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Practices & Industries

  • New York

Hamilton College, B.A.

University at Buffalo School of Law, J.D., cum laude

Peter has more than 25 years of experience representing employers on matters relating to their employee benefit programs. He assists a wide range of employers, including small, closely held corporations; nonprofit organizations; and large, publicly traded multinational companies. He advises clients regarding the design, formation, and maintenance of 401(k) plans, pension and profit-sharing plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), health and welfare plans, and executive and deferred compensation agreements. He consults with tax-exempt and educational employers on all aspects of 403(b) plan compliance.

Peter advises clients on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Labor (DOL) compliance matters. He assists employer in complying with new legislation and regulatory guidance, maintaining plan documents and providing required disclosures, and filing determination letter applications. He regularly interacts with governmental agencies (IRS and DOL) on clients’ behalf in connection with plan examinations and self-correction submissions. He has significant experience in the employee benefits aspects of corporate acquisitions, dispositions, and mergers.

Additionally, Peter counsels clients on Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) compliance, including fiduciary issues. He works with compensation committees of larger employers to assure they have effective governance and investment policies in place.

Every month, Peter and fellow Employee Benefits attorneys compile an Employee Benefits newsletter to highlight important changes and amendments throughout the industry. The monthly newsletters can be found in the Publications section of the Hodgson Russ website.

Honors

  • Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Employee Benefits [ERISA] Law) 2009 - 2024
  • Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers, 2007-2015
  • Best Lawyers 2012 Buffalo Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law "Lawyer of the Year"
  • Former note and comment editor, Buffalo Law Review

Experience

Peter has extensive experience assisting business clients with the legal aspects of their employee benefits programs, including designing, drafting, and maintaining qualified and non-qualified retirement plan documents, summary plan descriptions, and plan procedures; counseling clients on Internal Revenue Code compliance matters, including controlled group coverage and nondiscrimination compliance; advising clients on ERISA compliance matters, including fiduciary governance and investment policies; preparing IRS determination letter application filings; developing voluntary correction strategies and negotiating compliance agreements with governmental agencies (IRS and DOL); and performing benefit plan due diligence and advising clients engaged in merger and acquisition activity, including corporate transactions involving ESOP-owned companies. 

Specific examples of Peter's experience include:

Publications

Presentations & Events

Professional Associations

  • Director, New York Employee Benefit Conference

  • American Bar Association

  • New York State Bar Association

  • Bar Association of Erie County