Alisha Sullivan

Alisha N. Sullivan

Associate

Alisha N. Sullivan

Associate

  • Overview

    Biography

    Alisha Sullivan is a member of the firm's Employee Benefits + Compensation Group. She focuses her practice on counseling a wide range of clients on issues arising from the creation and administration of employee benefit plans, including all aspects of plan design and administration, adhering to ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, and other applicable laws, and plan compliance and correction issues.

    Retirement Plan Design and Administration

    Alisha's practice addresses a broad array of issues relating to the design, drafting, and operation of qualified and nonqualified defined benefit and defined contribution plans, including 401(k), profit-sharing, multiemployer, employee stock ownership and Section 403(b) and 457(b) plans of tax-exempt organizations. She assists with consultation and negotiation with the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation with regard to plan terminations, audits of plans, qualification submissions, plan corrections and other matters.

    Governmental Plans

    Alisha frequently works with state and municipal governmental clients sponsoring and administering benefit plans and programs. She advises these clients on qualified retirement plans and 457(b) plans, from generally applicable requirements to unique rules addressing vesting requirements for governmental plans, pick-up of employee contributions, compliance with Section 415 of the Code, purchase of service and 415(m) excess plans. Additionally, Alisha advises clients on state statutes relating to the implementation and governance of public plans, as well as the interpretation of specific enabling statutes creating various governmental entities. She also assists municipalities and related entities with respect to Length of Service Award Programs (LOSAP), and their creation, design, and administration.

    Health and Welfare Benefit Plans

    Alisha counsels clients on a wide range of health and welfare benefits matters, including issues related to the Affordable Care Act, self-funded health arrangements, wellness and disease management programs, HIPAA privacy and security rules, COBRA administration, cafeteria plans, and various state laws and regulations governing health and welfare plan design and administration.

    Executive Compensation and Equity Arrangements

    She assists with the design, implementation, and maintenance of executive and outside-director compensation and incentive programs, including equity-based plans.

    Fiduciary Advice

    Alisha counsels boards of directors, trustees, investment committees, plan administrators, and plan fiduciaries regarding their duties and responsibilities under federal law. She counsels plan sponsors on all aspects of ERISA fiduciary compliance, including plan governance and plan administration issues.

    Pro Bono

    Alisha provides pro bono services to Connecticut non-profit organizations through the Pro Bono Partnership on a wide range of employee benefit and compensation issues.

    The author of numerous articles on employee benefit matters, Alisha also is a contributor to the firm's ERISA Claim Defense Blog, a platform that offers commentary and insight on administration, evaluation, and litigation of group benefits claims as well as other compliance and litigation issues involving ERISA, and the Data Privacy + Security Insider blog.

    Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, she worked in the law department of a Fortune 500 financial institution, focusing on the area of employee benefits and compensation.

  • Experience
    • Experience

      Experience

      • Routinely drafts plan documents and amendments for health and welfare, qualified and non-qualified benefit plans.

      • Conducts legal research and analysis of a variety of ERISA issues, the Affordable Care Act and related provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

      • Advised Fortune 500 insurance company’s internal Claims Committee, which was tasked with reviewing ERISA claim appeals.

      • Routinely provide guidance on HIPAA compliance issues and review Business Associate Agreements.

      • Drafted a consolidated plan document, which combined a sponsor's multiple retirement plans.

    • Professional Associations

      Professional Associations

      Connecticut Bar Association
      Chair, Women in the Law Committee, Young Lawyers Section Executive Committee (2019)
      Chair, Tax Law Committee, Young Lawyers Section Executive Committee (2018 - 2019)
      Co-chair, Women in the Law Committee, Young Lawyers Section Executive Committee (2017 - 2018)

      American Bar Association

      Massachusetts Bar Association
    • Honors + Awards

      Honors + Awards

      Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Star of the Year Award, 2017-2018 bar year

      Listed as a Rising Star in the 2018 Connecticut Super Lawyers list.

