Areas of Practice
- Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
- Healthcare Reform Resource Center
- Labor & Employment
- Tax & Estates
Education
- Boston University School of Law, LL.M. in Taxation, 1996; Bigelow Deland Scholarship
- Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, J.D., 1995; Judge Alvin B. Rubin Scholarship
- Louisiana State University, B.S. in International Trade and Finance, 1992; Beta Gamma Sigma
Bar Admissions
- Louisiana, 1996
Court Admissions
- M.D. La., 2000
Tim Brechtel began his career with the national accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. His current practice focuses on assisting employers with establishing, administering, merging, and terminating qualified retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), as well as nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements under Code Section 409A, health plans, cafeteria plans, severance plans, separation agreements, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, transportation, and other fringe benefit plans. His retirement plan experience includes both defined contribution and defined benefit plans. He is a Board-Certified Tax Specialist as certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization.
Mr. Brechtel reviews plan documents for compliance with applicable laws and drafts plan documents, summary plan descriptions, participant communications, and plan policies and procedures. He assists employers and service providers with establishing appropriate safeguards and procedures for protecting health information in accordance with the privacy requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). He assists employers and employees with the income tax aspects of retirement, welfare, and deferred compensation plan benefits.
Mr. Brechtel assists clients with employee benefits issues in connection with merger and acquisition transactions. He advises benefits committees and human resource personnel on fiduciary duty and prohibited transaction issues, including advice regarding the propriety of proposed transactions and preparing applications to government agencies to avoid penalties and address compliance lapses. He assists employers ranging from sole proprietorships to large multinational corporations.
Mr. Brechtel has served as the secretary of the SouthWest Benefits Association and is a member of the IRS Tax Exempt/Governmental Entities Gulf Coast Council and the Association of Employee Benefit Planners of New Orleans. He is also active in several local civic organizations, including the Benjamin Franklin High School Alumni Association and St. Andrew the Apostle Church, where he is president of the Finance Council.
Noteworthy
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2019 (Copyright 2018 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC) in the area of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Tax Law (listed annually since 2011)
- Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2018 Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law "Lawyer of the Year" in New Orleans
- Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2016 Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law "Lawyer of the Year" in New Orleans
- Listed in the 2018 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Employee Benefits (also listed in 2007-2008 and 2013 to present)
News
- 70 Jones Walker Attorneys in Louisiana Recognized in the 2018 Super Lawyers List
- 121 Jones Walker LLP Attorneys Ranked by The Best Lawyers in America® 2018
- Tax Reform Client Alert Series Launched by Jones Walker LLP
- 57 Jones Walker LLP Attorneys in Louisiana Recognized in the 2017 Super Lawyers List
- 123 Jones Walker LLP Attorneys Ranked by The Best Lawyers in America® 2017
- Jones Walker LLP Attorneys in Louisiana Recognized in the 2016 Super Lawyers List
Presentations
- Jones Walker Annual Labor & Employment Seminars, 2014, September 25, 2014 and October 16, 2014
- Gulfport Labor & Employment Seminar, August 22, 2013
- Baton Rouge Labor & Employment Seminar, June 25, 2013
- New Orleans Labor & Employment Seminar, May 8, 2013
- "Health Care Reform: Reality Sets In", October 9, 2012, Association of Benefit Planners of New Orleans
- "Mid-Term Congressional Elections Mean Changes, But Not Necessarily The Changes You Want" (New Orleans), April 12, 2011
Publications
- "'Play or Pay' and Whistleblower Protections under Healthcare Reform
Louisiana Employment Law Letter, April 25, 2013 - "Same Benefits for John and Harry as John and Mary?"
Louisiana Employment Law Letter, March 2005
Memberships
- American Bar Association (Member, Section of Taxation)
- Association of Employee Benefit Planners of New Orleans
- Benjamin Franklin High School Alumni Association (Board Member, Past President)
- Board-Certified Tax Specialist as Certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization (Member, Tax Law Examination Committee, 2005–2006)
- Camp Fire USA Greater New Orleans Council (Board Member, 2003–2010; Treasurer, 2003–2006; Past President)
- IRS Tax Exempt/Governmental Entities Gulf Coast Council
- Louisiana State Bar Association (Member, Section of Taxation)
- National Center for Employee Ownership
- SouthWest Benefits Association (Member, Board of Directors, 2007–2010; Secretary, 2009–2010)
