Melanie K. Curtice Joins Perkins Coie

SEATTLE, Wash. (August 22, 2016) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Melanie K. Curtice has joined the firm’s Tax Benefits & Compensation group as a partner in the Seattle office where she counsels employers on the legal issues associated with the health and welfare benefit arrangements for their employees.
 
“Melanie is an extremely talented and sought after employee benefits attorney,” said Susan Daley, Chair of Perkins Coie’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation practice. “Her extensive knowledge of complex employee health and welfare issues, HIPAA privacy challenges and ERISA compliance matters places her among a select group of  exemplary counsel in this area of law.”
 
Melanie’s practice spans every area of the public and private sector advising employers on their health and welfare benefit agreements.  She assists companies to establish policies and procedures to remain compliant with ERISA, HIPAA and other federal and state requirements.  She supports employers in connection with their self-funded, high-deductible plans and savings accounts, including advising on ERISA fiduciary matters.  She also advises on benefit plan issues that arise in connection with M&A due diligence and closed transactions, including post-transaction issues associated with the acquired entity, and she counsels management on issues that stem from collective bargaining, including the production of creative plan and contribution designs.
 
“Melanie is a fantastic addition to Perkins Coie,” said Fred Rivera, Office Managing Partner of the firm’s Seattle office.  “Her experience and exceptional legal background underscore the level of counsel that clients expect from Perkins Coie in managing their health plan offerings.  I am delighted to welcome her to the firm.”
 
Melanie is listed in Best Lawyers in America (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, 2012-2017) and named Lawyer of the Year (2014 and 2017) practicing in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law - Pension, Health and Welfare, Health Care Law and was selected as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” (Washington) by Chambers USA (Labor & Employment: Employee Benefits & Compensation , 2010-2015).  She was appointed by former Governor Christine Gregoire to serve on the first governing board of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (2012-2014).   Melanie received her J.D., cum laude, from the Seattle University School of Law and her B.A. from California State Polytechnic University.  Melanie previously was a partner at Stoel Rives LLP.
 
Attorneys in Perkins Coie’s Tax, Benefits & Compensation practice focus on advising publicly traded, privately held and tax-exempt entities on a broad range of international, federal, state and local tax matters and on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation matters.  The firm regularly assist clients with a variety of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcies, restructurings, financings, real estate transactions, ERISA plan asset investments, workforce reductions and securities disclosures.  Perkins Coie’s integrated approach to serving the tax, benefits and compensation needs of its clients also extends to practitioners in many other disciplines, such as corporate, securities, employment and litigation.
 
About Perkins Coie: Founded in 1912, Perkins Coie LLP has more than 1,000 lawyers in 19 offices across the United States and Asia.  The firm provides a full array of corporate, commercial litigation and intellectual property legal services to a broad range of clients, from FORTUNE 50 corporations to emerging growth startups, as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.