Eric .D Field

Eric Douglas Field’s practice focuses on executive compensation, retirement and other welfare benefit programs provided by organizations to their employees in the areas collectively called “employee benefits” or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Mr. Field advises clients on issues relating to multiemployer pension plans and liabilities associated with these plans, including representing employers in arbitrations and in federal court regarding such liabilities.  He also advises employers on the impact of potential legislative reform to the multiemployer plan system.

He further counsels employers on distress, standard and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)-initiated terminations of single-employer pension plans and advises on the liabilities associated with those terminations. Mr. Field also works on pension issues arising in committee or debtor representations.  He also counsels employers concerning their sponsorship of both pension and welfare employee benefit plans, including plan design and document drafting, compliance with ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, COBRA, and the Affordable Care Act.

Mr. Field is a contributing editor to the ABA Employee Benefits Law publication, and has been a panelist on various webinars.Prior to joining Akin Gump, Mr. Field served as assistant chief counsel of PBGC, where he managed the multiemployer plan (MEP) section in PBGC’s Office of Chief Counsel. Mr. Field represented the government in numerous cases involving interpretations of ERISA as it pertains to MEPs. Mr. Field also worked as a staff attorney at the Hotel and Restaurant Employees International Union Welfare-Pension Funds, where he managed the funds’ withdrawal liability program, including reviewing notification of assessments, the sale of asset applications and responding to requests for reviews. He also arbitrated withdrawal liability cases, litigated contribution and subrogation claims in federal courts and advised on general ERISA issues.

Education:

• J.D., DePaul University College of Law, 1998
• B.A., University of Maine, with distinction, 1994

Bar Admissions:

• District of Columbia
• Illinois