With over 25 years of experience, Gary Blachman is a skilled employee benefits and executive compensation lawyer, counseling companies to mitigate financial and legal risks by developing best practices in corporate governance and compliance policy. Gary's experience extends to advising clients on corporate benefits issues during mergers and acquisitions, including crafting post-acquisition benefit strategies. He is proficient at designing, implementing, and terminating executive incentive compensation programs, ensuring compliance with Code Section 280G, 409A, 162(m) rules and other cash and equity incentive plans. He regularly negotiates employment and separation agreements for senior C-Suite executives and provides fiduciary compliance training for retirement committee members.

Gary’s practice also covers the representation of employers in the design, implementation, and administration of tax-qualified retirement plans (defined benefit pension plans, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, and 457(b) plans) coupled with an evaluation of associated risk with respect to varying options as they pertain to the entity’s legal and regulatory compliance in this area. Gary also advises on matters related to the Affordable Care Act and HIPAA, and ongoing welfare plan compliance. His direct experience with the IRS and U.S. Department of Labor audits allows him to efficiently and effectively negotiate settlements with these agencies as well as leverage voluntary correction programs.

Before entering private practice, Gary served as a consultant and in-house counsel for an independent human resources and employee benefits solutions firm. In this role, he provided guidance on federal tax, pension, and health and welfare law issues, designed and maintained various retirement and compensation plans, and negotiated compliance matters with the IRS and U.S. Department of Labor. Earlier in his career, Gary worked as a pension investigator with the U.S. Department of Labor, where he investigated prohibited transactions and fiduciary violations, conducted interviews, issued subpoenas, and prepared cases for litigation. He also conducted civil investigations and financial audits of corporations and banks sponsoring 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), and other qualified pension and welfare plans.

Gary is a contributing editor to the Employee Benefits Plan Review and Plan Consultant magazine. He has held leadership positions with the American Retirement Association (ASPPA), including vice-chair of IRS regional and national conferences and chair of general conferences. He has also served as chair of the employee benefits committee of the Cincinnati Bar Association, president of the Cincinnati chapter of ASPPA, and is the immediate past chair of the IRS Great Lakes TE/GE Council in Chicago.