Marianne O'Bara

For individuals and businesses throughout Washington, navigating the intricate landscape of employee benefits, executive compensation, and tax law demands highly specialized and experienced legal counsel. These are areas fraught with complex regulations, compliance requirements, and significant financial implications. In Seattle, Marianne O'Bara stands as a distinguished attorney, bringing a wealth of expertise to these critical fields. As a partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, a prominent international law firm, she offers sophisticated legal solutions for clients seeking guidance on their most complex compensation and benefits arrangements.

Marianne O'Bara is recognized as a top-rated Employee Benefits attorney in Seattle, having been consistently selected to the prestigious Super Lawyers list for multiple years (2011, 2013-2019). This peer-influenced and research-driven designation highlights her high degree of professional achievement and recognition within the legal community. With a career spanning over 40 years since her admission to practice law in 1980, Marianne O'Bara brings extensive knowledge and practical experience to advise clients on a wide range of issues, including employee benefit plans, equity incentive plans, deferred compensation, and employment and separation agreements, all while ensuring compliance with U.S. tax and employee benefit laws. For locals in Washington, her presence offers a premier resource for managing and resolving these specialized legal matters.

Marianne O'Bara practices from the Seattle office of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, located in the iconic Columbia Center at 701 5th Ave #6100, Seattle, WA 98104, USA. This address places her within one of the most recognizable and tallest buildings in Seattle's vibrant downtown core, ensuring exceptional accessibility for clients across Washington State.

The Columbia Center's central location provides unparalleled connectivity via Seattle's comprehensive public transportation network. Numerous King County Metro bus routes have stops directly serving the building's vicinity, offering convenient access from various neighborhoods and suburban communities. For those utilizing the Link Light Rail system, the University Street Station and Pioneer Square Station are both within comfortable walking distance, providing direct and efficient transit options for clients traveling from diverse parts of Seattle, its surrounding cities, and even Sea-Tac Airport.

For clients who prefer to drive, the downtown area around 701 5th Avenue offers multiple parking garages and lots within close proximity. While planning for urban parking is always advisable, options are generally available. The building's strategic placement also ensures straightforward access from major highways, facilitating visits for individuals and businesses coming from other regions of Washington State. This prime and easily reachable location underscores Marianne O'Bara's commitment to being a readily available expert legal resource for the entire Washington community.

Marianne O'Bara specializes in complex areas of law, primarily focusing on employee benefits, executive compensation, and related tax matters. Her services are designed to provide comprehensive legal guidance to both U.S. and non-U.S. companies, as well as individuals, on various aspects of compensation and benefits. Her key practice areas include:

• Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law: Advising on the design, formation, administration, merger, and termination of a wide array of employee benefit plans, ensuring compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and other relevant regulations.
• Executive Compensation: Assisting in the structuring and negotiation of executive compensation arrangements, including equity incentive plans, bonus and long-term incentive arrangements, and deferred compensation plans.
• Tax Law for Compensation & Benefits: Providing expert counsel on the U.S. tax implications of compensation and benefit arrangements, with a particular focus on compliance with Internal Revenue Code Section 409A and other complex tax regulations to avoid costly penalties.
• Employment and Separation Agreements: Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating employment agreements, change-in-control agreements, and severance agreements, paying close attention to tax implications and employee benefit considerations.
• Cross-Border Benefits & Compensation: Working with non-U.S. companies and their local counsel to ensure that compensation and benefit arrangements covering U.S. taxpayers comply with applicable U.S. tax and employee benefit laws.
• Mergers & Acquisitions Due Diligence: Conducting comprehensive due diligence on employee benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements in the context of corporate transactions to identify potential liabilities and ensure smooth transitions.
• Regulatory Compliance: Guiding clients through the complex regulatory environment surrounding employee benefits and compensation, ensuring adherence to IRS, Department of Labor, and other governmental requirements.
• Strategic Counseling: Offering high-level strategic advice to companies and individuals on structuring compensation packages that are both attractive and legally compliant, aligning with business objectives.

