Brendan Hobbs’s practice centers on Internal Revenue Code and ERISA compliance, counseling clients on the compliance, design, and ongoing maintenance of qualified retirement plans (including 401(k), 403(b), and pension plans), nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements (including Section 409A and 280G guidance), and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). He partners with his clients to prepare amendments and participant communications, complete plan corrections in accordance with IRS procedures, support plan transitions during mergers and acquisitions, and train plan fiduciaries on plan structures, governance, and fiduciary duties.
He also advises plan sponsors on the administration of ESOPs and serves as transactional counsel for companies and independent trustees engaging in leveraged ESOP transactions. He has advised on more than $1 billion in ESOP transactions.
Brendan’s clients include employer and plan sponsor clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies and small and mid-sized companies to state and local governmental entities, public utilities, and tax-exempt organizations. His practice also encompasses dual-status governmental/nonprofit retirement plans, including those maintained by Florida special hospital districts. He also assists executives and business owners with qualified and nonqualified benefits.
Through his clerkship at the U.S. Tax Court, Brendan gained firsthand insight into how judges analyze complex tax issues, interpret the law, and reach decisions—a perspective that continues to inform his approach to advising clients.
Outside of the office, Brendan enjoys time with his kids, coaching flag football, and cheering for the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
