My Why

What powers my practice

Working in HR early in my career showed me how meaningful well-designed benefits can be for both employees and employers, and the challenges employers face in keeping plans effective and compliant. Those experiences shaped the practical, solutions-oriented approach I bring to my work today. I am motivated by helping clients translate complex rules into clear, actionable strategies and by serving as a trusted partner in guiding them through regulatory requirements. I focus on solutions that are practical, technically sound, and aligned with each client’s broader goals. When clients share that my guidance helps them make informed decisions with clarity, it reinforces the value of strategic, actionable advice. My purpose is to provide insight and perspective that helps plan sponsors navigate complexity, build confidence, and achieve lasting success.

Overview

Julia provides strategic counsel on a broad range of employee benefits matters including plan design and administration, employee plan governance, and fiduciary obligations. She leverages a deep understanding of benefits administration to provide tailored, actionable advice on complex compliance issues and navigating the intricacies of the federal laws and regulatory frameworks governing employee benefit plans.

In her practice, Julia focuses on:

  • Ensuring plan compliance under the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA
  • Advising on strategic compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), COBRA, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
  • Resolving concerns related to self-funded health plans
  • Counseling on the strategic and compliance considerations associated with establishing and maintaining on-site clinics and wellness programs
  • Advising on compliance considerations for church plans and multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs)
  • Resolving disputes related to IRS Employer Shared Responsibility Payments
  • Correcting plan failures in accordance with the IRS Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) and DOL Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program (VFCP) procedures
  • Providing strategic counsel on options for mitigating risks related to high-cost health claims
  • Preparing participant communications such as summary plan descriptions
  • Drafting qualified, non-qualified, and health and welfare employee benefit plans
  • Advising on employee benefits compliance considerations associated with employment, bonus, separation/severance, and professional employer organization (PEO) agreements

Julia first gained employee benefits experience in her role as a human resource generalist and wellness program coordinator for a group of nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin and Michigan prior to pursuing a law degree. While in law school, she worked as a legal research assistant focusing on employee benefits and employment-related matters and also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Annette Kingsland Ziegler and the Honorable N. Patrick Crooks in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Julia also gained experience working as a general counsel intern for Bemis Company, Inc. where she researched corporate governance and employment-related matters.  

Julia is a member of the Firm’s Access & Engagement Committee and serves as lead of the Michael Best Parents & Caregivers Employee Resource Group.

Experience

Solutions in action

Credentials

  • Marquette University Law School, Juris Doctor (J.D.), Articles Editor, Marquette Law Review, 2017, cum laude
  • University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Human Resources Management; Beta Gama Sigma Business Honor Society; Gamma Phi Beta, 2011, cum laude

  • Wisconsin

  • Best Lawyers®, “Ones to Watch” (Milwaukee Area)
    • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, 2026
    • Labor and Employment Law – Management, 2026
  • Leading Employee Benefits & Compensation Lawyer, Chambers USA, 2025

Engagement

  • Vice Chair of Welfare Benefit Plans Committee, American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law, 2024-2025
  • Member, Greater Milwaukee Employee Benefits Council
  • Member, Association for Women Lawyers
  • Member, Wisconsin Retirement Planning Professionals
  • Member, Wisconsin Bar Association
  • Member, Milwaukee Bar Association

  • Member, Community Leadership Board for the American Diabetes Association, 2018

Insights

See Everything