Natalie Nathanson Joins Jackson Lewis

CHICAGO, IL (April 15, 2015) Jackson Lewis P.C., one of the country’s largest and fastest-growing workplace law firms, is pleased to announce Natalie M. Nathanson has joined the firm’s Chicago office as Shareholder.  Ms. Nathanson, who was previously Senior Counsel at Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc., brings to Jackson Lewis over a decade of in-house and large firm experience in the field of employee benefits and executive compensation.

“Natalie’s arrival immediately strengthens our employee benefits capabilities in the Midwest and across the country, and I could not be happier to welcome this key player to our growing team,” said Joy M. Napier-Joyce, Leader of Jackson Lewis’ Employee Benefits Practice Group.  “A recognized leader in the field, Natalie’s diverse background and outstanding reputation combine to make her a great asset for our practice and the firm as a whole.”

“We are pleased to add Natalie to the Chicago office’s expanding roster of high-quality talent,” said Jane M. McFetridge, Managing Shareholder of Jackson Lewis’ Chicago office.  “Her depth of experience gained from serving as both in-house counsel and a law firm partner will be instrumental in further enhancing Jackson Lewis’ ability to provide full-service advice and counsel to our growing client list.”

While at Fortune Brands Home & Security, Ms. Nathanson provided complex legal services to parent and subsidiary companies in connection with all employee benefits plans; ensured compliance with applicable federal laws and regulations, including ERISA, PPACA, COBRA and HIPAA; and designed and drafted employee benefit plans, amendments and SPDs.  She also regularly counseled company executives regarding union negotiations and proxy disclosures and provided guidance to the organization’s Employee Benefits Administrative and Trust Investment Committees.

She was previously a Partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP, where she counseled Fortune 500 companies regarding emerging trends including PPACA compliance, minimizing risk through lump-sum cashout features and domestic partner benefit issues, and developed strategies for benefit plans to successfully manage Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor audits and investigations.  While there she also counseled clients regarding day-to-day questions with respect to various nonqualified retirement plans and negotiated CEO employment agreements for high net worth CEOs. 

Ms. Nathanson, who sits on the Programming Committee of the Worldwide Employee Benefits Network, also serves on the Board of Advisors of Chicago’s Ladder Up, which is a local non-profit whose mission is to help local families who are living below the poverty line by providing free financial services and education. 

Ms. Nathanson received her B.A. in Accounting and Finance from Tulane University and her Masters of Accounting from Tulane’s A.B. Freeman School of Business.  She received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law. 

Jackson Lewis’ Chicago office can be reached at (312) 787-4949.