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Ari Sonneberg - Boston, MA
125 High StreetOliver Street Tower, 5th Floor Boston, MA 02110
The Wagner Law Group
Boston ERISA Law Lawyer
Overview
Ari Sonneberg has been with The Wagner Law Group since 2001, specializing in the fields of ERISA and employee benefits. Ari advises and represents clients with respect to design, compliance and all other aspects of qualified and non-qualified employee benefit plans. He has extensive experience in drafting, designing, amending, and restating qualified and non-qualified employee benefit plans and related trusts, including money purchase pension plans, profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, defined benefit plans, welfare benefit plans, medical expense reimbursement plans, 403(b) plans, and nonqualified deferred compensation plans. Ari frequently advises clients concerning government filings and correction programs associated with the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
Additionally, Ari has also advised clients on terminating qualified defined benefit and defined contribution plans, including orphaned plans and plans under bankruptcy trustees. He also consults on matters such as HIPAA compliance in relation to employee benefit plans and has represented clients through governmental audits and subsequent negotiations with the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor. Ari also has significant experience drafting and reviewing qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs) with respect to the divorce-related division of retirement plan assets.
Prior to joining The Wagner Law Group, Ari was an associate in the Boston office of a prominent national law firm where he reviewed and analyzed commercial ground leases, analyzed issues relating to insurance, condemnation, assignment, subletting, percentage rent, use restrictions and operating covenants, termination rights, environmental conditions and liability issues. He also analyzed and made recommendations with respect to appropriate provisions for subordination, non-disturbance and mutual attornment rights as affecting ground lessors, ground lessees, subtenants and leasehold mortgagees.
Ari also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Charles E. Ramos, Supreme Court, New York County, Commercial Part.
About Ari Sonneberg
Current Employment Position(s)
- Chief Marketing Officer, Partner
Year Joined Firm
- 2001
Languages
- Hebrew
Practice Areas
- ERISA Law
- Employee Benefits
- Executive Compensation
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts
Other Affiliations
- Massachusetts Bar Association – Appointed to Taxation Law Section Council (2001 - Present) and Chair of the ERISA Section Practice Group, Massachusetts Bar Association (2001 - 2005)
- American Bar Association
Classes and Seminars
- Dewan and Beyond – The Creation, Codification, and Implementation of QDROs 2024 – Panelist, Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE webinar, February 27, 2024
- "Termination of Tax-Qualified Defined Contribution Retirement Benefit Plans," (PDF) UBS Financial Services Seminar, August 5, 2011 (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida)
- "Advising Your Clients Regarding Small Business Retirement Plans," October 2002, Massachusetts Bar Association (Boston, MA) – Program chair and speaker
- "ERISA: Pension Plan Development and Administration in Massachusetts," November 2002 – Speaker
- "Retirement Planning for You and Your Clients," June 2004, Massachusetts Bar Association (Boston, MA) – Speaker
- "Drafting Legal Documents," September 2004, Stonehill College (Easton, MA) – Health Care Administration Law course – Guest speaker
Past Positions
- Day, Berry & Howard, Boston, MA, Attorney, 2000 - 2001
- Rosenfeld & Maidenbaum, Cedarhurst, NY, Legal Assistant, 1995 - 2000
- Honorable Charles E. Ramos, Supreme Court, New York County, Commercial Part, New York, NY, Law Clerk, - 1998
Education
- Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, New York, June, 2000
Juris Doctor - CUNY Queens College, Flushing, New York, February, 1997
B.A., Bachelor of Arts
Honors: magna cum laude
