Gretchen Harders

Pensions and Employee Benefits Practice Chair
gretchen@cohenbuckmann.com
LinkedIn

Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation

PRACTICE AREA

Executive Compensation
Pensions and Employee Benefits

Education

University of Minnesota Law School, J.D. cum laude, 1997
University of Chicago, B.A., 1989

AWARDS and Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America©: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2014 to 2024)

  • New York Metro Super Lawyers: Employee Benefits, and Top Women Attorneys in New York (2013 to 2023)

  • The Legal 500 United States: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation, and Retirement Plans: Design (2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022)

Bar Admissions

  • New York

Professional & Community Involvement:

  • Helene Fuld School of Nursing, Trustee

  • New York State Bar Association, Employee Benefits Committee, Tax Section

Gretchen is known as the lawyer that other lawyers ask for advice on employee benefits, pensions and executive compensation.   Gretchen represents a varied list of clients, including financial service companies, entertainment industry clients, and tax-exempt organizations, and also actively represents individual executives in executive compensation matters. She also advises multinational employers on designing and implementing equity-based compensation packages to incentivize top-level executive.

Gretchen chairs the firm's Pensions and Employee Benefits Practice, which advises on all types of qualified retirement plans, including pension plans, 401(k) plans and ESOPs, as well as Section 403(b) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

Some of her focus areas include:

  • Executive Counselling, Contracts and Negotiations

  • Fund Carried Interests and Profits Interests

  • Law Firm Partner Benefits and Retirement Planning

  • Qualified and Non-Qualified Retirement Plans

  • Tax Exempt Organizations: Executive Compensation & Retirement Plans

  • Health and Welfare Plans

  • M&A Transactions: Employee Benefits Advice

Gretchen is a frequent speaker on various employee benefits issues and developments. She authors articles on timely ERISA and employee benefits law topics.

Additionally, Gretchen is a trustee of the Helene Fuld School of Nursing and an officer in the Rotary Club of the Palisades. Her interests include reading, playing piano, and coaching youth soccer.