Jacquelyn Meng Abbott

Practice Areas

Education

• The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, J.D.
• Bowling Green State University, B.A., with honors

Bar & Court Admissions

• Texas
• Ohio
• Indiana (inactive)
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

Jacquie is of counsel in the Vorys Houston office and a member of the labor and employment group.  Her practice focuses on employee benefits and related compensation tax matters.  Jacquie has extensive experience providing legal advice to human resource and corporate financial services leaders on employee benefits and employment tax laws including: ERISA, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA, TCJA, and other applicable federal and state tax laws.

More recently, as supervising tax counsel at Exxon Mobil Corporation, she was responsible for legal compliance of medical, dental, life insurance and disability plans. In addition, she advised on payroll tax matters. Prior to joining ExxonMobil, she was in-house counsel at Lincoln Financial Group for more than two decades with similar responsibilities.

Career highlights include:

• Providing legal counsel related to the drafting and negotiating benefit plan vendor contracts (fully insured and administrative services only)
• Advising numerous stakeholders on compliance issues related to the Affordable Care Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Advising on the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on employer provided fringe benefits
• Served as chair of the ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) health policy committee

Jacquie is a member of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation, where she served as the chair of the section’s Corporate Counsel Committee from 2012-2019.

Jacquie has presented and has been published on a number of employee benefits related topics including: what should the ERISA qualifications of an annuity purchased by an employer in the face of the Executive Life insolvency; ERISA: Ten Years After, “Plan Asset Reversions;” and developments in the life insurance industry.

Jacquie received her J.D. from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law. She received her B.A. with honors from Bowling Green State University.

Professional and Community Activities

• ERISA Industry Committee, Chair, Health Policy Committee, 2008-2012; Member, Retirement Committee and Health Policy Committee
• American Bar Association — Section of Taxation, Chair, Corporate Counsel Committee 2012-2019; Vice Chair, Subcommittee on Welfare Plan and EEOC, FMLA and Leave Issues
• American Council of Life Insurance, Member, Risk Classification Committee, 1988-1990; Member, Task Force on Fiduciary Matters, 1980-1996; Member, Joint Committee with Health Insurance Association of America on Task Force on the Application of ERISA to Welfare Benefit Plans, 1994-1996; Member of Task Force working on DOL general account regulations, 1980-1999
• Indiana State Bar Association, Member, Board of Governors, 1991-1993; Chair, Long Range Planning Committee, 1996-1997; House of Delegates Representative for the Fourth District, Member, 1993-1999; Fellow, Indiana Bar Foundation
• School District's Music Booster Organization, Treasurer
• Ft. Wayne Philharmonic Women's Committee, Board of Directors, Counsel
• Limberlost Girl Scout Council, Leader
• YWCA Woman of Achievement, Member
• Junior Achievement, Project Business Consultant

Honors & Awards

• Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year, Houston Volunteer lawyers Program, 2010

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