Practice Areas: Employee Benefits, Employment & Labor; view more
Licensed in Georgia since: 2008
Education: The University of Alabama School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2024 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2017 - 2018 Call today:
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339 Johnson Ferry Road NEAtlanta, GA 30328 Visit website
Details
Anne Tyler Hall is the principal attorney and founder of Hall Benefits Law in Atlanta, Georgia. She focuses her practice on ERISA and employee benefits, and her team of ERISA and executive compensation attorneys represents employers throughout the United States. Her firm handles cases involving executive compensation, fiduciary matters, health care reform, health and welfare benefits, and retirement plan issues. In addition, HBL added a Labor and Employment Practice in 2020 and has employment Of Counsel located in Georgia and California.
Prior to founding her own law firm, Hall practiced at two large Atlanta-based law firms, Alston & Bird and King & Spalding.
In honor of her success and accomplishments, Martindale-Hubbell awarded Ms. Tyler an AV Preeminent* peer review rating. This is the highest available rating from the organization, reflecting her high legal capability and ethical standards. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and is qualified to practice law in Georgia and Alabama, and before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. In addition to her current Super Lawyers awards, she earned multiple Super Lawyers Rising Star recognitions.
Anne Tyler Hall graduated magna cum laude from Birmingham-Southern College with a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics. She earned her law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law. Additionally, she holds masters degrees from Georgetown Law and earned a certificate in economics from the University of Bath in the U.K.
Outside of her law practice, Anne Tyler shares her legal knowledge and experiences by serving as a speaker for professional organizations and at continuing legal education seminars and other events, and by authoring articles for legal publications. She is active at her family's church, volunteering with preschoolers, and she has served as a volunteer for a number of charity organizations and at community events.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Employee Benefits, Employment & Labor: EmployerFocus areas
Labor Law, Wage & Hour Laws
- 90% Employee Benefits
- 10% Employment & Labor: Employer
First Admitted: 2008, Georgia
Professional Webpage: https://hallbenefitslaw.com/annetyler/
Educational Background:
- M.Sc. in International Development, University of Bath, Bath, England Awards: Full-Paid Rotary Scholarship, 2002
- B.Sc. in Finance and Economics, Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, AL Awards: Magna Cum Laude, SGA President, President's Service Award, 2000
- LL.M. in Taxation, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C. Awards: With Distinction, Employee Benefits Certificate, 2007
Transactions:
- Represented Buyer (public company) of vertical supplier and performed comprehensive review of ERISA reps and warranties in purchase agreement and Code Section 409(a) legal review of $20M earn-out bonus pool upon change of control, 2019
Videos:
- Plan sponsors must remain vigilant in their approach to retirement plan benefits legal compliance, and with so much going on both in and out of the legislature, the content of this webinar is sure to provide actionable recommendations to run a compliant plan that has the ability to attract and retain top talent while being forward-thinking in its approach to plan design and risk mitigation. The HBL team covers Secure Act 2.0, the DOL’s increasingly vigilant enforcement of cyber security requirements, updates to the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS), forms 5500 changes, missing participants issues, and more. HBL Managing Partner Anne Tyler Hall and Lead ERISA Counsel Phil Koehler present a comprehensive retirement plans legal compliance update for plan sponsors, in-house and general counsel, and retirement plan professionals., A Critical Legal Compliance Update on Retirement Plans, 2022
- The Consolidated Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan Act, along with Transparency in Coverage rules, ushered in some of the most significant changes to health and welfare benefits and associated legal compliance since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Some of the new requirements became effective immediately (e.g., the Mental Health Parity disclosure requirements), while other requirements become effective beginning in 2022. In August, the Departments extended the deadlines for certain requirements to mid-2022 or the beginning of 2023. This presentation will focus on the new requirements, who is responsible for implementation, and when the requirements become effective. , Avoiding Legal Compliance Surprises in Your Health and Welfare Benefit Plans, 2021
- The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed into law on December 27, 2020 (the “Act”), changes a myriad of different rules for employer-sponsored retirement plans and health and welfare benefits. Among the more significant of the Act’s changes is a temporary rule to provide relief for certain events related to COVID-19 that would otherwise be considered partial retirement plan terminations (which can have costly implications for the employer). The partial plan termination rules, and temporary relief in the Act, generally impact employer plan sponsors with a tax-qualified retirement plan (excluding certain governmental and church plans). The following two tabs change content below. , Talking Through Partial Plan Termination Relief, 2021
