Jennifer A.Kraft

Jennifer began her practice in employment litigation almost 20 years ago, before shifting to employee benefits. This experience provides her with an understanding of the "real world" that employers face on a day-to-day basis, and how to be practical in finding legally sound solutions that meet the business needs of her clients.

Jennifer advises clients on the design, administration, and fiduciary responsibilities related to qualified retirement plans (401(k), traditional defined benefit and cash balance plans) and welfare benefit plans. Her experience in this area includes engaging with the Department of Labor, IRS, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation on behalf of employers and plan fiduciaries, addressing plan corrections, assisting with significant corporate and plan spinoff and merger transactions with related integration issues, negotiating vendor contracts, and facilitating transitions to new record-keepers. Additionally, Jennifer advises clients on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations as it relates to retirements plan investments, an area that is quickly evolving across the globe.

Jennifer also regularly counsels on welfare benefits issues, including wellness programs. She has assisted a number of clients with the transition to retiree medical exchanges and has counseled and trained clients extensively on HIPAA compliance. Jennifer has also helped numerous clients deal with changes in the economy through the design, implementation, and administration of severance plans.

As a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Jennifer delivers increased value to her clients at a time when more is expected of them. Drawing upon Seyfarth's deep capabilities in project management and technology, she continually improves her practice and the way her clients experience service delivery. Further she co-leads the firm’s technology and delivery efforts on ESG reporting, trends, and analytics.

Jennifer is also vice-chair of the Seyfarth's Women's Network, coordinating the efforts of all Seyfarth offices to promote and encourage opportunities for our women attorneys. The Women's Network provides programming on topics important to women in the legal and business roles at the firm, and leads some of the firm's global philanthropic efforts to support organizations for girls and women locally and in developing countries.

Jennifer's favorite thing about Seyfarth has always been the people. She enjoys working collaboratively across all of the firm's practice groups to provide top-level advice for her clients in a variety of areas. Her clients also appreciate her ability to tap in to the vast experience of the firm's large employee benefits team across the country.