Introduction
Thomas J. McCord’s practice deals primarily with employee benefits, including all ERISA issues, retirement plans, insurance and flexible benefit programs and executive compensation arrangements. He is also experienced in the areas of tax-exempt organizations and estate planning and administration.
My focus
My three decades of experience enable me to quickly analyze and develop an action plan for a broad range of employee benefits issues presented by clients. Recently, I have been assisting many clients in the following areas.
Retirement plans
Clients commonly call me regarding operational errors they have discovered in their plan administration. They are often quite concerned about the potential effects on the qualification of their plans and the need for potential IRS filings. I work with my clients to determine the extent of any problem and explain the alternatives available for making correction. These corrections often can avoid any IRS filing.
Executive compensation
Increasingly I am consulted by both private and public companies about arrangements for attracting, incenting and retaining their key employees, using either equity or cash-based benefits. For example, I recently designed and documented a combined equity and cash retention benefit program for a company that needed to be able to retain its key executive through and after a potential sale.
Tax-exempt organizations
I enjoy counseling nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations on how they can make their unique compensation goals harmonize with special tax code rules. In this regard I recently helped a hospital restructure a deferred compensation program for its senior staff and physicians so as to satisfy better the complex requirements of Sections 457 and 409A of the tax code.
Looking ahead
I see a growing number of clients interested in exploring alternatives for special compensation arrangements to attract and retain key employees, including supplemental retirement, equity and health benefits.
In the news
- Law360
UK safety biz Halma buys medical tool maker for $89 million
Dec 20, 2023This article mentions NP for representing Halma PLC in its acquisition of TeDan, a group of companies that develop, manufacture, and supply medical devices to surgeons. The NP deal team was led by New York City Corporate partner Dan Belostock and also included Corporate partners Alexandra Lopez-Casero and Thomas McCord of Boston, Kevin Grant of New York City, and Shahzad Malik of Los Angeles; Boston Government Investigations & White-Collar Defense partners Hannah Bornstein and Brian French; Boston Labor & Employment partner Jeff Gilbreth; Los Angeles Intellectual Property partner Seth Levy; Rochester Privacy & Technology counsel Jenny Holmes and Boston Corporate counsel David Crosby; Corporate associates Brian Kenney of Washington, DC and Tim Sharkey of New York City; Chicago IP associates Ben Rosborough and Eliana Torres; Los Angeles Labor & Employment associate Alice Kwak; Chicago IP senior paralegal Tim Fiester; and Chicago Corporate paralegal Astrid McGruder.
- Bloomberg Law |
Vista invests in supply chain risk software
May 9, 2023This article mentions NP for advising Resilinc Corp. in its strategic growth investment transaction with Vista Equity Partners LLC. The NP team was led by San Francisco Cybersecurity & Privacy partner Greg O’Hara and included Corporate partners David Martland, Thomas McCord, and Alexandra Lopez-Casero of Boston, Rachel Pugliese of New York City, and Shahzad Malik of Los Angeles; San Francisco Labor & Employment partner Seth Neulight; Cybersecurity & Privacy counsels Jenny Holmes of Rochester and Jason Kunze of Chicago; Boston Corporate counsel David Crosby; Chicago Intellectual Property counsel Wayne Tang; and Corporate associates James Mangan from Boston, Jacalyn Smith from Chicago, Corey Habib from Manchester, and Brian Kenney of Washington, DC.
- The Deal
Vista Equity invests in Resilinc
May 8, 2023This article mentions San Francisco Cybersecurity & Privacy partner Greg O’Hara for leading the NP team advising Resilinc Corp. in its strategic growth investment transaction with Vista Equity Partners LLC. The NP team also included Corporate partners David Martland, Thomas McCord, and Alexandra Lopez-Casero of Boston, Rachel Pugliese of New York City, and Shahzad Malik of Los Angeles; San Francisco Labor & Employment partner Seth Neulight; Cybersecurity & Privacy counsels Jenny Holmes of Rochester and Jason Kunze of Chicago; Boston Corporate counsel David Crosby; Chicago Intellectual Property counsel Wayne Tang; and Corporate associates James Mangan from Boston, Jacalyn Smith from Chicago, Corey Habib from Manchester, and Brian Kenney of Washington, DC.
- Mergers & Acquisitions
Gemspring Capital buys Amplix
Dec 13, 2022The following article covers the merger of technology advisory firms ROI Communications, Blue Front Technology Group, and allConnex into a new company, Amplix, which was then acquired by an affiliate of Gemspring Capital Management. The coverage mentions NP as legal advisor for the three firms that merged and were acquired. Corporate partners Greg O’Shaughnessy from Boston and Rachel Pugliese from New York City led the NP deal team, which also included Corporate partners Tom McCord from Boston, Sean Clancy from Washington, DC, and Sam Kim from Chicago; Manchester Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Mark Beaudoin; Chicago IP partner Janet Garetto; Boston Labor & Employment partner Jeff Gilbreth; Chicago Labor & Employment counsel Kamau Coar; Corporate associates Paul DeTurk and Carolyn Glynn from Boston and Corey Habib from Manchester; Chicago IP associate Eliana Torres; Manchester Corporate department attorney Dave Zimmermann; and Boston Corporate senior paralegal Robert Isaacson.
