- Assisted multistate third-party administrators with various state law licensing and HIPAA administrative simplification regulations, as well as analyzing ERISA preemption issues and drafting service agreements.
- Advised a large national insurance company on HSA compliance and state law issues.
- Counseled a leading national food service and wine, spirits and beer distributor in matters related to COBRA administration, qualified domestic relations orders, and cafeteria plan compliance.
Senior Attorney,
- Phone: +1 404 881 7814
- Email: laurie.kirkwood@alston.com
Clients turn to Laurie for guidance on complex employee benefits and executive compensation matters. She has a wide range of experience in ERISA compliance for health and welfare employee benefit issues for large employers, health plan administrators, and other benefit plan service providers.
Laurie Kirkwood is a senior attorney in Alston & Bird’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group. She concentrates her practice on health and welfare benefit plans, including compliance with ERISA, MHPAEA, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA, and other federal law matters that arise in plan administration. She publishes articles on current developments related to health & welfare plan administration and is the co-author of Complying with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act published by AIS. She drafts health and welfare plans for employers, insurers, and third-party administrators and reviews service provider agreements. Laurie works closely with plan fiduciaries and in-house counsel to represent clients before administrative bodies such as the IRS, DOL, and state/local regulatory agencies.
-
Advisories February 11, 2025Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | Health Plan Impact of HHS’s Proposed HIPAA Security Rule UpdateOur Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group highlights the HIPAA Security Rule’s proposed new compliance requirements for health plans, plan sponsors, and their business associates.Advisories February 11, 2025Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | Health Plan Impact of HHS’s Proposed HIPAA Security Rule UpdateOur Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group highlights the HIPAA Security Rule’s proposed new compliance requirements for health plans, plan sponsors, and their business associates.
-
Advisories January 22, 2025Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | New Year Brings New Tri-Agency FAQs About Gag Clause Prohibitions and Attestations, No Surprises Act
Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group discusses new guidance for group health plans and insurers on complying with federal gag clause prohibitions and No Suprises Act requirements.
Advisories January 22, 2025Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | New Year Brings New Tri-Agency FAQs About Gag Clause Prohibitions and Attestations, No Surprises ActOur Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group discusses new guidance for group health plans and insurers on complying with federal gag clause prohibitions and No Suprises Act requirements.
-
Advisories January 6, 2025Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | Changes to Employer Reporting Requirements Under the ACAOur Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group highlights changes that will make it less burdensome in 2025 for plan sponsors to file Forms 1095-B and 1095-C under the Affordable Care Act.Advisories January 6, 2025Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | Changes to Employer Reporting Requirements Under the ACAOur Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group highlights changes that will make it less burdensome in 2025 for plan sponsors to file Forms 1095-B and 1095-C under the Affordable Care Act.
-
Advisories December 10, 2024Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | 2024 Health Benefits Year: A Year to RememberThe year was packed with developments for health and welfare benefits plans. Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group reviews 2024, from new data privacy rules to disaster tax relief.Advisories December 10, 2024Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | 2024 Health Benefits Year: A Year to RememberThe year was packed with developments for health and welfare benefits plans. Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group reviews 2024, from new data privacy rules to disaster tax relief.
-
Advisories November 15, 2024Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | Final Mental Health Parity Rules: A Plan Sponsor’s Implementation GuideOur Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group discusses what health plan sponsors need to know about the final rule on nonquantitative treatment limitations (NQTLs) and NQTL comparative analysis under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).Advisories November 15, 2024Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | Final Mental Health Parity Rules: A Plan Sponsor’s Implementation GuideOur Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group discusses what health plan sponsors need to know about the final rule on nonquantitative treatment limitations (NQTLs) and NQTL comparative analysis under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).
-
Advisories November 5, 2024Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | When Disaster Strikes: Issues and Relief for Health Benefit Plans (UPDATED)In the wake of a federally declared disaster, employees may face issues with their benefit plans. Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group discusses what plan administrators should know and the agency guidance that’s available.Advisories November 5, 2024Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory | When Disaster Strikes: Issues and Relief for Health Benefit Plans (UPDATED)In the wake of a federally declared disaster, employees may face issues with their benefit plans. Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group discusses what plan administrators should know and the agency guidance that’s available.
-
Press Release May 22, 2024Alston & Bird Represents Corpay in Agreement to Acquire PaymerangAlston & Bird represented Corpay Inc., a global business payments and expense management company, in its agreement to acquire Paymerang LLC, an invoice and payment solution software company and portfolio company of Aldrich Capital Partners. The approximately $475 million transaction is set to close in the second quarter of 2024, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.Press Release May 22, 2024Alston & Bird Represents Corpay in Agreement to Acquire PaymerangAlston & Bird represented Corpay Inc., a global business payments and expense management company, in its agreement to acquire Paymerang LLC, an invoice and payment solution software company and portfolio company of Aldrich Capital Partners. The approximately $475 million transaction is set to close in the second quarter of 2024, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
-
Advisories December 6, 2023Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory: Year-End Health Benefits Roundup 2023
It was a lively year for health benefits. Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group unpacks 2023, from the end of the COVID-19 emergencies to the much-anticipated Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) regulations.
Advisories December 6, 2023Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory: Year-End Health Benefits Roundup 2023It was a lively year for health benefits. Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group unpacks 2023, from the end of the COVID-19 emergencies to the much-anticipated Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) regulations.
-
Webinar November 7, 2023Alston & Bird Health & Welfare Benefits Monthly UpdateJoin us for a Health & Welfare Benefits Update that includes Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) regulatory and case developments, and more.Webinar November 7, 2023Alston & Bird Health & Welfare Benefits Monthly UpdateJoin us for a Health & Welfare Benefits Update that includes Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) regulatory and case developments, and more.
-
Webinar September 7, 2023Health & Welfare Benefits Monthly UpdateJoin the Alston & Bird Health Benefits Team as we bring you up to date on Summer developments including a deep dive into the new proposed Mental Health Parity Regulations and the potential impact of additional proposed tax and tri-agency regulations regarding short term limited duration and fixed indemnity coverage.Webinar September 7, 2023Health & Welfare Benefits Monthly UpdateJoin the Alston & Bird Health Benefits Team as we bring you up to date on Summer developments including a deep dive into the new proposed Mental Health Parity Regulations and the potential impact of additional proposed tax and tri-agency regulations regarding short term limited duration and fixed indemnity coverage.
Bar Admissions
- Georgia
Education
- Emory University (J.D., 2005)
- Georgia State University (B.A., 1994)