Laura A.Bigler

Partner

Cleveland + 1.216.586.7773

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Laura Bigler has more than 15 years of experience counseling employers with respect to executive compensation and employee benefits programs. She advises clients on all types of such programs, including equity-based compensation plans, employment agreements, change in control agreements and qualified retirement, nonqualified retirement, welfare, and deferred compensation plans. She also regularly assists clients with respect to administration and compliance of such plans and programs with complex legal requirements, including the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA. Laura also has significant experience identifying and correcting plan qualification defects, terminating plans, and integrating employee benefit plans following significant corporate transactions.

Laura's recent client representations include Reynolds American, whom she recently advised in integrating employee benefit plans following Reynolds American's $27.4 billion acquisition of Lorillard and on the executive compensation and employee benefits aspects of its $49 billion acquisition by British American Tobacco Plc. She also advises OGE Energy Corp., Lincoln Electric, and several other clients on all facets of their executive compensation and employee benefits plans and programs.

Experience

  • FirstEnergy sells $2.4 billion minority transmission stake to BrookfieldJones Day represented FirstEnergy Corp. in its $2.4 billion sale of a 19.9% equity stake in its subsidiary FirstEnergy Transmission, the holding company for FirstEnergy’s three regulated electric transmission businesses.
  • OGE Energy being advised in unit-for-unit merger of Enable Midstream Partners LP by Energy Transfer LP for $7.2 billionJones Day advised OGE Energy Corp. ("OGE") in connection with the acquisition of Enable Midstream Partners LP by Energy Transfer LP in a unit-for-unit merger transaction valued at $7.2 billion.
  • LORD Corporation acquired by Parker Hannifin for $3.675 billionJones Day advised LORD Corporation in its $3.675 billion acquisition by Parker Hannifin Corporation.
  • Reynolds American acquired by British American Tobacco Plc in deal valued at $49 billionJones Day advised Reynolds American Inc. ("RAI") regarding the acquisition by British American Tobacco, p.l.c. ("BAT") of 57.8 percent of the outstanding shares of RAI not owned by BAT and its affiliates in a transaction valued at $49 billion.
  • Riverside acquires EthicsPointJones Day advised The Riverside Company in connection with the acquisition and related financing of EthicsPoint, Inc., a provider of enterprise risk awareness solutions.
  • Riverside acquires YourMembership.comJones Day advised The Riverside Company in connection with its acquisition and related financing of YourMembership.com, Inc., a Florida based designer of membership management software programs and social and community networking programs for member-based organizations.
  • Riverside acquires EagleOne LogisticsJones Day advised The Riverside Company in connection with its acquisition and related financing of EagleOne Logistics, Inc., a provider of time-sensitive regional delivery services.
  • Riverside acquires Global Compliance ServicesJones Day advised The Riverside Company in connection with its acquisition and related financing of Global Compliance Services, Inc., a leading global provider of outsourced governance, risk management and compliance solutions.
  • Riverside acquires CPASiteSolutionsJones Day advised The Riverside Company in connection with its acquisition and related financing of CPASiteSolutions, Inc., a provider of products and services that help CPA firms develop superior online marketing tools.
  • Riverside acquires Centiv ServicesJones Day advised The Riverside Company in connection with its acquisition and related financing of Centiv Services, LLC, a Chicago-based marketing services company.
  • Riverside acquires Blue SkyJones Day represented The Riverside Company in connection with its acquisition and related financing of Blue Sky Factory, Inc., an industry-leading email service provider.
  • DW Healthcare acquires Aerosol Science Laboratories and Topical Apothecary GroupJones Day advised DW Healthcare Partners, L.P. in connection with its acquisition and related financing of Aerosol Science Laboratories, Inc. and Topical Apothecary Group, LLC, retail pharmacies with a national program for working with chronic sinusitis patients and providing equipment, compounded and non-compounded medications ordered by physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, who have the legal authority to prescribe prescriptions medications.
  • Riverside portfolio company acquires Home WellnessJones Day represented The Riverside Company in connection with its acquisition and related financing of Home Wellness, Inc. & Stay Dry Products, Inc., a specialty distributor of catheters and incontinence supplies.
  • Riverside acquires BioSan LaboratoriesJones Day advised The Riverside Company in connection with its acquisition of BioSan Laboratories, Inc., a manufacturer of nutritional supplements.
  • Riverside completes sale of GTI Diagnostics to Gen-ProbeJones Day represented The Riverside Company in connection with its sale of GTI Diagnostics, an in-vitro diagnostics specialist, to Gen-Probe Inc., a global leader in the development, manufacture, and marketing of molecular diagnostics products and services.
  • Riverside acquires Lumen Dynamics GroupJones Day represented The Riverside Company in connection with its acquisition and related financing of The Lumen Dynamics Group, Inc., f/k/a EXFO Photonic Solutions, Inc., a subsidiary of EXFO, Inc. and a developer and retailer of high-intensity ultraviolet illumination and curing products.
  • ABM Janitorial Services acquires DiverscoJones Day advised ABM Janitorial Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of ABM Industries, in its acquisition of Diversco, Inc., a national provider of outsourced facility services.
  • Riverside portfolio company acquires ProSchools, Inc.Jones Day provided advice to The Riverside Company in connection with the acquisition by portfolio company OnCourse Learning Corporation, a holding company established to build a multi-industry professional training provider, of 100% of the outstanding capital stock of ProSchools, Inc., a leading provider of training for real estate and insurance professionals in the northwest United States and a leader in the national mortgage training market.
  • Riverside acquires Mansell GroupJones Day provided advice to The Riverside Company in the acquisition and related financing of Mansell Group, Inc., a private technology-based marketing services firm.
  • Bridgestone seeks advice regarding all facets of the design and administration of qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, deferred compensation plans and executive compensation arrangementsJones Day routinely advised Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc. regarding (1) all facets of the design and administration of qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, deferred compensation plans and executive compensation arrangements, including issues involving taxation, IRS qualification, ERISA compliance, reporting and disclosure, and (2) the design and implementation of numerous employee benefit programs, including medical, retiree medical, disability, severance, flexible spending arrangements and wellness programs.
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    November 2010 Commentary

    Fully Insured Group Health Plans May No Longer Provide Discriminatory Benefits

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