- Nick from The Benefit Company interviews Anne Tyler Hall of HBL., Episode 4: People You Need to Know, 2020
- Learn more about who we are, what we do, and why we do it, Hall Benefits Law Biz Connect Interview, 2018
- A comprehensive review of ERISA definition of a fiduciary, associated responsibilities, and methods for mitigating exposure, Retirement Plan Fixer Upper, Plan Sponsor Fiduciaries, 2018
- In-House Focus Presents: ERISA Legal Compliance Hot Topics for In House Counsel, In House Counsel For Businesses Large And Small, 2018
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Church volunteer - Sunday morning preschool teacher., 2023
- Volunteer at both daughters' schools; pre-K mystery reader., 2023
- Church nursery volunteer, 2019
- Volunteered with Hall Benefits Law team at the Foster Children support center in Alpharetta, GA, 2018
- Volunteered with Hall Benefits Law team at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, 2017
- Living Tree Charities, Board of Directors, 2011
Representative Clients:
- Multi-billion dollar, California-based fast-casual restaurant chain with thousands of employees nationwide - HBL took over representing the company from a Big Law ERISA firm when the company realized they were not getting their money's worth from existing counsel. The HBL team has strengthened the company's fiduciary foundation and helped remedy multiple issues that could have been prevented with a proactive approach to employee benefits legal compliance., 2023
- HBL client with more than 20,000 employees - firm helped them to avoid millions in ACA and CMS penalties and resolved a myriad of various participant health claims., 2021
- HBL was selected (among four competing law firms) as sole ERISA counsel for design and implementation of a 403(b) multiple employer plan (MEP) for non-profit employers throughout the Southeastern United States., 2021
- Plan sponsor with 32,000 employees located throughout the United States offering multiple benefit plans, 2019
- Multinational company based in Ireland with 2,000+ employees in the United States - abated $300,000 in DOL penalties and drafted and implemented HIPAA policies and procedures. Identified and addressed myriad of retirement plan operational errors, 2019
- Seven figure IRS penalty abatement for shipbuilding company with projects throughout the United States, 2018
- Drafted and implemented comprehensive executive compensation program for one of the largest architecture firms in the United States, 2018
Bar/Professional Activity:
- The Sole Practitioner/Small Firm and Women in the Profession sections of the Atlanta Bar Association hosted a joint Spring Happy Hour at 5Church Midtown. The first hour included a panel discussion with accomplished attorneys and law firm owners, including HBL founder and Managing Partner, Anne Tyler Hall. A special thanks to Jason Wiggam of Wiggam Law for putting together such an inspirational and educational panel!Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert, Atlanta Personal Injury Law GroupAnne Tyler Hall, HBLSara Khaki, The Khaki Law Firm and Atlanta Divorce Law GroupJoyce Gist Lewis, Krevolin & HorstJessica Wood, Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein, P.C., 2023
- Member, GA Bar, Employee Benefits Section, 2023
- Member, GA Bar, Employee Benefits Section, 2022
- Member, GA Bar, Employee Benefits Section, 2021
- General Session speaker at Southeast Benefits Education Network's Annual Education Conference "ERISA Legal Compliance Update", 2019
- Alabama Society of CPAs - Benefits Legal Compliance Update, 2019
- United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia, 2018
- Featured Speaker, "Retirement Plans: Fiduciary Compliance and Risk Mitigation" (6th Annual Georgia Bar, Employee Benefits Section Seminar), 2015
- Member, Georgia Bar, Employee Benefits Section, 2010
- Alabama, 2006
- Georgia, 2008
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Congress recently passed legislation seeking to nix a U.S. Department of Labor rule meant to help retirement plan managers factor things like climate change and social justice into investment decisions, a move that attorneys say highlights the legal risks for plans that offer funds devoted to socially conscious investing. The House and Senate passed resolutions on Feb. 28 and March 1, respectively, to roll back the Labor Department’s regulations on environmental, social and governance factors in retirement plan investing. While President Joe Biden has promised to veto the legislation, the resolutions are part of a wave of backlash that includes separate legal challenges from GOP attorneys general in Texas federal court and a conservative group in Wisconsin., Author, Battle Over ESG Means Balancing Act For Benefits Plans, Law360, 2023
- The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement, or SECURE, Act 2.0, enacted at the end of 2022, ushered in some of the most sweeping changes for retirement plans and individual retirement accounts since the passage of the Employee Retirement Income Security of 1974, as amended. Some of the changes are immediate while others become effective in 2024 and beyond. Some changes are required, and some changes are optional, requiring plan sponsors to think critically about how and when to implement them, if at all. This article provides an overview of the salient features, as well as plan sponsor considerations, with respect to impactful areas of change under the act, including: allowing employers who sponsor a 401(k) plan, 403(b) plan or SIMPLE IRA to make contributions that match an employee’s student loan payments; and facilitating new distribution planning options., co-author, How Employers Can Leverage Retirement Law Changes, Law360, 2023
