"Although employee benefits may not have been regarded as very high-profile in the past, pension and health-related issues are now grabbing the headlines." More from Brigen's perspective

Brigen L. Winters is a principal at Groom Law Group, Chartered, the nation's largest employee benefits specialty firm, where he co-chairs the firm's Policy and Legislation practice group and also works with the firm's Executive Compensation, Plan Design and Taxation, Public and Multiemployer Plans, and Health and Welfare practice groups.  His practice includes counseling plan sponsors and financial institutions regarding deferred compensation, tax-qualified, and health and welfare arrangements, and advising individual employers, coalitions, and trade associations on legislative and regulatory matters. 

Mr. Winters returned to the firm in January 2002 after serving for three years as majority tax counsel to the House Committee on Ways and Means.  While on the Committee on Ways and Means staff, he was responsible for all issues related to employee benefits and deferred compensation, including the Portman-Cardin pension reform legislation that was enacted as part of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001.  Mr. Winters also advised Members and staff on issues related to the Patients Bill of Rights legislation, Social Security, tax-exempt organizations, and the taxation of insurance companies and their products.

Over the last several years, Mr. Winters has worked extensively on executive and nonqualified deferred compensation issues, including compliance and plan design issues related to Code section 409A.  He has also worked extensively on the pension funding and other changes that were enacted as part of the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

Honors & Distinctions

• Listed, The Legal 500 US, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Law, Employee Benefits (2007)

Previous Experience

• Majority Tax Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means

Professional Affiliations

• Advisory Board, American Benefits Council