Labor & Employment Associate

Job Title: Senior Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (ERISA) Attorney Location: Raleigh, NC (On-site / Hybrid) Salary: $160,000 - $200,000 Key Perks: Multidisciplinary Practice Exposure | Highly Sophisticated Corporate Client Base Seize a high-impact role steering elite workforce strategy and executive rewards inside a premier business practice. A highly regarded, multi-disciplinary law firm in Raleigh is seeking an ambitious ERISA / Labor & Employment Associate Attorney with specialized experience in executive compensation and employee benefits. This position provides exceptional visibility, direct client consultation, and a clear, structured runway to partnership. The incoming attorney will serve as a trusted advisor to mid-market companies, institutional entities, and tech startups, optimizing workforce compliance and crafting elite compensation strategies. Core Responsibilities ERISA & Benefits Compliance: Plan, structure, and audit qualified and non-qualified employee benefit plans, ensuring strict compliance with ERISA, tax codes, and regulatory frameworks. Executive Compensation Architecture: Draft, structure, and negotiate sophisticated executive employment contracts, equity-based incentive plans (incentive stock options, phantom stock), deferred compensation arrangements, and separation packages. Transactional Due Diligence: Partner directly with the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) division to conduct comprehensive benefits due diligence, identify hidden liabilities, and manage post-closing workforce integrations. Employment Litigation Defense: Represent employers and corporate management in state and federal courts against claims involving discrimination, wage and hour violations, restrictive covenants, and ERISA disputes. Regulatory Advocacy: Guide corporate leadership through sensitive internal investigations, and defend employers during audits and inquiries by the Department of Labor (DOL), IRS, and EEOC. Required Qualifications Experience: 3–5 years of dedicated labor and employment or corporate transactional experience, with a heavy emphasis on employee benefits (ERISA) and executive compensation. Procedural Literacy: Robust understanding of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A, federal and state labor statutes, and transactional closing mechanics. Technical Integration: Advanced proficiency utilizing legal document management systems, digital case notebooks, and enterprise collaboration suites. Credentials: Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and active, good-standing licensure with the North Carolina State Bar. #J-18808-Ljbffr