Jonathan Karelitz > Seyfarth Shaw LLP > Chicago, United States > Lawyer Profile
Seyfarth Shaw LLP Offices
233 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE
SUITE 8000
CHICAGO, IL 60606 - 6448
ILLINOIS
United States
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Jonathan Karelitz
Work Department
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Position
Partner
Career
Jon Karelitz is a partner in the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP, and co-chair of the firm’s Executive Compensation Practice. Jon helps clients implement and administer pension and 401(k) plans. He has worked on cutting-edge pension de-risking projects, including one of the largest pension buyouts in U.S. history. He also advises clients on the effects of reductions-in-force, spin-offs and other corporate events on existing retirement plans. Jon routinely assists clients with the correction of plan operational errors, and has represented clients in numerous IRS and DOL audits.
In addition, Jon advises investment committees and plan fiduciaries on the legal implications of all types of managed investments and financial instruments. He also helps plan administrators respond to participant claims and appeals, and uses project management tools and technology to efficiently manage high-volume claim loads.
Jon represents both employers and executive teams in the negotiation of employment and severance agreements. He also helps employers establish and administer all forms of equity compensation arrangements and nonqualified deferred compensation plans. This work includes advising clients on the complex rules under Internal Revenue Code Section 409A and tax implications of performance-based compensation. In addition, he advises public companies on all aspects of executive compensation disclosure under SEC and stock exchange rules.
Education
- LLM, The John Marshall Law School
Employee Benefits
With honors - JD, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
CALI Award in Employee Benefits Law - BA, Northwestern University
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
- Labor and employment > Immigration
- Labor and employment > Labor-management relations
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m)
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > E-discovery
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design
- Labor and employment > ERISA litigation
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
- Tax > Not-for-profit (Fortune 1000 private foundations, national trade associations, and charities)
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Government > Government contracts
- Real estate > Real estate
- Industry focus > Cannabis
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Real estate > Real estate finance
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious