Profile

Katherine Costello routinely advises both public and private employers in employee benefits and executive compensation matters involving tax-qualified retirement and nonqualified deferred compensation plans, executive and equity compensation, health and welfare benefits (including health care reform), ERISA fiduciary duties and the employee benefit implications of mergers and acquisitions.   

Prior to joining Parker Poe, Ms. Costello practiced with a firm in Chicago, Illinois, in the area of employee benefits. In 2002, she served as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Ronald A. Guzman, Federal District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois.

Experience Highlights

Ms. Costello counsels clients on the following matters:

• Design, implementation and administration of qualified retirement plans, including Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor correction program submissions
• Equity/incentive compensation arrangements, including stock option plans, restricted stock and other stock incentive plans
• Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and other nonqualified deferred compensation issues
• Corporate governance and securities law aspects of compensation and benefit arrangements, including executive compensation disclosure requirements for public companies
• Employee benefit implications of mergers, acquisitions and other corporate transactions
• Health and welfare plans, including medical, cafeteria and flexible benefit plans and health care reform compliance
• Employment arrangements and severance agreements