Maura Ann McBreen is a partner in the Firm’s Chicago office and has over 30 years' experience in executive compensation and employee benefits. She has been recognized as a leader in her field by Chambers USA and Best Lawyers in America (2009), and was listed as a Leading Lawyer by Leading Lawyers Network. Ms. McBreen is a member of the Steering Committee of the North America Compensation and Employment Law Practice Group and the Chicago Office Client Relations Committee. She is also a former member of the Firm’s governing Policy Committee. She authors a quarterly column in Corporate Taxation and is a member of its Board of Contributing Editors and Advisors. In addition, she is also on the Board of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and of the Juvenile Protective Association.

Practice Focus

Ms. McBreen focuses on executive compensation and employee benefits, especially with regard to single employer, multi-employer, and multinational benefits. She designs tax-qualified retirement plans, and addresses operational and fiduciary issues as they arise under such plans. She also designs deferred compensation and equity-based and incentive compensation plans for clients. Ms. McBreen advises on issues under Code Sections 162(m), 280G, 409A and 457A and negotiates executive employment agreements. Her experience in handling employee benefits issues in multijurisdictional corporate transactions includes the division of employee benefit liabilities and transfer of plan assets, as well as the negotiation of plan liability provisions in connection with corporate financing agreements.

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American Bar Association
• Chicago Bar Association

Admission

U.S. Tax Court~United States (1992)
Illinois~United States (1978)

Education

Harvard Law School  (J.D.) (1978)
Smith College  (A.B. English cum laude with honors) (1975)