- Channel Futures
PE-backed New England technology advisor team-up forms Amplix
Dec 13, 2022The following article covers the merger of technology advisory firms ROI Communications, Blue Front Technology Group, and allConnex into a new company, Amplix, which was then acquired by an affiliate of Gemspring Capital Management. The coverage mentions NP as legal advisor for the three firms that merged and were acquired. Corporate partners Greg O’Shaughnessy from Boston and Rachel Pugliese from New York City led the NP deal team, which also included Corporate partners Tom McCord from Boston, Sean Clancy from Washington, DC, and Sam Kim from Chicago; Manchester Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Mark Beaudoin; Chicago IP partner Janet Garetto; Boston Labor & Employment partner Jeff Gilbreth; Chicago Labor & Employment counsel Kamau Coar; Corporate associates Paul DeTurk and Carolyn Glynn from Boston and Corey Habib from Manchester; Chicago IP associate Eliana Torres; Manchester Corporate department attorney Dave Zimmermann; and Boston Corporate senior paralegal Robert Isaacson.
- The Deal
Resonetics to acquire two SAES units
Dec 9, 2022The following article covers Resonetics LLC’s $900 million agreement to acquire Memry Corp. and SAES Smart Materials Inc. from NP client SAES Getters SpA. The article mentions Manchester partner and Private Equity & Family Offices team leader Phil Taub and Boston partner Amy O’Keefe, both of the Corporate group, for leading the NP team representing SAES Getters on U.S. legal matters. The team also includes Chicago partner and Global Finance co-leader Rob Drobnak; Corporate partners Alexandra Lopez-Casero and Thomas McCord from Boston, Andrew Share from Manchester, and Sean Clancy from Washington, DC; Affordable Housing & Real Estate partners Mark Beaudoin from Manchester and Alison Torbitt from San Francisco; Boston Labor & Employment partner Jeff Gilbreth; Rochester Intellectual Property partner Kristen Walsh; Washington, DC Complex Disputes partner and Antitrust leader Gordon Lang; Manchester Government Investigations & White-Collar Defense partner Mark Knights; Rochester counsel and Cybersecurity & Privacy deputy leader Jenny Holmes; Boston Corporate counsel David Crosby; Washington, DC Complex Disputes counsel Brian Whittaker; Albany Affordable Housing & Finance counsel Dana Stanton; Corporate associates Shaziah Singh from New York, Anthony Bova from Boston, Corey Habib from Manchester, and Hrishikesh Shah from Chicago; and Manchester Corporate department attorney Dave Zimmermann.
- Law360
Stretch IRA limits may put damper on small biz plans
Boston Corporate partner Tom McCord is quoted in this article discussing the stretch IRA, a popular retirement planning technique that was eliminated in a bill recently passed by the House of Representatives.June 20, 2019 - Big Sky Business Journal
Montana Highlights
Nixon Peabody is mentioned in this roundup of major Montana business news for its representation of Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc., in its acquisition of Ruby Valley Bank in Twin Bridges, Montana. Nixon Peabody’s deal team was led by Public Company Transactions partner Lloyd Spencer and senior counsel Ray Gustini and included Public Company Transactions partner Sean Clancy, Real Estate partner Colette Dafoe, Energy & Environmental Group partner Jean McCreary, and Labor & Employment partners Jeff Gilbreth, Yelena Gray and Tom McCord.April 9, 2018 - Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly
IRA rollover rule poses trap for lawyers, clients
Boston Labor & Employment partner Tom McCord discusses the individual retirement account rule providing the ability to conduct multiple indirect rollovers from one IRA to another.July 21, 2014
Admitted to practice
Massachusetts
Education
Harvard University, J.D., cum laude
Yale University, B.A., summa cum laude
Professional activities
- American Bar Association
- American Law Institute
- Boston Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Member of the Board and past officer of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Institute of Pension Administrators
Recognition
- Selected, through a peer-review survey, for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 in the field of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; listed in Best Lawyers since 2016.
- Recognized for exceptional standing in the legal community in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2024 for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Massachusetts); recognized in Chambers in previous years, and noted for having a “unique ability to boil down complex issues and get to the heart of an issue, and then deliver clear, cogent advice.”
- Received an AV® Preeminent Rating in Labor & Employment Law, the highest rating by Martindale-Hubbell.
- An Acritas Star independently rated lawyer
Insights And Happenings
View AllProfessionals in the Practice Area
View AllJeffrey B. Gilbreth
Partner / Practice Group Leader, Labor & Employment- Boston
- Office:+1 617.345.1371
- jgilbreth@nixonpeabody.com
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Stacie B. Collier
Partner / Chief Talent Officer- Providence
- Office:+1 401.454.1018
- sbcollier@nixonpeabody.com
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Eric Paley
Partner / Team Leader, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation- Rochester
- Office:+1 585.263.1012
- epaley@nixonpeabody.com
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