Isaac Morris is an employee benefits and executive compensation attorney, advising businesses, entities, and the individuals owning or working for them on a variety of retirement, compensation, welfare, and other benefit matters and related tax laws and situations. Clients turn to Isaac for his expertise, critical thinking, and planning, as well as his ability and willingness to consider what he would recommend and do if in the client’s shoes, recognizing that each client has different risk tolerances to planning and problem-solving.
Isaac focuses his efforts on helping the individuals he works with achieve the best solution for the entities they manage or represent, wanting them to feel confident about their jobs and results. Isaac enjoys making connections with those who come to him with questions and problems and getting to know the personalities and preferences of the people and their organizations.
Isaac fields questions and counsels on a wide variety of benefit matters, including qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, the planning and impact of control groups under the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA, compensation and payroll tax situations, and negotiation and interaction with vendors and third-party administrators. Clients know that Isaac works with a deep bench of experienced benefit attorney whom he counsels with regularly in developing and implementing practical solutions.
Isaac has extensive experience representing entities and their executive and directors in all aspects of “golden parachute” payment situations, helping those organizations and individuals avoid lost tax deductions and punitive excise taxes that would otherwise apply in transactions involving the sale, merger, or acquisition of a company.
Isaac devotes considerable time each year to several pro bono efforts, including mentoring and instructing high school student in the Street Law program, as well as counseling charitable and non-profit organizations on compensation and retirement plan matters.
Prior to joining Foley, Isaac served as a law clerk for Justice Jorge A. Solis of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Dallas, Texas.
Representative Experience
- Advising a publicly held mining company with regard to numerous SEC and employee benefits matters following its merger including the parachute payment implications, as well as the mechanics and compliance needed for the payment of the executives under their KEESAs and other nonqualified deferred compensation plans.
- Counseling a publicly held utilities company regarding its compliance with the numerous and often ambiguous requirements of the new health care reform laws.
- Counseling a privately held plastics manufacturer regarding the parachute payment implications during its sale including drafting the necessary documentation for an adequate shareholder consent.
- Assisting several publicly held companies in their determination letter filings for their qualified retirement plans.
Affiliations
- Member of the Society for HR Management (SHRM)
- Member of the Wisconsin Retirement Planning Professionals, Ltd.
- Member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
- Member of the Wisconsin Bar Association
- Member of the American Bar Association
- Member of the Milwaukee Bar Association
Presentations and Publications
- Co-authored, “Diving Into SECURE 2.0: New and Potentially Easier Ways to Make Withdrawals from 401(k) Plans,” Legal News: Employee Benefits Insights, May 17, 2023.
- Co-authored, “SECURE 2.0 Changes Rules for Retirement Plans,” Foley Insights, December 30, 2022.
- Co-authored, “401(k) Plan Top 10 Year End Laundry List,” Legal News: Employee Benefits Insights, October 20, 2021.
- Authored, “IRS Provides Further Flexibility for Flexible Spending Accounts,” Coronavirus Resource Center: Back to Business, March 2, 2021.
- Co-authored, “IRS Provides Additional Ways to Reduce or Suspend Safe Harbor Contributions for 2020,” Coronavirus Resource Center: Back to Business, July 6, 2020.
- Co-authored, “Beneficiary Provisions and Designations — Plan Now for More Simplicity Later,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, April 29, 2019.
- Authored, “How Do I Report Non-Qualified Plan or Severance Payments to a Former Employee? Hint: You Should Probably Use a W-2, Not a 1099!” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, July 9, 2018.
- Co-authored, “Much Ado About (Almost) Nothing? Impact of Tax Reform on Employer-Provided Retirement, Welfare, and Fringe Benefits,” Newsletter: Employee Benefits Insights, January 5, 2018.
- Co-authored, “Does Your Severance Trigger ERISA? Why You Should Care and What You Should Do,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, July 25, 2016.
- Contributes to Foley’s Legal News Alert: Employee Benefits, which reports on recent developments in employee benefits and ERISA law.
- Presenter, Wisconsin Business Health Care Group (WBHCG), “Tobacco Cessation: Preventive Services, Mental Health Parity, Wellness Programs,” Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, April 22, 2015.
- Presenter, Mid-America Coalition on Health Care (MACHC), “Tobacco Cessation: Preventive Services, Mental Health Parity, Wellness Programs,” St. Louis, Missouri, November 20, 2014.
- Co-authored, “Regulatory Agencies Provide Only Limited Relief from Health Care Reform for Collectively Bargained Plans,” Foley Legal News Alert: Employee Benefits, June 29, 2010.
- Co-authored, “The Perfect Storm Gathers: Recent Announcements by the IRS Coupled with the Climate of Increased Law Enforcement Call into Question Continuing Vitality of Announcement 2002-63 Regarding Tax Accrual Workpapers,” 57, The Tax Executive, No. 6, Nov.-Dec., 2005.
- “Creating an Online Internet Tax: A Complex Construction?” 2, Northwestern Journal of Technology & Intellectual, 2, 2004.
- “Irrational Fears: The ‘No Law to Apply’ Doctrine Vs. The Real Culprit of Unconstitutional Delegation,” 98, Northwestern University Law Review, 367, 2003.
Going for Gold: Keeping Your 401(k)’s 5500 Reports Both Timely and Error-Free
Foley Represents Avantus in Investment from KKR to Support Renewable Energy Development
Don’t You Forget About Me: Terminating Employees and Benefits to Think About
Foley Represents GuideOne Insurance in $200M Investment by Bain Capital, Creation of Innovative Platform Dedicated to Mutuals
Diving Into SECURE 2.0: The Gifts that Keep on Giving -- Auto-Enrollment Expansion, Extra Catch-Up Contributions, the New Saver’s Match, Fee Disclosures Improvements, and New Requirements for Paper Statements
