Joel D. Wood is a counsel specializing in employee benefits matters. He is also a member of the firm's Labor and Employment and Corporate Groups, and assists the firm's Health Care, Tax and Securities practices in matters relating to employee benefits.

Joel has extensive experience with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA"). He has represented a variety of clients, including both businesses and employee benefit plans, in all areas covered by Titles I and IV of ERISA. He provides counseling and representation on a full range of ERISA issues, including plan administration and fiduciary duties, plan investments and investment management, plan design for qualified plans, welfare plans and non-qualified executive deferred compensation plans, health care reporting and coverage issues (including COBRA and HIPAA), withdrawal liability and other Title IV issues and ERISA compliance analyses and reviews.

Joel was also a law clerk for Judges Jonathan R. Steinberg, William P. Greene, Jr., and Bruce E. Kasold on the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Joel is a graduate of Michigan State University (B.A. 1996), the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (J.D. 1999, summa cum laude) and the Georgetown University Law Center (LL.M., Taxation 2006, with distinction). He is a member of the District of Columbia and Maryland State Bars.

Admissions/Affiliations

Publications

• "Ctrl + Alt + DOL: The Department of Labor Readies for a Reboot of Its Electronic Delivery Rules," AHLA Connections (July 2011). Co-Authors: Seth T. Perretta, Allison Ullman and Joel D. Wood.
  
  
• "Health Care Reform Is Here -- Now What?: What Employers, Employees, and Health Plans Need to Know Right Now About Health Care Reform," Employee Benefit Plan Review (August 2010). Co-Authors: William J. Flanagan, Kendra D. Miller, Jeffrey W. Pagano and Joel D. Wood.
  
  
• "COBRA Subsidy--Federal and State Law Update," American Health Lawyers Association Labor & Employment Newsletter (January 4, 2010). Co-Authors: William J. Flanagan and Joel D. Wood.
  
  

Alerts & Newsletters

• "IRS Issues Updated Guidance on Mandatory Form W-2 Informational Reporting of Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage," Health Law 'In The News' (January 9, 2012). Contacts: Seth T. Perretta, Allison Ullman, Joel D. Wood.


• "IRS Issues Guidance on Mandatory Form W-2 Informational Reporting of Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage," Health Law 'In The News' (April 1, 2011). Contacts: Seth T. Perretta, Joel D. Wood.


• "Marijuana Legalization Under California's Proposition 19: The Impact on Employers," Labor & Employment Law Alert - US (October 27, 2010). Contacts: Mark A. Romeo, Kris D. Meade, Joel D. Wood, Jeffrey W. Pagano, Kelly T. Currie.


• "Health Care Reform Regulations Arrive – Now What? What You Need to Know Right Now About Health Care Reform Regulations (So Far)," Labor & Employment Law Alert - US (June 30, 2010). Contacts: William J. Flanagan, Joel D. Wood.


• "What Employers, Employees and Health Plans Need to Know Right Now About Health Care Reform," Labor & Employment Law Alert - US (May 12, 2010). Contacts: William J. Flanagan, Joel D. Wood, Jeffrey W. Pagano.


• "Interim Final Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act Regulations Issued," Health Law 'In The News' (March 1, 2010). Contacts: William J. Flanagan, Christopher Flynn, Jeffrey L. Poston, Joel D. Wood.


• "COBRA Subsidy Extended, New Notice Requirements Imposed," Labor & Employment Law Alert - US (December 23, 2009). Contacts: William J. Flanagan, Joel D. Wood.


• "Employee Benefits Update," Labor & Employment Law Alert - US (October 16, 2009). Contacts: William J. Flanagan, Joel D. Wood.

Speaking Engagements

• "How Do You Solve a Problem Like MHPAEA?: The Mental Health Parity Interim Final Regulations," Crowell & Moring's Healthcare Ounce Of Prevention Seminar (HOOPS) (April 26-27, 2010). Presenters: William J. Flanagan and Joel D. Wood.
  
  

Press Release & Announcements