Claudia Whitmire

Claudia Noelle Whitmire (Noelle) counsels employers on complex qualified retirement plan and welfare plan design, implementation, and administration matters. Noelle assists clients with a broad range of compliance issues for their defined benefit plans, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, ESOPs, cafeteria plans, fringe benefit plans, and health plans.

She has broad knowledge of the applicable laws, such as ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, COBRA, HIPAA’s Privacy requirements, and the Affordable Care Act. She provides employee benefits guidance in the context of mergers and acquisitions and assists clients with subsequent benefit integration issues.

Noelle has significant experience dealing with the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service on behalf of her clients. Noelle is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the Federal Bar Association.

In the community, she is a member of the Junior League of Atlanta, the Alliance Francaise d’Atlanta, the Attorney Wellness Committee of the State Bar of Georgia, the Law Alumni Council of Georgia State University College of Law, and the National Women in Pensions, Inc.

EDUCATION:

• Georgia State University (J.D. summa cum laude 2009; Law Review; American College of Bankruptcy Distinguished Bankruptcy Law Student for the Eleventh Circuit; American Bankruptcy Institute Medal of Excellence);
• Clemson University (B.A. in French and International Trade cum laude 1996)

BAR ADMISSIONS : Georgia

EXPERIENCE:

• Big Red to be acquired by Keurig Dr Pepper
• Birch Communications’ Cloud and Business Services business acquired by Fusion Telecommunications International, Inc. for $600 million
• Sierra Wireless acquires Numerex Corp. for $107 million
• Jones Day secures predicate order for unaccompanied minor
• Crédito Real acquires 65 percent of AFS Acceptance to scale up its used car business in the U.S.
• Georgia Gulf merges with PPG Industries’ commodity chemicals business in $2.1 billion transaction to form Axiall Corporation
• Suominen Corporation acquires Home and Personal wipes fabrics business of Ahlstrom Corporation for €170 million ($243.4 million)
• Flowers Foods acquires Tasty Baking for $175 million.