Steven D. Woodland

Experience

Steve Woodland is a partner of the firm advising businesses, healthcare organizations and not-for-profit organizations with respect to employee benefit matters. His practice emphasizes the design and operation of defined benefit and defined contributions plans, deferred compensation and incentive compensation plans, group health and other welfare plans and stock option programs. He handles employee benefit compliance controversies before governmental administrative agencies. He has handled federal tax controversies at the administrative levels of the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Steve was an attorney and shareholder at Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy, Salt Lake City, Utah (1978-1998) and a law clerk to Judge Richard H. Chambers, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1977-1978).

Representative Work

Assisted plan sponsors update group health plans for health care reform changes.
Advised large private manufacturing company with respect to the redesign of its qualified pension plan to use a cash balance formula and the merger into the plan of several existing pension plans.
Advised plan sponsors on self-correction of administrative errors and negotiated compliance statements with the Internal Revenue Service.
Represented private manufacturing company in connection with a governmental audit of its qualified pension plans and its qualified 401(k) plans.
Assisted large tax-exempt organization in restructuring the allocation of fiduciary responsibilities for the investment of assets of the pension plan and retiree medical plan.
Conducted fiduciary training for corporate executives who serve on benefit plan committees.
Assisted a global producer of packaging products integrate the qualified defined benefit and defined contribution plans acquired in its purchase of another company into its benefit program, including plan mergers involving several 401(k) plans.
Revised the supplemental executive compensation plans of several employers to meet business needs and comply with recent law changes.
Restructured the tax-exempt trust for the health benefit plan of a large manufacturing company.
Negotiated agreements with investment fund managers in connection with investment of assets by pension plan trust in those funds.
Negotiated complex service agreements with benefit administration firms.
Terminated and liquidated a trust organized as a voluntary employees beneficiary association providing disability and life insurance benefits.
Regularly advises plan sponsors on the creation, documentation, administration and legal compliance for qualified pension, profit-sharing, ESOP and 401(k) plans.

Professional Honors & Activities

Listed in Best Lawyers in America® (currently: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law), 2005-2013
Listed in Who's Who in America
Listed in Who's Who in American Law
Section leader, Stoel Rives Employee Benefit's practice group, 2009-2010
Member, Utah State Bar, Tax, Labor and Employment Sections
Member, Western Pension & Benefits Conference

Presentations

Health Care Reform: Preparing for 2014," Stoel Rives Seminar, May 2013
"Health Care Reform: Group Plan Updates," Stoel Rives Seminar, Sept. 2011
"Section 409A – A Practitioner's View," Utah State Bar, 2008
"Fiduciary Responsibilities," Soltis Retreat, 2004
"Legal Issues – Defined Contribution Health Plans," Marsh Seminar, 2002

Civic Activities

Chair, Employee Appeals Board of Taylorsville City, Utah, 2009-2011
Former member, Government Affairs Committee of the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Former member, District Committee of Boy Scouts of America
Judge Pro Tem, Third District Court, State of Utah, 1996-2000
Former Board Member, CPA/Law Forum