Karen A. Suhre

Kansas City, MO

Karen K. Suhre is admitted to the bar in Texas and Missouri. Prior to establishing her solo practice, she was a partner and practice group chair of Hughes & Luce LLP (now part of K&L Gates). Karen’s practice is limited to employee benefits and executive compensation matters. She represents employers (including for-profit, non-profit and governmental entities), individual executives, owners or beneficiaries of retirement accounts, and plan fiduciaries. Her experience includes planning, drafting and compliance work related to many types of retirement plans, including ESOPs, 401(a) defined contribution and defined benefit plans, 401(k) plans, 403(b) and 457 arrangements, and SIMPLE and SEPP programs. In the executive compensation area, her experience includes non-qualified deferred compensation plans and agreements, severance agreements, golden parachute agreements, and equity compensation arrangements. Agency matters that Karen handles include IRS determination letter and private letter requests and VCP applications; IRS and DOL compliance programs such as EPCRS and DFVC; IRS and DOL plan audits; prohibited transaction exemptions; and plan terminations. She also provides planning, drafting and compliance services with respect to certain welfare and fringe benefit plans, such as severance pay plans, educational assistance programs, cafeteria and flexible benefit plans, Texas occupational injury plans, and group health, disability and life plans. Karen has served as an expert witness or consulting expert in litigation matters related to employee benefits or executive compensation. She also consults or serves as co-counsel with other attorneys on employee benefits and executive compensation issues that arise in mergers and acquisitions.

Executive Compensation

I have served as an expert witness in cases involving severance pay and golden parachutes.

DB Plans

I was designated as an expert witness and gave an expert report in a federal case involving whether a 204(h) notice was required in connection with the amendment of a defined benefit plan.

Health and Welfare Plans

I have served as an expert witness and have given reports and depositions in litigation involving severance pay plans, a Texas occupational injury plan, and a long term disability benefit program.