Overview
Amanda Dernovshek is an employee benefits attorney in our Business and Tax group. Her practice focuses on issues related to employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), non-qualified deferred compensation plans, qualified retirement plans, and general business planning. Amanda also assists the Firm’s mergers and acquisitions team. Amanda, along with fellow business attorney Lindsey Mead, co-host a podcast titled Businesswomen Talking, which discusses a number of legal topics that can pose hinderances for women business owners and leaders such as succession planning, IP protection and entity selection/organization.
Amanda works with clients to answer questions related to complicated employee benefits issues and general business issues. She aims to fully understand the client’s goals and assist them by providing understandable and practical advice. Specifically, the types of issues Amanda handles include:
Employee Benefits
- Drafting required documentation for plans covered by ERISA including Plan documents, Plan Amendments, Summary Plan Descriptions, and Summaries of Material Modification
- Guiding clients through discussions related to establishing, amending, and terminating employee benefit plans, including cafeteria plans, 401(k) plans, ESOPs, and deferred compensation plans
- Assisting clients with compliance under ERISA, COBRA, health care reform, and other relevant laws
- Facilitating employee benefit plan corrections to reduce penalties through formal governmental programs
- Corresponding with the IRS and DOL on behalf of clients related to audits of employee benefit plans
Business Planning
- Assisting a variety of businesses in analyzing the considerations involved in entity selection and formation
- Facilitating discussions with shareholders of corporations and members of LLCs on a variety of issues and drafting shareholder and operating agreements to meet client needs
- Advising clients on the process and assisting them with submission of IRS applications for tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)
- Performing due diligence during mergers and acquisition transactions for a variety of businesses of all sizes
Prior to joining Foster Swift, Amanda served as a judicial extern for Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals under the Honorable David McKeague.
Amanda earned her undergraduate and master’s degree at East Tennessee State University in her home state of Tennessee. She then moved to Michigan and earned her juris doctorate at Michigan State University College of Law, where she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Law Review.
Honors & Recognitions
Ingham County Bar Association, "Top 5 Under 35" Award, 2024
Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, "10 Over the Next Ten" Award Nominee, 2022
Practice Areas
Education
Michigan State University College of Law, J.D., 2018
East Tennessee State University, M.B.A., Business Administration, 2015
East Tennessee State University, B.S., Business Administration in Management, 2013
Bar and Court Admissions
Michigan