Overview

Stephanie Vasconcellos is a partner in the Employment & Benefits practice in Chicago, where she provides clients practical advice on navigating complex employee benefits and executive compensation matters.

Stephanie has extensive experience advising public and private companies, both domestic and global, on all types and aspects of corporate transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, spin-offs, and IPOs, as well as post-transaction integration and compensation matters. She regularly advises on golden parachute and other change in control and retention issues. She also drafts, negotiates and advises on employment and severance agreements, equity and equity-based arrangements (including for partnerships), offer letters, incentive plans, and retention agreements, and assists clients in correcting compliance issues with such arrangements, including under Section 409A.

In addition, Stephanie regularly counsels clients on designing, implementing, amending, administering and terminating retirement, health and welfare plans, and negotiating related services agreements and HIPAA-compliant business associate agreements. She represents employers and benefit plans on compliance matters that arise under such plans, including appealing employer shared responsibility payment assessments under the Affordable Care Act, utilizing IRS and DOL voluntary correction programs to correct errors, and responding to participant claims and appeals. 

Stephanie has been recognized by Legal 500 US as a Next Generation Partner (2020-2021) in Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirements: Transactional, by The Best Lawyers in America in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2022-2023), and as a Rising Star in Employee Benefits by Super Lawyer (2014-2021). Stephanie is active in the Chicago community and currently serves as a board member of Open Books.

Spoken Languages

  • English

Education

University of Notre Dame, BS, cum laude

University of Michigan, MPH

University of Michigan Law School, JD

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for professional excellence in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.
  • Recognized by Legal 500 US as a Next Generation Partner (2020-2021) in Employee Benefits.
  • Recognized as a Rising Star in Employee Benefits by Super Lawyer (2014-2021).