Biography

Sarah has extensive experience in the executive compensation and employee benefits aspects of mergers, acquisitions and financings. She represents senior executives and companies in the negotiation and drafting of employment and severance agreements. She also advises as to the design and operation of executive and employee benefit arrangements including equity compensation and cash incentive plans, change in control and retention arrangements and nonqualified deferred compensation plans. In addition, Sarah regularly advises employers on the design and operation of tax-qualified retirement plans, including 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans and 457(b) plans, as well as health and welfare benefit plans.
Sarah advises clients on pension plan investment and compliance with ERISA’s fiduciary obligations and prohibited transaction rules. She regularly counsels private fund sponsors in connection with ERISA’s “plan asset” regulations and with VCOC, REOC and similar issues.
Sarah is recognized as a leading lawyer for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation in New York by Chambers USA, where clients note “she is very good at explaining and synthesizing things and presenting options and solutions. She is technical and pragmatic.” She is also recommended for Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation by Legal 500 US, is named among Lawdragon’s “500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers” list and is recognized for Employee Benefits by Super Lawyers. Sarah served as Chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Committee and is a member of the Steering Committee of the New York Chapter of Worldwide Employee Benefits Network.
Sarah is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Berkshire Community Land Trust.
Awards and Recognition, Speaking Engagements, Latest Thinking, Firm News & Announcements
Awards and Recognition
- Sarah Downie Named a “Leading” Lawyer for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation in New York Award Brief — Chambers USA
- Sarah Downie Recommended for Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Award Brief — Legal 500 US
- Sarah Downie Named Among the “500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers” Award Brief — Lawdragon
Speaking Engagements
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PLI’s ERISA 2021: The Evolving World
Speaker(s):
Sarah Downie
August 4, 2021 — Weil Executive Compensation & Benefits partner Sarah Downie spoke on a panel titled “ERISA: The Transactional Practice” as part of PLI’s ERISA 2021: The Evolving World.
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PLI’s ERISA Fiduciary Investment Basics 2021
Speaker(s):
Sarah Downie
March 15, 2021 — Weil partner Sarah Downie spoke on a panel titled “The Launch – Establishing a Plan Assets Fund” as part of PLI’s ERISA Fiduciary Investment Basics 2021.
Latest Thinking
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Be Careful Before Amending Your Severance Arrangement
Blog Post — Tax Blog
— By
Sarah Downie and
Travis Bruno
— April 10, 2020
In light of these uncertain times, it is likely that employers may be contemplating amending their severance arrangements, particularly to reduce benefits. Before doing so, a severance arrangement should be analyzed to determine whether it constitutes an “employee benefit plan”, as defined under and subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as […]
The post Be Careful Before Amending Your Severance Arrangement appeared first on Weil Tax BLOG.
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The CARES Act – Considerations for Tax-Exempt Organizations
Blog Post — Tax Blog
— By
Devon Bodoh,
Sarah Downie,
Stuart J. Goldring,
Lyuba Goltser,
Mark Hoenig,
Michael Nissan,
John O'Loughlin,
Joseph M. Pari,
Gregory Silbert and
Paul J. Wessel
— April 07, 2020
In response to COVID-19, a number of significant legislative and administrative steps have been taken to, among other things, ameliorate the impact of the crisis on individuals, businesses, and tax-exempt organizations. At the federal level, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), a ~$2 trillion stimulus package, was enacted on March […]
The post The CARES Act – Considerations for Tax-Exempt Organizations appeared first on Weil Tax BLOG.
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Firm News & Announcements
- Weil Advised Guggenheim Securities in a $750M Issuance of 144A and Privately Placed Notes by Jonah Energy LLC Deal Brief — October 20, 2022
- Seven Weil Partners Named Top U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers by Lawdragon in 2022 Firm Announcement — August 17, 2022