Overview
Representative Matters
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Awards

Lydia is a partner in the Employee Benefits + Executive Compensation Practice Group. She assists clients with the design and implementation of employee benefits plans, and regularly advises clients on the wide variety of compliance issues that arise in the administration of those plans. Lydia has broad experience with both tax-qualified retirement plans, such as 401(k), 403(b) and defined benefit plans, and nonqualified plans. She has worked extensively with clients on compliance issues related to both self-insured and fully-insured health and welfare benefits plans, including group health plans, severance plans, life insurance plans, and disability plans. Her experience with health and welfare benefits plans includes advising on ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, and Internal Revenue Code compliance. Lydia also assists clients with the benefits and compensation aspects of mergers and acquisitions, the negotiation of administrative services agreements and other vendor contracts, governance and fiduciary issues, and the administration of claims and appeals.

  • Drafted plan documents, plan amendments, summary plan descriptions, summary annual reports, and other participant notices for compliance with ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, and other applicable law.
  • Advised plan administrative and investment committees on fiduciary duties and mitigation of litigation risk.
  • Provided counsel regarding plan design changes including eligibility, vesting, contributions, distributions, and plan loan provisions.
  • Assisted clients with the correction of a wide range of qualified plan administrative and documentary errors under the Internal Revenue Service’s Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System.
  • Identified 401(k) plan contribution errors and prepared corrective filings under the Department of Labor’s Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program.
  • Counseled clients regarding the design and implementation of executive and nonexecutive severance plans.
  • Provided due diligence on the selection of plan service providers and negotiated related services agreements.
  • Legal 500 United States for Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation, and Retirement Plans: Design (2024)
  • Business Today, List of Top 10 Powerhouse Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Lawyers in North Carolina (2023)
  • Chambers USA: Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, North Carolina (2022-2025)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2021-2025)

Lydia is a partner in the Employee Benefits + Executive Compensation Practice Group. She assists clients with the design and implementation of employee benefits plans, and regularly advises clients on the wide variety of compliance issues that arise in the administration of those plans. Lydia has broad experience with both tax-qualified retirement plans, such as 401(k), 403(b) and defined benefit plans, and nonqualified plans. She has worked extensively with clients on compliance issues related to both self-insured and fully-insured health and welfare benefits plans, including group health plans, severance plans, life insurance plans, and disability plans. Her experience with health and welfare benefits plans includes advising on ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, and Internal Revenue Code compliance. Lydia also assists clients with the benefits and compensation aspects of mergers and acquisitions, the negotiation of administrative services agreements and other vendor contracts, governance and fiduciary issues, and the administration of claims and appeals.

  • Drafted plan documents, plan amendments, summary plan descriptions, summary annual reports, and other participant notices for compliance with ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, and other applicable law.
  • Advised plan administrative and investment committees on fiduciary duties and mitigation of litigation risk.
  • Provided counsel regarding plan design changes including eligibility, vesting, contributions, distributions, and plan loan provisions.
  • Assisted clients with the correction of a wide range of qualified plan administrative and documentary errors under the Internal Revenue Service’s Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System.
  • Identified 401(k) plan contribution errors and prepared corrective filings under the Department of Labor’s Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program.
  • Counseled clients regarding the design and implementation of executive and nonexecutive severance plans.
  • Provided due diligence on the selection of plan service providers and negotiated related services agreements.
  • Legal 500 United States for Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation, and Retirement Plans: Design (2024)
  • Business Today, List of Top 10 Powerhouse Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Lawyers in North Carolina (2023)
  • Chambers USA: Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, North Carolina (2022-2025)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2021-2025)

Education

  • University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2014, research editor, South Carolina Law Review
  • Erskine College, B.A., summa cum laude, 2011

Bar Admissions

  • North Carolina