Rachel J. Markun, Partner, Hawkins Parnell Thackston & Young LLP to Speak at the Knowledge Group’s Event

New York, NY, December 02, 2015 --(PR.com)-- The Knowledge Group/The Knowledge Congress Live Webcast Series, the leading producer of regulatory focused webcasts, has announced today that Rachel J. Markun, Partner, Hawkins Parnell Thackston & Young LLP will speak at the Knowledge Group’s webcast entitled: “Prohibited Transactions Under ERISA: Obstructing Additional Taxes and Major Penalties Live Webcast.” This event is scheduled for December 7, 2015 from 3:00pm – 5:00pm (ET).

For further details, please visit:
https://theknowledgegroup.org/event-homepage/?event_id=1391

About Rachel J. Markun

Rachel J. Markun is a Partner in the Napa office of Hawkins Parnell Thackston & Young LLP. Rachel advises clients regarding the corporate, tax and fiduciary issues relating to ESOPs. She has represented ERISA plan fiduciaries, employers and institutions in connection with legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, ERISA, the federal securities laws, and the California laws. She has extensive tax expertise relating to tax-exempt entities and all aspects of retirement plan qualification matters as well as fiduciary and corporate governance matters. She represents retirement plan corporate sponsors in a variety of matters, including Internal Revenue Service audits and U.S. Department of Labor investigations. She counsels many ESOP companies and fiduciaries on a range of compliance, best practices and risk management issues, and with respect to various transaction matters.

About Hawkins Parnell Thackston & Young LLP

Over the last half century, Hawkins Parnell Thackston & Young LLP has grown to include more than 150 lawyers in nine offices located in Atlanta, Austin, Charleston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Napa, New York, St. Louis and San Francisco. We represent some of America’s largest corporations, small local businesses and individual clients in high risk litigation and business disputes across the country in all 50 states. As national leaders in their fields of expertise, our ESOP, Employee Benefits, M&A, Tax & ERISA group brings extraordinary depth in perspective when advising clients in connection with retirement plans, equity incentives, executive compensation, shareholder issues, fiduciaries, mergers and acquisitions, and employment and benefits litigation throughout the country.

Event Synopsis:

The “prohibited transactions” rule under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) was created to ban transactions highly vulnerable to abuse. Recently, the Department of Labor (DOL) has re-proposed rule which aims to expand the definition of fiduciary investment advice. It includes two new prohibited transaction class exemptions as well as amendments to existing class exemptions. The proposed rule preserves the ability of fiduciary advisers, dealers, and insurance agents to continue accepting common forms of compensation that would otherwise be prohibited as conflicts of interest.

The DOL’s goal is to make sure that the new and amended exemptions available at the same time as the regulatory proposal becomes effective.

In a two-hour live Webcast, a seasoned panel of thought leaders and professionals assembled by The Knowledge Group will offer the audience with an in-depth discussion of the fundamentals as well as updates of ERISA’s prohibited transactions rule. The panel will also offer the audience an overview of the three categories of prohibited transactions as outlined in 29 U.S.C. § 406. Going beyond the basic mechanics, the panel will present their thoughts and opinions on how to best comply with the ERISA “prohibited transactions” rule.

Key topics include:
• Prohibited Transaction Rule - A Legal Primer
• Three Categories of Prohibited Transactions
o Transactions between Plan and party in interest;
o Transactions between Plan and fiduciary; and,
o Transfer of real or personal property to plan by party in interest.
• Prohibited Transaction Exemptions and Amendments
• Opportunities and Legal Challenges
• Up-to-the-minute Regulatory Developments

About The Knowledge Group/The Knowledge Congress Live Webcast Series

The Knowledge Group was established with the mission to produce unbiased, objective, and educational live webinars that examine industry trends and regulatory changes from a variety of different perspectives. The goal is to deliver a unique multilevel analysis of an important issue affecting business in a highly focused format. To contact or register to an event, please visit: http://theknowledgegroup.org/