Transcript
STEPHANIE HANSEN
Dallas, Texas ●
[email protected] www.linkedin.com/in/shansen5
SUMMARY
ERISA/Employee Benefits Paralegal | Retirement Plan Document Specialist
Well-organized and skilled ERISA/employee benefits professional with over 20 years’ experience as a paralegal in
fast-paced legal environments. Extensive experience in all areas associated with employee benefits, specializing in
defined contribution qualified retirement plans. Core strengths include the ability to handle multiple complex
projects simultaneously and meet deadlines, verbal and written communication skills, ability to simplify and
convey technical concepts, and document preparation and analytical expertise.
SKILLS AND EXPERTISE
Plan documents and amendments ● SPDs and SMMs ● QDROs ● Determination letter filings
Compliance testing ● Forms 5300, 5307, 5310, 5330, 5500 ● Analysis of tax laws and regulations
EPCRS and VFCP submissions ● Self-correction documentation ● Resolutions and notices ● Legal research
Due diligence in mergers and acquisitions and third-party recordkeeper transitions
Communicate effectively ● Attention to detail ● Problem solving ● Organizational skills ● Self-motivated
WORK EXPERIENCE
Worked with same attorney supervisor for over 20 years at four different firms; as he transitioned to greater
opportunities, was included as part of his team
Senior Paralegal Norton Rose Fulbright LLP (fka Fulbright & Jaworski LLP)
2007 to 2013 Dallas, Texas
Norton Rose Fulbright is a multinational law firm with more than 3,800 lawyers in over 50 cities worldwide. In
June 2013, London-based Norton Rose merged with US law firm Fulbright & Jaworski, forming Norton Rose
Fulbright.
Drafted retirement plan documents, plan amendments, summary plan descriptions, summaries of material
modifications, resolutions and notices relating to prototype, volume submitter and individually designed
plans
Generated favorable determination letter filing applications for IRS using Forms 5300, 5307 and 5310
Completed applications to IRS and DOL for plan corrections of compliance issues under the Employee
Plans Compliance Resolution System and the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program, as well as self-
correction documentation
Reviewed and responded to qualified domestic relations orders to ensure qualification
Examined and revised retirement and welfare plan documents, SPDs, SMMs, contracts and additional
documents prepared by other companies for legal compliance issues, as well as extensive due diligence
and protected benefits analyses during mergers and acquisitions and recordkeeper transitions
Reviewed and analyzed annual compliance tests, plan audits and Form 5500 returns
Analyzed and interpreted tax laws and regulations, including legislative and regulatory changes requiring
advisory client communications
Legal research relating to retirement and welfare benefit plan issues
Maintained volume submitter retirement plan established for use by clients
Frequent contact with clients, attorneys, recordkeepers, investment providers, accountants and
government agencies
STEPHANIE HANSEN PAGE 2
Dallas, Texas ●
[email protected] www.linkedin.com/in/shansen5
Paralegal Winstead PC (fka Winstead, Sechrest & Minick, P.C.)
2001 to 2007 Dallas, Texas
Winstead PC is a national corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New Orleans, Charlotte and Washington, D.C.
In 2012 the National Law Journal listed Winstead PC among the 250 largest law firms in the United States with
300 attorneys.
Drafted retirement plan documents, amendments, summary plan descriptions and summaries of material
modifications relating to prototype, volume submitter and individually designed plans
Completed applications to IRS and DOL for correction of compliance issues under the Employee Plans
Compliance Resolution System and the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program, as well as self-correction
documentation
Generated determination letter applications for IRS using Forms 5300, 5307 and 5310
Examined and revised retirement and welfare plan documents, SPDs, SMMs, annual notices, contracts and
additional documents prepared by other companies for legal compliance issues, as well as extensive due
diligence and protected benefits analyses during mergers and acquisitions and recordkeeper transitions
Maintained volume submitter retirement plan established for use by clients
Frequent contact with clients, attorneys, recordkeepers, investment providers, accountants and
government agencies
Paralegal Haynes and Boone, LLP
1993 to 2001 Dallas, Texas
Haynes and Boone, LLP is an international corporate law firm with more than 500 lawyers in 13 offices and 30
major legal practice areas.
Drafted retirement plan documents, amendments, summary plan descriptions and summaries of material
modifications relating to prototype, volume submitter and individually designed plans
Generated determination letter applications for IRS using Forms 5300, 5307 and 5310
Legal research relating to retirement and welfare benefit plan issues
Served as pension administrator for several clients, which included compliance testing, trust accounting,
maintenance of participant accounts, preparation of individual participant statements, and completion of
Form 5500
Legal Assistant Actuarial Consultants
1991 to 1993 Dallas, Texas
Actuarial Consultants was a small third-party recordkeeper company in Dallas, which is no longer in business.
Drafted retirement plan documents, amendments, summary plan descriptions and summaries of material
modifications generally using the Datair document system
Served as pension administrator for several clients, which included compliance testing, trust accounting,
maintenance of participant accounts, preparation of individual participant statements, and completion of
Form 5500
OTHER
Experienced with Windows, Word, Excel, Outlook, FileSite, and several specialized document organization, billing
and pension administration programs. Have an aptitude for learning other software applications and technologies.
Currently studying for IRS Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent certification to sit for Winter 2014 exams.