  • NEWS + PRESS
    • Publications

      Publications

      "Terminating a Defined Benefit Plan Checklist," published in Lexis Practice Advisor, co-authored with Virginia E. McGarrity (July 2019)
      • » more info

        • Terminating a Defined Benefit Plan Checklist

        "Terminating a Defined Benefit Plan Checklist," published in Lexis Practice Advisor, co-authored by Alisha N. Sullivan and Virginia E. McGarrity (July 2019)

        Following strong market returns and larger-than-expected employer contributions in anticipation of future corporate rates from tax reform, many employers are finding now to be an optimal time to terminate their pension plans. This checklist provides a detailed and centralized list of the necessary requirements to be used by the various actuarial, legal, and plan administration practitioners tasked with advising an employer through the plan termination process.

      • View article

      "Disaster Relief in the Workplace," published in Labor and Employment Newsletter, co-authored with Virginia E. McGarrity (Fall 2017)
      • » more info

        • Disaster Relief in the Workplace

        "Disaster Relief in the Workplace," published in Labor and Employment Newsletter, co-authored by Alisha N. Sullivan and Virginia E. McGarrity (Fall 2017)

        In this American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Newsletter article, Ms. McGarrity and Ms. Sullivan cover the benefits and resources available to employees by human resource management to assist those who have been affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

      • View article

      "Proposed Expansion of the PBGC's Missing Participant Program," co-authored with Virginia E. McGarrity, published in the Fall 2017 edition of the Public Fiduciary
      • » more info

        • Proposed Expansion of the PBGC's Missing Participant Program

        "Proposed Expansion of the PBGC's Missing Participant Program," co-authored by Alisha N. Sullivan and Virginia E. McGarrity, published in the Fall 2017 edition of the Public Fiduciary

        Published in the official newsletter for Fiduciary Investment Advisors (FIA), an independent, employee-owned investment consulting firm that works with fiduciary clients including retirement plan sponsors, institutions, non-profit organizations, and private clients


      "Trump admin. allows employers to opt out of ACA's contraception mandate," published in Hartford Business Journal, co-authored with Virginia E. McGarrity (11/6/2017)

    • Presentations

      Presentations

      "Hot Topics in Employment: Discrimination & Harassment," co-presented with Abby M. Warren, for the CT Bar Association in New Britain, CT (5/14/2019)

      "Tax and Estate Planning," moderator, as part of a career panel at Quinnipiac University (3/4/2019)
      • » more info

        • Tax and Estate Planning

        "Tax and Estate Planning," presented by Alisha N. Sullivan, moderator, as part of a career panel at Quinnipiac University (3/4/2019)

        The discussion was sponsored by the CT Bar Association Young Lawyer's Section, the Tax Section and Estates & Probate Section of the CT Bar Association and Quinnipiac University School of Law's Tax Law Society. The panel provided several perspective on the practice of tax law including:
        •  The Decision Process on Entering this Discipline of Law
        •  Challenges to Breaking into Tax Law and How to Overcome Them
        •  Tips on Landing an Appropriate Position
        •  Career Trajectories and Decision Points
        •  What Tax and Estate Planning Lawyers Really Do 
        •  What the Future of Tax and Estate Planning Law Looks Like


      "Panel on Careers in Tax-Related Areas of Practice," for the Quinnipiac University School of Law's Tax Law Society in North Haven, CT (3/4/2019)
      • » more info

        • Panel on Careers in Tax-Related Areas of Practice

        "Panel on Careers in Tax-Related Areas of Practice," presented by Alisha N. Sullivan, for the Quinnipiac University School of Law's Tax Law Society in North Haven, CT (3/4/2019)

        Alisha moderated a four-person panel comprised of lawyers from the tax and estate planning divisions of three law firms in Connecticut and New York as well as a representative from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, providing an overview and varying perspectives on entering the practice of tax law.


      "Struggles Women in Law Face and How Men Can Be Allies," at the Quinnipiac University School of Law in Hamden, Connecticut (11/15/2017)
      • » more info

        • Struggles Women in Law Face and How Men Can Be Allies

        "Struggles Women in Law Face and How Men Can Be Allies," presented by Alisha N. Sullivan, at the Quinnipiac University School of Law in Hamden, Connecticut (11/15/2017)

        The program discussed the challenges women face with negotiation, equal pay, and sexism and how men can be allies.


    • News

      R+C in the News

      • July 26, 2019

        Virginia McGarrity and Alisha Sullivan Co-Author Checklist on Terminating a Defined Benefit Plan Published in Lexis Practice Advisor

        • » more info

          Virginia McGarrity and Alisha Sullivan Co-Author Checklist on Terminating a Defined Benefit Plan Published in Lexis Practice Advisor

          Employee Benefits + Compensation group lawyers Virginia McGarrity and Alisha Sullivan co-authored the article “Terminating a Defined Benefit Plan Checklist,” published in Lexis Practice Advisor. Following strong market returns and larger-than-expected employer contributions in anticipation of future corporate rates from tax reform, many employers are finding now to be an optimal time to terminate their pension plans. This checklist provides a detailed and centralized list of the necessary requirements to be used by the various actuarial, legal, and plan administration practitioners tasked with advising an employer through the plan termination process. View the full article.

        • View article
      • May 15, 2019

        Abby Warren and Alisha Sullivan Speak at CBA's Young Lawyers Section Event

        • » more info

          Abby Warren and Alisha Sullivan Speak at CBA's Young Lawyers Section Event

          Alisha Sullivan organized and moderated the CLE program “Hot Topics in Employment: Discrimination & Harassment,” presented by the Connecticut Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section. She is a member of the Section's Executive Committee. Abby Warren served as a panelist for the program, which examined the history of civil rights in the employment context, the evolution of law in Connecticut based on shifts in society’s general thought, and how sexual harassment and discrimination looks different in the #MeToo era. The panel also discussed counseling employers on dealing with implicit bias and micro-aggressions in the workplace; how Connecticut has been seen as a leader with respect to workplace protections for LGBTQ individuals; how employers are handling claims of discrimination relating to the medical use of marijuana; and different ways employers can limit the risks presented by the electronic communications of employees and supervisors.

      • March 22, 2019

        Alisha Sullivan Moderates Panel on Careers in Tax-Related Areas of Practice

        • » more info

          Alisha Sullivan Moderates Panel on Careers in Tax-Related Areas of Practice

          Employee Benefits + Compensation Group lawyer Alisha N. Sullivan moderated a panel focused on the practice of tax law at Quinnipiac University’s School of Law on March 4, 2019. The discussion was sponsored by the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) Young Lawyer’s Section (YLS) Tax Section, of which Alisha is the Chair, the Tax Section and Estates & Probate Section of the CBA and Quinnipiac University School of Law’s Tax Law Society. The four-person panel was comprised of lawyers from the tax and estate planning divisions of three law firms in Connecticut and New York as well as a representative from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. They offered perspectives on the practice of tax law, including what tax lawyers do, challenges to breaking into tax law and how to overcome them, career trajectories and decision points, and what the future holds for this area of the law.

      • February 12, 2019

        Robinson+Cole Supports Annual CBA-YLS Diversity Award Dinner

      • October 18, 2018

        51 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Recognized by Super Lawyers®

        • » more info

          51 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Recognized by Super Lawyers®

          A total of 51 Robinson+Cole attorneys were named Super Lawyers® in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island for 2018. In addition, 32 attorneys at the firm were recognized as “Rising Stars.” The Super Lawyers designation is based on regional balloting by attorneys, third-party research, and a peer review process encompassing myriad practice areas. An explanation of the Super Lawyers methodology can be found here. View the list of recognized attorneys and their areas of practice.

        • View article
      • June 6, 2018

        Amanda Schreiber and Alisha Sullivan Appointed to Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Leadership Roles

        • » more info

          Amanda Schreiber and Alisha Sullivan Appointed to Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Leadership Roles

          The Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section (CBA-YLS) has appointed Business Litigation Group lawyer Amanda Gordon Schreiber and Employee Benefits + Compensation Group lawyer Alisha N. Sullivan to leadership roles. Ms. Schreiber has been elected to serve as the CBA-YLS Chair-elect and will eventually, pending annual election results, be elevated to lead the CBA-YLS as Chair in 2019. Ms. Sullivan has been named the chair of the CBA-YLS Tax Committee. In addition, she was presented with a CBA-YLS Star of the Year Award in recognition of her previous role as co-chair of the section’s Women in the Law Committee. Read more in the press release.

