Groom Law Group Welcomes Industry Specialists
Groom Law Group, Chartered has added six professionals from the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Health and Human Services (HHS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).
The six industry professionals are:
- Amber Rivers (principal, Health practice). Rivers is the former director, Office of Health Plan Standards and Compliance Assistance at EBSA, DOL. At Groom, Rivers will advise employers, plan sponsors, insurance companies, and other service providers on complex regulatory and compliance matters. Her services will cover wide-ranging laws impacting health and welfare benefits, including ERISA, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the No Surprises Act, and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).
- Michelle Koltov (health policy advisor, Health practice). Koltov is the former deputy division director, Division of Plan and Issuer Enforcement, Oversight Group at CCIIO, CMS, HHS. At Groom, Koltov will advocate on behalf of health plan and insurer clients before HHS, DOL, and the IRS. She will also advise clients on regulatory and legislative developments and on how to navigate compliance with applicable law, rules, and regulations. Her services will cover wide-ranging laws impacting health and welfare benefits, including the ACA, the No Surprises Act, MHPAEA, state insurance law, Medicare, and Medicaid.
- William Fischer (associate, Health practice). Fischer was a former attorney at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Health & Welfare branch. At Groom, he will advise employers, insurers, and plan sponsors on tax-related topics, including cafeteria plans, health reimbursement arrangements, health savings accounts, flexible spending arrangements, COBRA, VEBAs, and MHPAEA.
- Brandon Ford (associate, Tax practice). Ford was a former attorney at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Qualified Plans branch. At Groom, he will advise retirement plan sponsors and administrators on tax requirements applicable to defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans, assisting with plan design and maintenance, participant communications and disclosures, legal plan compliance, and corrective applications to the IRS.
- Joshua Fruto (associate, Tax practice). Fruto was a former attorney at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Associate Office of Procedure & Administration, after transitioning from an analyst role at a Fortune 5 company, where he supported its tax division. At Groom, Fruto will advise employers, plan sponsors, and administrators on tax issues regarding retirement plans and other types of employee benefits.
- Gabrielle Graves (associate, Fiduciary practice). Graves was a former attorney in the PGBC’s Bankruptcy, Transactions, and Terminations Department. At Groom, Graves will advise plan sponsors, trustees, and fiduciaries on a range of ERISA regulatory compliance matters, including plan governance and administrative practices, fiduciary responsibility, and government investigations.