- The No Surprises Act, enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and made effective Jan. 1, 2022, was designed to protect patients from surprise bills for emergency services at out-of-network facilities — or out- of-network providers at in-network facilities — holding patients liable only for in-network cost-sharing amounts. To achieve this goal, the No Surprises Act was required to limit the amount, regardless of the charge, to which out-of-network providers are entitled, called the qualifying payment amount., author, No Surprises Act Gives Plan Sponsors Savings Opportunities, co-author, 2023
- Litigation against Employee Retirement Income Security Act retirement and health plan sponsors and administrators has plagued workplace fiduciaries for the last two decades. Then, in 2020, ERISA lawsuits reached unprecedented levels and affected fiduciaries of ERISA retirement and health plans nationwide. Unwary 401(k) and 403(b) plan sponsors, fiduciaries and service providers were subject to more than 200 ERISA class actions during 2020. The basic complaint in these lawsuits — most of which involved a fiduciary breach claim — is that the fiduciaries caused the plan to incur losses by imprudently: Failing to negotiate and monitor the direct and indirect compensation that the plan paid to service providers — administrators, record-keepers and investment advisers;Relying upon faulty processes for the selection or retention of investment options in the plan’s fund lineup; andFailing to monitor investment fund performance and reassess the cost efficiency of available options and share classes in accordance with the plan’s investment policy statement, thereby subjecting the participants to fees that substantially exceeded fees for alternative available investment products or services., co-author, Northwestern ERISA Case Highlights Compliance Lessons, Law360, 2022
- The U.S. Department of Labor has vowed to continue its aggressive enforcement of a law requiring employer health plans to provide equal coverage for mental health and addiction treatments and other types of medical care, despite expected political pressure from the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives., Author, 3 Questions About DOL’s Mental Health Parity Push, Law360, 2022
- The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed into law on December 27, 2020 (the “Act”), changes a myriad of different rules for employer-sponsored retirement plans and health and welfare benefits. Among the more significant of the Act’s changes is a temporary rule to provide relief for certain events related to COVID-19 that would otherwise be considered partial retirement plan terminations (which can have costly implications for the employer). The partial plan termination rules, and temporary relief in the Act, generally impact employer plan sponsors with a tax-qualified retirement plan (excluding certain governmental and church plans)., Co-Author, Doing the Math: Partial Plan Terminations and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Practical Guidance, 2021
- Cybersecurity has become a daily struggle for businesses. In the last decade, cybersecurity breaches soared, with companies like Capital One having more than 100 million individuals impacted. The unprecedented technological challenges caused by the global pandemic have exacerbated the cybersecurity vulnerabilities of employers, many of which already struggled with unprotected data issues and weak cybersecurity practices. Even in a post-pandemic business environment, it remains imperative that companies employ best practices for cybersecurity awareness, prevention, and security as a part of their culture. , Co-Author, DOL Proffers Three-Pronged Guidance on Cybersecurity Breaches for Retirement Plans, Bloomberg Tax, 2021
- The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed into law on December 27, 2020 (the “Act”), changes a myriad of different rules for employer-sponsored retirement plans and health and welfare benefits. Among the more significant of the Act’s changes is a temporary rule to provide relief for certain events related to COVID-19 that would otherwise be considered partial retirement plan terminations (which can have costly implications for the employer). The partial plan termination rules, and temporary relief in the Act, generally impact employer plan sponsors with a tax-qualified retirement plan (excluding certain governmental and church plans)., Co-Author, How 2021 Appropriations Law Changes Employer Benefits, Law 360, 2021
- The Setting Up Every Community for Retirement Enhancement Act (the “SECURE Act”), subsumed in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 and signed into law by President Trump in December 2019, effectuated a myriad of changes to qualified retirement plans. One of the more significant provisions in the SECURE Act includes the expansion of the exceptions to the 10 percent early withdrawal tax in the event of a qualified birth or adoption distribution of up to $5,000., Author, Family ‘SECURity’: Early Withdrawal Tax Exception for Qualified Births and Adoptions, HBL, 2020