Honors: Dean's List (all semesters)
Honors: Honors in Political Science
Honors: Golden Key National Honor Society
Honors: Business and Liberal Arts Honors Program – Student Representative
Major: Political Science
Articles
Published Works
- "The Impact of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 on 401(k) Plans", Massachusetts Bar Association Section Review, Volume 4, Number 3, Summer 2002
- Once They Catch On, PEPs Could Grow Exponentially - PLANADVISER, April 16, 2021 (PDF)
- Visa Ended Plaid Bid to get DOJ off its Back; the DOJ is Still Breathing Down its Neck - RIABiz, March 29, 2021 (PDF)
- How to Choose a PEP - PLANADVISER, January/February 2021 (PDF)
- Robinhood Allegedly Implied a Fiduciary Duty to Novice Investors in the Marketing of its 'Game-Like' Trading App - RIABiz, November 16, 2020 (PDF)
- DOJ Files Suit to Stop Visa Purchase of Plaid, a Nightmarish Turn of Events for the $5.3-Billion Dream Deal - Ari Sonneberg, RIABiz, November 6, 2020 (PDF)
- With Visa-Plaid Deal Closing Five Months Delayed, Feds Accuse Bain & Co. of Stonewalling on Pricing Strategy Documents that Cast Light on Anti-Trust Hotspot - RIABiz, October 28, 2020 (PDF)
- Charles Schwab Corp. Cleared to Close TD Merger Tuesday, and 'Schwabitrade' Looks Less Fearsome Than Anticipated - RIABiz, October 1, 2020 (PDF)
- 'Hundreds' of Charles Schwab Staff Tasked With Wiring TD Ameritrade Merger to Soon Soar to 'Thousands' - RIABiz, August 4, 2020 (PDF)
- COVID-19 Claims the Lives of Four Broadridge Employees - RIABiz, July 14, 2020 (PDF)
- Compliance When It's Tough - PLANADVISER, June 24, 2020 (PDF)
- 'Fraud' Lawsuit Slams Plaid on Eve of Historic $5.3-Billion Payday - RIABiz, June 10, 2020
- Schwab's Merger with TD Ameritrade was Sterling until the Covid-19 Pandemic and Financial Collapse - RIABiz, April 14, 2020
- What To Do If Your Employer Suspends 401(k) Matching Contributions - Forbes, April 10, 2020
- COVID-19 Throws a Curve Ball at RIA M&A Market - RIABiz, April 10, 2020
- Schwab Execs all but Dash RIA Hopes for TD Ameritrade VEO One Survival - RIABiz, February 7, 2020
- What Exactly to Make of the Barron's Article About Orion Being Listed for Sale by Raymond James - RIABiz, Janaury 18, 2020
- Fidelity wrests high-profile Amazon 401(k) business from Vanguard - RIABiz, January 9, 2019
- Antitrust Suit Against Schwab and TD Ameritrade Merger Draws 'Stunt' Accusations and Judge Agrees - RIABiz, January 3, 2020
- Breaking up is Hard to do: Schwab and TD Ameritrade Both on Hook for $1 billion Should Either Firm Get Cold Feet, Shareholders Revolt, or Antitrust Regulators Quash Deal - RIABizi, December 6, 2019
- Wealthfront is Again Forced to Disclose a Bad Mistake - RiABiz, October 19, 2019
- As SEC's 'zero tolerance' era for RIAs commences post-DOL, a regulatory law firm makes anticipatory hires - RIABiz, October 18, 2018
- "Termination of Tax-Qualified Defined Contribution Retirement Benefit Plans," (PDF) UBS Financial Services Seminar, August 5, 2011 (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida)
- "Advising Your Clients Regarding Small Business Retirement Plans," October 2002, Massachusetts Bar Association (Boston, MA) – Program chair and speaker
- "ERISA: Pension Plan Development and Administration in Massachusetts," November 2002 – Speaker
- "Retirement Planning for You and Your Clients," June 2004, Massachusetts Bar Association (Boston, MA) – Speaker
- "Drafting Legal Documents," September 2004, Stonehill College (Easton, MA) – Health Care Administration Law course – Guest speaker
- "Significant Changes to the Tax Rules Governing Deferred Compensation Arrangements under the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004: What You Need to Know Before December 31, 2004 to Comply With These Important Changes," December 2004, Massachusetts Bar Association – Program Chair and speaker
Office Information
Address
125 High StreetOliver Street Tower, 5th Floor Boston, MA 02110
Phone
Fax
- 617-357-5250
Websites
Achievements
Honors
- Rising Star Award, New England Super Lawyers Magazine, 2010 - 2011
- Marquis Who's Who: Who's Who in America - As of 2020
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