Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the addition of Greta Cowart and Kal Grant as partners in the Dallas office.

“We are thrilled to start off 2019 by adding two outstanding and experienced attorneys of Greta and Kal’s caliber,” Dallas Managing Partner David T. Moran said. “Between Greta’s experience in benefits and executive compensation and Kal’s background in trust and estate strategy, Jackson Walker and our clients will benefit greatly from their knowledge.”

Greta E. Cowart brings to the Labor & Employment, Employee Benefits, & Executive Compensation practice over 30 years of experience in counseling employers on human resources and employee relations issues related to benefits and executive compensation. In her practice, she focuses on complex employee benefit plan issues – representing plans and plan sponsors before the various regulating government entities and in negotiations – and on resolving retirement plan issues through voluntary compliance programs.

“We are fortunate to welcome Greta to Jackson Walker. Her wide-ranging background in employee benefits and executive compensation lends valuable experience related to planning and audit representations,” said Austin partner Chuck Campbell, who chairs the Firm’s ERISA practice.

As former Chair of the Employee Benefits Committee of the American Bar Association’s Taxation Section, Greta has worked with the technical provisions governing retirement plans, executive compensation, and health reform initiatives. Applying that experience, she has handled issues related to pension and 401(k) plans, as well as issues under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (including the privacy and security regulations issued under HIPAA), the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the Pension Protection Act of 2006. She has also worked with Code Section 409A regarding nonqualified deferred compensation.

In addition to her practice, Greta is a Fellow of The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, the American College of Tax Counsel, and the American Bar Foundation. Since 2009, she has served on the Curriculum Advisory Panel of The American Law Institute, which strives to clarify, modernize, and improve the law. Previously, she served on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Working Group for the U.S. Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services.

A Bloomberg/BNA author of two Tax Management Portfolios and articles, Greta is a trusted voice on matters related to employee benefits and taxation. In the past two years, Greta has served as an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and Indiana University Maurer School of Law, from which she received her J.D., cum laude.

Kal Grant joins the Wealth Planning, Probate, & Trust practice as a trust and estate strategist working closely with clients to counsel them through the optimal creation, use, and coordination of estate planning vehicles and techniques, including trusts, family-owned entities, charitable planning, and various disposition matters. In her practice, Kal regularly corresponds with and counsels clients on trust administration practices, including assisting co-trustees in carrying out fiduciary duties and assisting in trustee succession planning, governance processes, and trustee appointments and resignations.

With more than 25 years in the industry, Kal has gained particular knowledge and understanding of the processes and resources necessary to guide individuals, families, and nonprofits through the creation, establishment, and sustentation of their charitable mission. She previously led an advisory team dedicated to providing nonprofits strategic advice and planning, governance and fiduciary assistance, philanthropic research, and best practices.

Within the local community, Kal serves on the Board of the Dallas Council of Charitable Gift Planners, the Board of ChildCareGroup, the Advisory Council of the Communities Foundation of Texas, the Advisory Board of Southern Methodist University Planned Giving Council, and the Dallas Estate Planning Council.

“We are excited to work with Kal to provide our diverse clientele with strategies for building and transferring wealth to their family and to their community,” Wealth Planning Chair Sam K. Hildebrand said. “Her many connections, strong community involvement, and experience in the wealth planning industry will make a great addition to the Firm.”

Kal received her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law, graduating summa cum laude as a Regents Scholar. She obtained her LL.M. in taxation from SMU Dedman School of Law, where she also received her B.B.A. as a President’s Scholar, University Scholar, and National Merit Scholar.

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