Steven D. Woodland
Experience
Steve Woodland is a partner of the firm advising businesses, healthcare
organizations and not-for-profit organizations with respect to employee benefit
matters. His practice emphasizes the design and operation of defined benefit and
defined contributions plans, deferred compensation and incentive compensation
plans, group health and other welfare plans and stock option programs. He handles
employee benefit compliance controversies before governmental administrative
agencies. He has handled federal tax controversies at the administrative levels of the
Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Tenth Circuit.
Steve was an attorney and shareholder at Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy, Salt
Lake City, Utah (1978-1998) and a law clerk to Judge Richard H. Chambers, United
States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1977-1978).
Representative Work
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Assisted plan sponsors update group health plans for health care reform changes.
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Advised large private manufacturing company with respect to the redesign of its
qualified pension plan to use a cash balance formula and the merger into the
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(801) 578-6999 fax
steven.woodland@stoel.com
Advised plan sponsors on self-correction of administrative errors and negotiated
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Brigham Young University, J.D., 1977,
compliance statements with the Internal Revenue Service.
magna cum laude
Represented private manufacturing company in connection with a governmental
Executive Editor, BYU Law Review
J. Reuben Clark Scholar
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Brigham Young University, B.A., 1974
Assisted large tax-exempt organization in restructuring the allocation of fiduciary
responsibilities for the investment of assets of the pension plan and retiree
Admissions
medical plan.
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Utah
Conducted fiduciary training for corporate executives who serve on benefit plan
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Arizona (inactive)
committees.
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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth
Circuit
Assisted a global producer of packaging products integrate the qualified defined
benefit and defined contribution plans acquired in its purchase of another
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U.S. Supreme Court
company into its benefit program, including plan mergers involving several 401(k)
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U.S. Tax Court
Revised the supplemental executive compensation plans of several employers to
meet business needs and comply with recent law changes.
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(801) 578-6976 direct
Education
plans.
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Salt Lake City, UT
plan of several existing pension plans.
audit of its qualified pension plans and its qualified 401(k) plans.
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Partner
Restructured the tax-exempt trust for the health benefit plan of a large
manufacturing company.
Steven D. Woodland
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Negotiated agreements with investment fund managers in connection with investment of assets by pension plan trust in those
funds.
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Negotiated complex service agreements with benefit administration firms.
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Terminated and liquidated a trust organized as a voluntary employees beneficiary association providing disability and life
insurance benefits.
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Regularly advises plan sponsors on the creation, documentation, administration and legal compliance for qualified pension,
profit-sharing, ESOP and 401(k) plans.
Professional Honors and Activities
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Selected as Best Lawyers® as Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law Lawyer of the Year, Salt Lake City, 2016
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Listed in Best Lawyers in America© (currently: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law), 2005-2016
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Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Utah) by Chambers USA (currently: Labor & Empl oyment: ERISA),
2014-2016
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Listed in Who's Who in America
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Listed in Who's Who in American Law
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Section leader, Stoel Rives Employee Benefit's practice group, 2009-2010
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Member, Utah State Bar, Tax, Labor and Employment Sections
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Member, Western Pension & Benefits Conference
Presentations
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"Health Care Reform: Version 2.0," Stoel Rives Seminar, May 2014
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"Health Care Reform: Preparing for 2014," Stoel Rives Seminar, May 2013
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"Health Care Reform: Group Plan Updates," Stoel Rives Seminar, Sept. 2011
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"Section 409A – A Practitioner's View," Utah State Bar, 2008
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"Fiduciary Responsibilities," Soltis Retreat, 2004
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"Legal Issues – Defined Contribution Health Plans," Marsh Seminar, 2002
Publications
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"Make No Mistake - But if you do, it pays to fix that 401(k)," Utah Business magazine, Jan. 2010
Civic Activities
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Chair, Employee Appeals Board of Taylorsville City, Utah, 2009-2011
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Former member, Government Affairs Committee of the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Steven D. Woodland
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Former member, District Committee of Boy Scouts of America
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Judge Pro Tem, Third District Court, State of Utah, 1996-2000
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Former Board Member, CPA/Law Forum