Stacy Hooper

Stacy Hooper is an attorney in Holland & Knight’s Nashville office. She focuses her practice on executive compensation and employee benefits.

Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits. Ms. Hooper represents employers in a range of employee benefit plan matters, including health plans, retirement plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), equity and deferred compensation plans, and executive compensation arrangements. She has particular experience with health and welfare benefit plan compliance and frequently assists clients in resolving issues related to the Affordable Care Act.

Ms. Hooper brings a practical approach to solving complex issues. Her practice includes advising on a broad range of employee benefits compliance matters (including structuring and drafting employee benefit plans); negotiating service provider agreements on behalf of plan sponsors; and navigating U.S. Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits and investigations. Additionally, she regularly advises on the employee benefits aspects of corporate transactions for clients ranging from small employers to public companies.

Industry Focus. Ms. Hooper has experience representing clients in a broad range of industries, but is particularly well versed in matters related to the healthcare and retail industries.

Representative Experience

• Successfully resolved several multi-million dollar Affordable Care Act 'employer shared responsibility' penalties, including an approximately $70 million penalty for a Fortune 500 Global manufacturing company and an approximately $32 million penalty for an international facilities management company
• Reduced or eliminated IRS penalties on behalf of multiple clients with respect to Affordable Care Act filing issues
• Advised regarding the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) fiduciary implications of restructuring a complex group health care purchasing arrangement
• Successfully guided an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)-owned client through an on-site IRS audit
• Assisted with the successful defense of mental health parity litigation for a Fortune 500 client
• Negotiate and advise on complex employee benefits diligence and integration matters for mergers, acquisitions, spinoffs and divestitures
• Frequently conduct controlled group and affiliated service group analyses to determine appropriate benefit plan structure, with particular experience structuring arrangements for physician groups and management services organizations (MSOs)
• Regularly counsel with respect to the compliance obligations of fully insured multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs)
• Counsel client human resources and benefits teams regarding ERISA fiduciary and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance responsibilities