Press Release

Taft-Hartley Benefits Firm Joins The Wagner Law Group

Issued by The Wagner Law Group P.C.

Sept. 27, 2021

We are pleased to announce the opening of our new Iowa office with the acquisition of Germaine Law Firm, PLLC. The acquisition includes the addition of attorney Jason Kotlyarov, who will be joining our firm as an associate, attorney Jennifer Germaine, who will be joining us as a consultant, and Paralegal Kate Prenatt. We are delighted that Jason, Jennifer and Kate are joining our firm. Their combined vast experience in the area of multiemployer funds will serve as a tremendous asset to our firm’s continued growth in that realm.

Jason Kotlyarov focuses his practice on representation of training funds for construction trades as well as other jointly managed multiemployer ("Taft-Hartley") funds, including defined benefit, defined contribution and health and welfare funds. He provides comprehensive representation for multiemployer plans, including review and preparation of standards and policies, compliance with regulations and requirements issued by the Department of Labor, plan design and drafting, litigation in federal and state courts, and compliance with state law as well as ERISA, HIPAA, the Internal Revenue Code and other relevant federal law.

Additionally, Jason specializes in privacy and cybersecurity law. He drafts policies and procedures to ensure that his clients are in compliance with the rapidly changing state and federal requirements, and are prepared for breaches and events such as accidents or natural disasters. Jason also advises clients on best practices for meeting cybersecurity-related fiduciary responsibilities. He earned an LL.M in taxation, a J.D. and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from University of Missouri.

Jennifer Germaine advises apprenticeship programs across the nation on handling risks and identifying hidden opportunities. She is respected as a thought leader on apprenticeship programs through her speaking, writing and founding of the podcast, Talking Training with the Trades. Her practice focuses primarily on multiemployer, Taft-Hartley benefit plans, including advising boards of trustees of collectively bargained multiemployer health and welfare plans, retirement plans (defined contribution and pension plans) and apprenticeship programs with respect to plan design, compliance, participant communications, and litigation. Jennifer received her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law and has an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Northern Iowa.

Kate Prenatt has an excellent understanding of the complexities of multiemployer Taft-Hartley benefit plans, as well as trade-union apprenticeship matters. Her 17 years of experience working as an office manager for a labor union make her uniquely suited to working with Taft-Hartley benefit plans.

Our attorneys have been working with Taft-Hartley benefit plans since 1979, either as Fund Counsel, Independent Fiduciary, or in regulatory practice working within the Department of Labor and the PBGC. With the addition of Mr. Kotlyarov, Ms. Germaine and Ms. Prenatt, our firm has again shown its commitment to the longevity and growth of these jointly administered, collectively bargained plans that cover millions of workers across the country. We have great depth of knowledge in the laws and regulations governing Taft-Hartley plans, including the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA, and their numerous complex updates in addition to the relevant provisions of the Social Security Act (including the Medicare provisions), securities and bankruptcy law, and the Taft-Hartley Act itself. Our attorneys have advised a wide variety of union-affiliated pension (defined benefit and defined contribution), welfare, disability, vacation and apprenticeship plans on compliance, administration, and general advice in support of the boards of trustees. Our services include plan drafting and amendment, litigation, collections, and ongoing advice for daily operations, fiduciary responsibility, benefit claims, reporting and disclosure, delinquency claims, and withdrawal liability, and related arbitration or litigation, including appeals. We also provide counsel on the numerous issues that present during the course of plan administration and management, such as pension funding issues, plan design, service provider contracts, investment matters, tax qualification, plan mergers and dissolution, etc.

The Wagner Law Group

The Wagner Law Group is a nationally recognized practice in the areas of ERISA, employee benefits and executive compensation, labor, employment and human resources, investment management, bankruptcy and restructuring, HIPAA, privacy and security, litigation, tax-exempt organizations, trusts and estates and family law.

Established in 1996, The Wagner Law Group is dedicated to the highest standards of integrity, excellence and thought leadership and is considered to be amongst the nation's premier ERISA and employee benefits law firms. The firm has 12 offices across the country, providing unparalleled legal advice to its clients, including large, small and nonprofit corporations as well as individuals and government entities worldwide. The Wagner Law Group's 42 attorneys, senior benefits consultant and seven paralegals combine many years of experience in their fields of practice with a variety of backgrounds. The firm is recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a Tier 1 Best Law Firm in the areas of ERISA and employee benefits. Nine of the firm's attorneys are AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and nine are Fellows of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, an invitation-only organization of nationally recognized employee benefits lawyers. Seven of the firm's attorneys have been named to the prestigious Super Lawyers list for 2021, which highlights outstanding lawyers based on a rigorous selection process. The Wagner Law Group is certified as a woman-owned and operated business by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council.

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