Pfizer, the world’s largest research-based biomedical and pharmaceutical company, discovers and develops innovative medicines to treat and help ...
1/8/2008
WASHINGTON, DC, January 8, 2008 — Joy Global Inc., a worldwide leader in high-productivity mining solutions, reported today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the stock of NES Investment, Co., the parent holding company of Continental Global Inc. Continental designs, manufactures, installs and services highly engineered bulk material ...
1/2/2008
NEW YORK, NY, January 2, 2008 — Pfizer announced on December 31 that it has completed the cash tender offer for the outstanding shares of common stock of Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Inc., a publicly-held biopharmaceutical company specializing in vaccine adjuvant technology and a new class of immunomodulatory drug candidates designed to fight cancers, allergy and ...
Covington Advises Pfizer on Acquisition of CovX
12/18/2007
NEW YORK, NY, December 18, 2007 — Pfizer Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire CovX, a privately-held biotherapeutics company. Covington & Burling LLP advised Pfizer on the transaction. Pfizer, the world’s largest research-based biomedical and pharmaceutical company, discovers and develops innovative medicines to treat and help ...
4/12/2007
NEW YORK, NY, April 12, 2007 — Boart Longyear Group announced that it has completed its Australian initial public offering for A$2.75 billion, which was Australia’s largest IPO in nine years. The final price of shares was A$1.85. Boart Longyear expects normal trading of its shares to commence on April 16, 2007. Covington & Burling LLP advised the management ...
Covington Advises Pfizer in Acquisition of BioRexis
February 1, 2007
NEW YORK, NY, February 1, 2007 — Covington & Burling LLP advised Pfizer in the acquisition of BioRexis, a privately held biopharmaceutical company. The transaction is expected to close in the first or second quarter of 2007. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.BioRexis is developing long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonists for the potential ...
Covington Advises JLG Industries in $3.2 Billion Merger into Oshkosh Truck Corporation
10/16/2006
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 16, 2006 — The board of directors of JLG Industries, Inc. (NYSE: JLG) has approved an all cash offer of $28.00 per common share to merge with, and become, a subsidiary of Oshkosh Truck Corporation (NYSE: OSK). According to JLG’s press release, the $3.2 billion merger is dependent on the approval of JLG shareholders. The transaction is ...
COVID-19: Legal and Business Toolkit
We are helping clients around the world navigate this evolving, complex situation.