Gregory K. Brown

Gregory K. Brown’s practice emphasizes Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), ERISA fiduciary matters, tax-qualified retirement plans, executive compensation and ERISA litigation.

Mr. Brown has written extensively and given many speeches and presentations on employee benefits law topics across the country. He is a leading authority on ESOPs and other forms of employee ownership for both domestic and international employers. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of The ESOP Association and is a past chair of its Legislative and Regulatory Advisory Committee. Mr. Brown is currently the chair emeritus of the ESOP subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Taxation Employee Benefits Committee. He is a co-author of Tax Portfolio on Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), and of  “Special Considerations in Designing and Operating an ESOP,” featured in the Benefit Practitioners' Strategy Guide, both published by the Bureau of National Affairs.

As ERISA Litigation has become more prevalent over the past two decades, Mr. Brown has worked closely with members of the employee benefits practice and litigation attorneys on these matters. He has handled cases involving employer securities as a plan investment, fiduciary status and duties and remedies under ERISA. He also has served as an expert witness in numerous cases. Additionally, Mr. Brown regularly advises clients on how to minimize the risk of litigation through plan design, governance and administration and writes and speaks frequently on this topic.

Mr. Brown has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America (1995–2013), and he is a Charter Fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel. He is listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2007–2012), Illinois Super Lawyers (2005–2013), Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who in American Law. He has also been recognized in 2009 and 2010 as one of the nation's "Top Employment Attorneys" by Human Resources Executive magazine.

Mr. Brown received a BS from the University of Kentucky and his JD from the University of Illinois.  He is admitted to practice in Illinois.