International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP announced today that Elizabeth Deckman has joined the Benefits & Compensation Group in the Firm’s Seattle office as a Partner.

Ms. Deckman’s practice focuses on advising companies regarding employee benefits and ERISA. She has designed and implemented all types of tax-qualified retirement plans and trusts, including Section 401(k), profit sharing, money purchase, employee stock ownership (ESOP), cash balance and defined benefit plans. She also drafts and implements health and welfare plans and advises employers on related issues, such as COBRA, HIPPA, health care reform and fiduciary issues. She also works with deferred compensation plans and Internal Revenue Code Section 409A.

Ms. Deckman joins Dorsey from the Seattle office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, where she was a partner. Before joining Davis Wright, she was in private practice with two major West Coast-based law firms and was a principal with Mercer Consulting, a global human resource and related financial services consulting firm that is a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies.

She received her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School and her BA magna cum laude from Lawrence University. Ms. Deckman is president-elect of the Seattle chapter of the Western Pension and Benefits Council, a leading organization for benefit plan specialists, where she has been a board member since 2011.

“We are delighted that Liz has joined the Firm,” noted Dorsey Managing Partner Ken Cutler. “She brings an incredible depth of experience to our strong, multi-office Benefits & Compensation Group. We continue to add talent strategically across the Dorsey platform to better serve our clients around the world.”

“I am very pleased to be joining Dorsey and its great Firm-wide team of employee benefits lawyers,” noted Ms. Deckman. “I look forward to serving Dorsey’s exceptional client base.”