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Richard I. Cohen

Richard I. Cohen

Partner

Richard Cohen is chair of Shipman's Employee Benefits Practice Group. His practice encompasses pensions and employee benefits, including tax-qualified retirement plans, 403(b) plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, SERPs, cafeteria plans, ERISA and COBRA compliance. Richard has served clients and the firm in a variety of roles, including pension counsel to corporate benefits departments of major insurance companies, banking institutions, and mutual fund companies. He currently serves as co-trustee of the firm's own 401(k) and profit sharing plans.

Richard speaks on pension and employee benefit issues to business associations, such as the WEB Network of Benefits Professionals, client groups, and the Connecticut Bar Association.

Credentials

Education

Wesleyan University, B.A., 1981
Cornell Law School, J.D., 1984

Bar Admissions

Connecticut, 1984

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court, District of CT, 1985

Distinctions

AV Preeminent® Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2010-2025)
Named "Lawyer of the Year" (2012, 2017, 2020): Best Lawyers® Hartford Region Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Professional Affiliations

Connecticut Bar Association: Executive Committee, Taxation Section; Chair, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Subcommittee (2008-2011)
Hartford County Bar Association
Northeast Pension Liaison Group for the Internal Revenue Service

Community Involvement

Business for Downtown Hartford: Member, Board of Directors (2003-2011)
MetroHartford Alliance: Government Relations Committee
Fred D. Wish School Volunteer Tutor Program

Experience

Higher education

Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts Now an Affiliate of the University of New Haven

We represented the University of New Haven in connection with the affiliation of Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, Connecticut with UNH. This exciting opportunity for UNH allows UNH to enhance its experiential learning opportunities in the fine arts and adds to its growing footprint of campuses throughout Connecticut and beyond. In connection with the rare affiliation of two institutions of higher learning, a team of attorneys and paralegals at the firm addressed the many legal issues presented - ownership, corporate governance, 501(c)(3) and other tax matters, endowment and charitable giving matters, accreditation and regulatory consents, human resources, employee benefits, faculty, staff and student matters, real estate, environmental matters, housing (including condominium issues), degree requirements, financial aid, accounting, and lender consents.

Independent schools

Representation Regarding 403(b) Retirement Plan Options Related to Acquisition of Another School

Represented and advised independent school client with respect to its options regarding either terminating the 403(b) Retirement Plan of a school acquired by our school client, or merging the acquired school’s 403(b) Plan into our school client’s 403(b) plan.

Guidance Regarding TIAA Adoption Agreements for 403(b) Retirement Plans

Represented and advised independent schools in connection with a review of the proposed drafts of their restated TIAA Adoption Agreements for the schools’ 403(b) Retirement Plans, to ensure the Adoption Agreements correctly conformed to each school’s operation of its Plan and to Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Investment management

Representation of Structured Credit Fund

Representation of the sponsor in connection with the formation of a 'mini-master' fund structure comprised of an offshore Cayman feeder fund and onshore U.S. feeder fund, as well as an interposed intermediate Cayman limited partnership and Cayman master fund. The master fund invests principally in stressed and distressed structured credit securities, such as ABS, RMBS, CMBS and CDO securities. In addition, representation of the sponsor and its principals in the negotiation and drafting of the general partner limited liability company agreement.

General

Represented Manufacturer with Respect to Pension Plan's Lump Sum Window Amendment

Represented Connecticut-based manufacturer with respect to lump-sum option amendment to its pension plan offered during a limited window period to terminated vested participants in the pension plan not yet in pay status.

$52 Million Syndicated Credit Facility Closing

Represented People’s United Bank (lender and agent) in the $52 million syndicated credit facility closing to a group of companies (owned by private equity fund CI Capital Partners) that supply research, industrial and medical gases wholesale to hospitals, universities and private customers. The facility will allow the group of companies to acquire other companies in the industry via stock and asset purchases. This complex closing involved a variety of financing, tax, intellectual property and ERISA issues requiring experienced legal counsel.

Represented Companies with Respect to New Vendor's Prototype Plan and Investment Fund Platform

Represented several companies (e.g., Connecticut-based bank; telephone communications management company; worldwide manufacturer of fuel injection systems; worldwide manufacturer of emergency lighting and warning systems) with respect to changing their 401(k) plan vendors, and mapping the plans and their plan assets onto the new vendor’s prototype plan and investment fund platform.

Sale of Really Good Stuff, Inc.

Represented Really Good Stuff, Inc., a multi-channel marketer of innovative classroom products and teaching tools in its successful sale to Excelligence Learning Corporation, a leading developer, manufacturer, distributor, and multi-channel retailer of educational products. As an innovation leader, Really Good Stuff offers over 7,500 products (500 new products annually) to meet the needs of teachers and classrooms in the K-8th grade market.

The strategic acquisition of Really Good Stuff expands Excelligence’s market, which will now include pre-K early childhood programs, preschools and grades K-8, and allows both companies the opportunity to leverage their respective core strengths and resources to create customized solutions for school districts across the country. In connection with the acquisition, a team of Shipman & Goodwin attorneys, working with Really Good Stuff’s regular outside corporate counsel, represented Really Good Stuff on tax, pension, environmental and Connecticut business matters. For more information, read the press release.