Susan M. Stafford (formerly Risinger)

Susan Stafford’s practice focuses on employee benefits and executive compensation law, including all aspects of ERISA. She has experience in designing, drafting and providing advice concerning all types of employee benefit and executive compensation programs, including tax-qualified and non-tax-qualified deferred compensation and retirement plans. She routinely advises employers and employee benefit plan service providers regarding ERISA’s fiduciary rules and other employee benefit compliance matters.

Susan has extensive experience in the area of executive compensation for both taxable and tax-exempt employers. She frequently advises employers regarding compliance with Code sections 409A, 451, and 457; the IRS’s intermediate sanctions rules; and Code section 4960 excise taxes applicable to tax-exempt employers. She has vast experience in designing and drafting executive agreements, plans, policies and programs (including employment agreements, severance agreements, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, equity and phantom/synthetic equity compensation arrangements and other incentive compensation plans).

Susan has served on the Board of the Palmetto SHRM, a local chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). She is a frequent speaker on benefits-related topics.

Education

• University of Maryland School of Law (J.D., with Honors)
• Frostburg State University (B.S., summa cum laude)

Admitted to Practice

• Maryland
• South Carolina