        • View article
      • January 10, 2018

        Virginia McGarrity and Alisha Sullivan Co-author Article Published in ABA Labor and Employment Law Newsletter

        • » more info

          Virginia McGarrity and Alisha Sullivan Co-author Article Published in ABA Labor and Employment Law Newsletter

          Employee Benefits + Compensation Group lawyers Virginia E. McGarrity and Alisha N. Sullivan co-authored the article "Disaster Relief in the Workplace," published in the Fall 2017 edition of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Labor and Employment Law Newsletter. In the article, Ms. McGarrity and Ms. Sullivan cover the benefits and resources available to employees by human resource management to assist those who have been affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Click here to read the article

      • December 22, 2017

        Virginia McGarrity and Alisha Sullivan Co-author Article Published in the Public Fiduciary

        • » more info

          Virginia McGarrity and Alisha Sullivan Co-author Article Published in the Public Fiduciary

          Employee Benefits + Compensation Group lawyers Virginia E. McGarrity and Alisha N. Sullivan co-authored the article "Proposed Expansion of the PBGC's Missing Participant Program," published in the Fall 2017 edition of the Public Fiduciary, the official newsletter for Fiduciary Investment Advisors (FIA). FIA is an independent, employee-owned investment consulting firm that works with fiduciary clients including retirement plan sponsors, institutions, non-profit organizations, and private clients.

      • November 28, 2017

        Alisha Sullivan Presents on Women in the Law Program at Quinnipiac University

        • » more info

          Alisha Sullivan Presents on Women in the Law Program at Quinnipiac University

          Employee Benefits + Compensation Group lawyer Alisha N. Sullivan was among the panelists in the discussion "Struggles Women in Law Face and How Men Can Be Allies," at the Quinnipiac University School of Law in Hamden, Connecticut, on November 15, 2017. The program discussed the challenges women face with negotiation, equal pay, and sexism and how men can be allies.

      • November 15, 2017

        Virginia McGarrity and Alisha Sullivan Co-author Article Published in the Hartford Business Journal

        • » more info

          Virginia McGarrity and Alisha Sullivan Co-author Article Published in the Hartford Business Journal

          Employee Benefits + Compensation Group lawyers Virginia E. McGarrity and Alisha N. Sullivan co-authored the article "Trump admin. allows employers to opt out of ACA's contraception mandate," published in the November 6, 2017 issue of the Hartford Business Journal. The article offers a pointed update about the expansion of the contraceptive exemption offered to public and private companies citing a religious or moral conviction against providing contraceptive coverage to its employees. Click here to view the entire article.

      • May 30, 2017

        Alisha Sullivan Appointed to CBA’s Young Lawyers Section Roles

        • » more info

          Alisha Sullivan Appointed to CBA’s Young Lawyers Section Roles

          Employee Benefits and Compensation Group lawyer Alisha N. Sullivan has been appointed to the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) Young Lawyers Section’s (YLS) Executive Committee, and she has been named the co-chair for the YLS Women in the Law Committee. Both appointments are for the 2017-18 bar year. The goals of the YLS are to promote justice, encourage public service, and promote diversity and education of young lawyers and newly admitted practitioners. These goals are achieved through educational, public service, and community programs, servicing both junior and senior members of the CBA. The Section, made up of over 2,000 members, also serves a valuable social and network role in introducing young lawyers and assisting them in their transition to the Connecticut legal practice. The Women in the Law Committee plays a key role in planning two of the most well-attended CBA events: The Annual Women’s Professional Golf Event, and in conjunction with the CBA Women in the Law Section, the annual Pathways to Leadership for Women Lawyers dinner where the YLS honors the Ladder Award recipient.

      R+C News Releases

      • June 13, 2017

        Robinson+Cole Lawyers Appointed to Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Leadership Roles

    • Newsletters

      Newsletters

      IRS Issues Long-Awaited Hardship Distribution Guidance (11/16/2018)