- With the presidential election approaching quickly, many employers are interested in the impact to benefits in the event of a change in the administration. This article provides an overview of some of the potential changes that would have a significant impact on both employers and employees in the event of a Biden win on November 3rd. The potential changes to the retirement system under a Joe Biden presidency remain largely speculative, though some general policy statements have been issued by Former Vice President Biden. First, the “Unity Task Force Recommendations” was developed and published in consultation with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to address a number of policy issue areas, including retirement. The retirement section of the Unity Task Force Recommendations focuses on discrete issues, including, broadly, saving for retirement and tax credits, pensions, and caregiver access to retirement savings. Though the potential retirement changes have not been fleshed out in significant detail, additional information was subsequently included on certain of these specific issues in the Biden Plan for Older Americans. The following provides an overview of five significant changes to retirement plans that may be enacted in the event of a Biden presidency., Co-Author, What a Biden Presidency Could Mean to the Retirement Plan Landscape, Practical Guidance, 2020
- A comprehensive update of the implications of changes to the law and how they impact plan sponsors and fiduciaries, Speaker, Employee Benefits Legal Compliance Update, SBEN Annual Education Conference, Plan Sponsor Community And Employee Benefits Service Providers, 2019
- A book detailing seven case studies in employee benefits legal compliance. Each case study highlights the importance of taking a proactive stance toward employee benefits legal compliance, Author, Case Studies in ERISA: Why It Matters and How It Benefits You, Speakeasy Publishing, Plan Sponsor Community And Employee Benefits Service Providers, 2019
- A 2020 Vision for ERISA and Employee Benefits Legal Compliance, HBL & Moore Colson, February 2020
- This book is dedicated to employers who recognize that strategically-designed, legally-compliant employee benefit plans are the cornerstone of long-term business stability and growth. It is also dedicated to the executives and HR professionals who work tirelessly to ensure their employees are provided with benefits and compensation commensurate with the long hours and sweat equity they provide the businesses that form the backbone of our American economy, Author, Case Studies in ERISA: Why It Matters and How It Benefits You, Speakeasy Publishing, Plan Sponsor Community And Employee Benefits Service Providers, 2019
- Retirement Plans 2020: What’s New, What to Do, and Protecting Your Crew, HBL & ZUNA, February 2020
- Going Viral: Vaccinate Your Employee Benefits Plans Against the Impacts of COVID-19, HBL Webinar, April 2020
- Secure and CARES Act – Perspective of an ERISA Attorney, Alabama Society of CPA’s, May 2020
- How to Survive a DOL Audit, SHRM Foothills of GA, June 2020
- Author, Health Care Reform Expands Tax-Free Health Coverage to New Children, Benefits & Compensation Law Alert, 2010, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2010
- Your Benefits and HR Questions Answered, HBL and Gallagher Webinar, July 2020
- Insecure in Your Knowledge of CARES? Care About Secure? Southeastern Accounting Show, August 2020
- Author, Section 111 Reporting for HRAs Has Arrived: Are You Ready? The ECFC Flex Reporter, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2010
- Author, Benefits Law Manual, Laws Related to Group Health Plans, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2010
- The article analyzes the safe harbor methods for determining which ongoing and new employees must be offered health insurance to avoid the Employer Pay or Play Penalty under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It also evaluates the potential for litigation under ACA and ERISA Section 510 as a result of workforce restructuring by an employer attempting to avoid the Pay or Play Penalty, Author, Understanding the Safe harbor Rules for Determining Full-Time Employee Status and the Litigation Risks Associated with Workforce Restructuring Under the Affordable Care Act, Journal of Pension Benefits, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2014
- On May 30, 2012, the IRS issued Notice 2012-40 (the “Notice”) to provide guidance on the effective date of the $2,500 statutory limit (as indexed for inflation) on salary reduction contributions to health flexible spending arrangements (Health FSAs) and the deadline for amending plans to comply with such limit. The Notice also provides relief for certain contributions that mistakenly exceed the $2,500 limit and that are corrected in a timely manner. Finally, the Notice requests comments on whether to modify the “Use It or Lose It” rule that is currently set forth in the Proposed Regulations under Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) Section 125 that apply to Health FSAs (the “125 Proposed Regulations”), Author, IRS Issues Guidance on health flexible spending account limits and seeks comments on "use it or lose it" rule, Lexology, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2012
- Employers and plan sponsors must comply with numerous filing and notice deadlines for their retirement and health and welfare plans. Failure to comply with these deadlines can result in costly penalties and excise taxes. To avoid such penalties and excise taxes, employers must remain informed with respect to the filing and notice deadlines associated with their plans. The filing and notice deadline table below provides key notice and filing deadlines common to calendar year plans. Please note that the deadlines will be different if your plan year is not the calendar year. Please also note that the table does not include all applicable filing and notice deadlines, just the most common ones, Co-Author, Filing and Notice Deadlines for Qualified Retirement and Health and Welfare Plans, Lexology, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2012
