Trained in the legal field as an Employee Benefits Paralegal/Pension Benefit Consultant with a passion for ERISA, pension plans, pension benefits and other retirement plans. Motivated to help clients with each stage of benefit planning and meet them where they are in the process. Experience with setting up a qualified plan, ongoing compliance and ending the journey of the pension plan that is ready for termination and distribution. Energized when interacting with clients and others about new legal changes, better ways to organize and problem solve. Experienced with both the set up and maintaining of orderly files for several pension plan clients on extranet databases to solve client problems with locating documents for benefit calculations and claims for benefits. Seek reasonable solutions with a strong commitment to producing exceptional customer service. Ability to organize and multi-task in a fast-paced work environment. Prepared hundreds of accurate and timely participant communications, letters, statements, and legal notices. Experience in preparing for trustee meetings and pension plan committee meetings, and periodic attendance to meetings. Insight for utilizing the IRS and DOL compliance programs (VCP and DFVCO requests). Familiar with retirement applications, benefit calculations, pension payout, compliance tests including IRC 401(a) general nondiscrimination, ADP/ACP, 410(b) coverage, 416 top heavy tests and 409(p) tests. Flexibility to work additional hours during peak activity months to meet deadlines. Excellent communication skills, written, verbal and in-person.

1. Carrie A. Roberts
**** N. Kenmore Ave., Unit **, Chicago, IL 60613
312-401-8901
CarrieRobertsRivera@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-roberts-rivera-cebs-5332443/Twitter
Employee Benefits Paralegal and Pension Benefit Consultant Overview:
Trained in the legal field as an Employee Benefits Paralegal/Pension Benefit Consultant with a passion for ERISA,
pension plans, pension benefits and other retirement plans. Motivated to help clients with each stage of benefit
planning and meet them where they are in the process. Experience with setting up a qualified plan, ongoing
compliance and ending the journey of the pension plan that is ready for termination and distribution. Energized
when interacting with clients and others about new legal changes, better ways to organize and problem solve.
Experienced with both the set up and maintaining of orderly files for several pension plan clients on extranet
databases to solve client problems with locating documents for benefit calculations and claims for benefits. Seek
reasonable solutions with a strong commitment to producing exceptional customer service. Ability to organize
and multi-task in a fast-paced work environment. Prepared hundreds of accurate and timely participant
communications, letters, statements, and legal notices. Experience in preparing for trustee meetings and pension
plan committee meetings, and periodic attendance to meetings. Insight for utilizing the IRS and DOL compliance
programs (VCP and DFVCO requests). Familiar with retirement applications, benefit calculations, pension
payout, compliance tests including IRC 401(a) general nondiscrimination, ADP/ACP, 410(b) coverage, 416 top
heavy tests and 409(p) tests. Flexibility to work additional hours during peak activity months to meet deadlines.
Excellent communication skills, written, verbal and in-person.
Qualification Brief:
• Talented project manager with proven ability to communicate among advisors, CPAs, and attorneys
regarding the operation of defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans
• Extensive knowledge on legislative regulations of defined contribution plans, published client alerts and
speaker presentations for clients and peers
• Served as primary contact and expert in the area of pension plans with responsibility for client plans and
as a resource for technical issues including for Qualified Domestic Relations Orders
• Strong attention to detail and supportive resource for several clients, providing analytical support for
attorneys on multiple tasks and others in a consulting and coordinator capacity
• Highly effective collaborator within all levels and departments of the organization
• Areas of subject matter expertise: employee benefits, qualified plans, ESOP/KSOPs, 401(k) plans,
defined contribution plans, defined benefit plans, cash balance plans
• Computer proficiency including with Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Word and PowerPoint);
experience with Relius
Professional Experience:
Holland & Knight LLP – Chicago, IL September 2018 – Present
ESOP and Employee Benefits Paralegal
• Outlined plan reviews for ESOP deals regarding plan detail and administration, as needed by the
lender/bank
• Collaborated with ESOP team and practice group in all aspects of the corporate deal process to establish
an ESOP, refinance an ESOP loan or sell an ESOP
• Composed over 10 determination letter applications for newly established ESOPs and terminating
ESOPs, and responded to the IRS agents’ information requests as needed
• Updated ESOPs, 401(k) plans and KSOPs as needed for legal changes

2. • Advised clients and ESOP team and communicated clearly technical changes, including presentation
webinar and client alerts (loans, hardships, design preferences, claims review procedures, SECURE Act
and CARE Act)
• Designed summary plan descriptions (SPD) and summary of material modifications (SMM)
• Prepared and filed submissions under the IRS’s Voluntary Compliance Program (VCP) and engaged the
implementation and utilization of options under the Self-Correction Program (SCP)
• Collaborated with corporate clients and ESOP trustees regarding results of qualified plan transaction
matters following review of documents
• Conducted due diligence and identified issues arising under the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA to
reduce cost of errors and potential fiduciary problems
• Developed procedures for clarification of distributions and technical aspects of the plans to reduce future
research, compliance efforts or inefficiencies
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP – Chicago, IL February 2008 – August 2018
Employee Benefits Paralegal
• Provided exceptional customer service to clients addressing various questions and concerns, specifically
for ESOPs, pension plans (defined benefit), 401(k) plans and other defined contribution plans
• Acted as subject matter expert, consultant and backstop for qualified plans and related compliance
issues, including write client alerts on IRS and Department of Labor compliance programs
• Amended and restated qualified plan documents for legal changes and optional changes that would best
benefit companies and their employees
• Facilitated defined benefit and defined contribution plan terminations, including coordinating all
communications and projects among clients, actuaries, consultants and attorneys, and preparing IRS and
PBGC filings and participant notices
• Attended client quarterly qualified plan administration and investment committee meetings concerning
fiduciary duty, review of investment performance and goals of each 401(k) plan fund, design of
employee and executive plan and compensation
• Established, organized, and maintained electronic database for several clients creating ease of document
location and sharing of information during review of contracts and amendment of plans
Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP – Chicago, IL November 1996 – January 2008
(formerly, Gardner Carton & Douglas LLP and now Faegre Drinker)
Employee Benefits Paralegal
• Served as primary contact for several key clients of the department by organizing and managing projects
among board members, attorneys, consultants, trustees, and actuaries
• Drafted hundreds of summary plan descriptions (SPD), summaries of material modifications (SMM),
plan documents, government filings, IRS Forms 5500, summary annual reports (SAR), IRS
determination letter filings (IRS Forms 5300, 5310, 5307)
• Reviewed domestic relations orders to determine qualified status and prepare client procedure packages
for QDROs, including sample letters, notices, authorizations, and sample QDROs
• Assisted in preparing for trustee meetings with several clients and periodic attendance to those meetings
• Actively participated in the selection and training of paralegals and attorneys
Education:
Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS Program) – Chicago, IL November 2000
o Co-sponsored by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the Wharton
School of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Chicago – Chicago, IL June 1996
o BA in Public Policy (with Honors)

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