Education
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2010
University of Michigan, B.A., 2007
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Michigan
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court
- Eastern District of Michigan
- Western District of Michigan
Katina Gorman is an experienced employee benefits lawyer who helps her clients ensure compliance with ERISA, IRC, HIPAA, PPACA and other relevant laws.
Katina is well versed in drafting plan documents, trust documents, summary plan descriptions, plan and trust amendments, policies and procedures, SMMs, SBCs, and other participant notifications and communications related to benefit plans. Additionally, she is experienced in negotiating service provider contracts, investment management agreements and business associate agreements. Katina routinely reviews investment documents for clients, including private placement memoranda and limited partnership agreements, and has substantial experience preparing corresponding side letter agreements and completing the necessary subscription documents to execute multimillion-dollar investments.
Katina has particular expertise with the administration, design and operation of Taft-Hartley multiemployer fringe benefit funds including: health and welfare funds; defined benefit pension funds; defined contribution pension funds; 401(k) funds; VEBAs; and other ancillary fringe benefit funds.
Representative Matters
- Actively and routinely navigates investigations and audits from the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service.
- Represented client throughout Internal Revenue Service audit, which was ultimately closed without any findings or fees assessed against client.
- Assisted client in changing its investment consultant service provider, resulting in client annual fee savings of approximately $750,000.
- Negotiated multiple plan correction agreements with the Internal Revenue Service utilizing the Voluntary Correction Program.
- Negotiated a settlement with the Department of Labor on behalf of a defined benefit pension plan that inadvertently inserted a benefit improvement into the plan document as a result of a scrivener's error dating 20 years prior.
- Assisted a supplemental unemployment benefits fund in providing documentation to the Internal Revenue Service to avoid an audit and no fee assessment.
- Worked on behalf of a 401(k) fund client to provide requested documentation to the Department of Labor, as well as participate in interviews with the Department of Labor.
Honors
DBusiness Magazine Top Lawyers, Employee Benefits Law, 2023
Super Lawyers, Rising Star - Employee Benefits, 2021
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (formerly John Marshall Law School)
-John Marshall Law Review, Production Editor, Lead Articles Editor
-Order of John Marshall Honors Society
-Judge Conrad B. Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competitor
-Dean's List every semester
Professional Activities
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Member
Civic, Cultural & Social Activities
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit Summer Camp, Board of Directors
Speeches
Co-Presenter (with Samantha Kopacz), "Impact of Internal Revenue Code on Employee Benefits," State Bar of Michigan Tax Section "Fundamentals of Taxation" program, January 31, 2024
"Breaking Down the SECURE 2.0 Act," Miller Canfield 2023 HR Spring Training
Publications
"An Overview of the Secure 2.0 Act" (co-authored with Brian Gallagher, Samantha Kopacz and Samuel Parks), Michigan Tax Lawyer, Summer 2023