- On August 22 the Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) issued proposed regulations defining the content, format and timing of the issuance of the summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) (the “Proposed Regulations”). The SBC is mandated by Section 2715 of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), which was added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The SBC is intended to provide individuals with a written description of the benefits and coverage available under a group health plan. The requirements were scheduled to go into effect on March 23, 2012. However, the DOL has recently indicated that plans and insurers are not required to comply with the new SBC requirements until final regulations are issued and applicable. The final regulations will include an effective date that is intended to provide plans and insurers sufficient time to comply with the new SBC requirements, Author, Departments Issue Guidance on Summary of Benefits and Coverage, Lexology, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2011
- In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“health care reform”) was signed into law by President Obama. Employer sponsored group health plans in the U.S. will be significantly impacted by various provisions of health care reform. The article provides a summary of some of the significant health care reforms applicable to U.S. employers with group health plans. Many health insurance reforms became effective beginning January 1, 2011 (for calendar year plans). Additionally, employers and individuals will be subject to significant penalties for failure to offer or maintain health coverage beginning in January 1, 2014. However, recent court decisions have raised doubt about the constitutionality and future of health care reform. If health care reform remains intact, industry analysts predict that it will cost $940 billion over the next 10 years, Co-Author, U.S. Health Care Reform: One Year Later, International Pension Lawyer (International Pension & Employee Benefits Lawyers Association), ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2011
- On June 24, 2011, New York became the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Marriage Equality Act (the “Act”). The effective date of the Act was July 24, 2011. Prior to July 24, 2011, New York allowed for recognition of legal same-sex marriages performed in other states. Same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington. D.C. In addition, California continues to recognize same-sex marriages performed during the period in which same-sex marriage was legal in California (June 16 through November 4, 2008). Effective July 24, 2011, same-sex spouses who are married in New York are entitled to the same benefits previously provided to same-sex married spouses legally married outside of New York, Co-Author, Impact of New York's Same-Sex Marriage Law on Employee Benefits and Related Tax Issues, Lexology, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2011
- Co-Author, PPACA Notice Reference Chart, ECFC Flex Reporter, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2011
- Co-Author, A Look at the PPACA's New Group Health Plan Claims Review Procedures, Benefits & Compensation Law Alert, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2010
- Co-Author, PPACA, HIPAA and Federal Health Benefit Mandates: Q&A, The Self-Insurer, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2010
- Author, PPACA, HIPAA and Federal Health Benefits Mandates: Practical Q&A, The Self-Insurer, ERISA; Employee Benefits, 2010
Honors/Awards:
- Georgia Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2023
- Super Lawyers Rising Star, Super Lawyers, Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement, 2017 - 2018
- Award for more than five years of service on the Board and Steering Committee. My positions included Vice-President of Programs Coordinator and Boot Camp Coordinator, WEB Volunteer Service Award, Worldwide Employee Benefits, Atlanta Chapter, 2014
- AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell, Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent is a significant rating accomplishment, and a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence, 2016 - 2019
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- HBL recognized as a "Best Law Firm", 2024
- Sixth consecutive Law Firm 500 award - fastest-growing boutique ERISA law firm., 2023
- 2022 Inc. Regionals South Region Award, 2022
- Inc. 5000 Honoree, 2021
- Featured attorney in ABA Women Rainmakers article "Making It Rain: Anne Tyler Hall", 2021
- HBL surpassed $70 million in penalty avoidance/abatement for employer clients., 2021
- HBL selected for third consecutive year to Law Firm 500 as the fastest-growing solo-owned ERISA law firm (U.S. wide)., 2020
- HBL selected to Law Firm 500 as fastest-growing solo-owned ERISA law firm (U.S.-wide), 2019
- Hall Benefits Law was identified as the second-fastest growing firm in the United States and the fastest-growing ERISA law firm by the Law Firm 500 selection committee. The award honorees are a beacon of light for the legal industry, demonstrating innovation, operational excellence, and a commitment to client service., 2018
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- Successfully negotiated release of $250,000 held back from purchase price of a business with perceived employee benefits legal compliance penalties, 2018
- Hall and team successfully avoided/abated over $2.5 million in employee benefits legal compliance penalties for clients, 2018
Industry Groups:
- Employee Benefits Section
- Georgia Bar
- SEBC
- SHRM
- Web
- WIPs
Selections
2 Years Super Lawyers
2 Years Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2024
- Rising Stars: 2017 - 2018