Marianne O'Bara's practice is distinguished by her extensive experience, specialized knowledge, and recognition within the legal industry. Here are some key features and highlights:

• Highly Rated & Recognized: Consistently selected to the Super Lawyers list (2011, 2013-2019) for Employee Benefits law, a testament to her peer recognition and professional achievement. She has also been included in "The Best Lawyers in America."
• Deep Specialization: Her exclusive focus on employee benefits, executive compensation, and related tax law means clients receive advice from an attorney with unparalleled depth of knowledge in these niche, complex areas.
• Extensive Experience: With over 40 years in practice, Marianne O'Bara possesses a vast reservoir of experience in navigating evolving tax laws and benefits regulations, offering seasoned judgment and foresight.
• Comprehensive Compliance: She ensures that compensation and benefit arrangements comply with stringent U.S. tax laws (e.g., Section 409A) and employee benefit laws (e.g., ERISA), helping clients avoid significant penalties.
• Strategic Problem-Solving: Known for her ability to identify potential issues in compensation arrangements and proactively correct them, often before they incur penalties.
• Leadership in the Field: As a Partner in Dorsey & Whitney's Benefits and Compensation practice group and past Chair of the firm's Executive Compensation Practice Group, she is a leader in her field.
• International Reach: Her experience working with non-U.S. companies on cross-border compensation matters adds a valuable dimension for international businesses with U.S. employees.
• Located within a Reputable Firm: Practicing within Dorsey & Whitney LLP, an international law firm, provides access to extensive resources and a collaborative network of legal professionals.

As a highly specialized attorney operating within an international law firm like Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Marianne O'Bara's services typically cater to complex corporate and individual needs in employee benefits and tax law. Therefore, traditional "promotions" or "special offers" are not generally part of her practice.

However, clients can expect:

• Expert Consultation: The value lies in the opportunity to consult with a highly-rated attorney with decades of experience in complex and niche areas of law. While initial consultations may be subject to standard firm rates, the expertise gained can be invaluable for strategic planning and problem resolution.
• Strategic Value: Her work is focused on creating significant value by ensuring compliance, mitigating risks, and structuring compensation arrangements efficiently, which can lead to substantial long-term financial benefits for businesses and high-net-worth individuals.

Individuals and businesses in Washington with specific needs in employee benefits, executive compensation, or related tax law are encouraged to contact Marianne O'Bara's office directly. This will allow them to discuss their unique situation, inquire about the firm's fee structure for complex advisory services, and understand how her specialized expertise can provide tangible solutions and prevent future costly issues.

For individuals and businesses in Washington seeking expert legal counsel in employee benefits, executive compensation, and related tax law, Marianne O'Bara can be reached at her Seattle office:

• Address: Columbia Center, 701 5th Ave #6100, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
• Phone: (206) 903-8843
• Mobile Phone: +1 206-903-8843

Connecting directly via phone is the most effective way to initiate a discussion about your specific legal needs and to explore how Marianne O'Bara's specialized expertise can provide the strategic guidance and solutions you require.

For individuals and businesses across Washington navigating the often bewildering complexities of employee benefits, executive compensation, and specialized tax law, Marianne O'Bara in Seattle represents an exceptionally suitable and invaluable legal resource. Her long-standing career, spanning over four decades, coupled with consistent recognition as a "Super Lawyer" in Employee Benefits, assures locals that they are engaging with one of the most knowledgeable and respected attorneys in this highly technical field.

In a state with a thriving business environment and a dynamic workforce, the need for precise and compliant advice on compensation structures, deferred plans, and intricate tax implications is paramount. Marianne O'Bara's deep specialization means that local businesses can confidently structure their employee benefits to attract and retain talent while meticulously adhering to U.S. tax and ERISA regulations, thereby mitigating significant financial risks. For high-level executives, her expertise in executive compensation and separation agreements ensures their interests are thoroughly protected. Her prime location in Seattle's iconic Columbia Center further enhances her suitability for the local community, making expert counsel easily accessible to businesses and individuals throughout the Puget Sound region and beyond. For complex and high-stakes legal matters in her specialized areas, Marianne O'Bara offers the strategic insight and meticulous attention to detail that Washington locals can truly rely on.