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Sariyah S. Buchanan

Associate

Sariyah S. Buchanan ensures that benefit plans and compensation arrangements comply with US state and federal laws including ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. Sariyah drafts employment agreements, equity plans, grant agreements, and proxy materials, and prepares custodial agreements, disclosures, and election and beneficiary designation forms for IRA custodians. She assists clients in corporate transactions and represents clients before the IRS, PBGC, and DOL. Sariyah’s clients include startup and Fortune 500 clients in financial services, insurance, real estate, pharmaceutical and life sciences, technology, and energy.

blog contributor

ML BeneBits
Covering a full range of Benefits and Compensation Topics

    Extended Profile

    Sariyah assists with single-employer and multiemployer retirement and welfare plan design and administration, drafts related documents, and advises individual retirement account custodians.

    Her strong commitment to pro bono work includes serving several nonprofits including organizations dedicated to improving maternal and child health, mentoring at-risk youth, and providing legal services to low-income families. She assists these clients with matters related to corporate governance, securing and maintaining 501(c)(3) status, and 403(b) retirement plan compliance.

    Before joining Morgan Lewis, Sariyah was a law clerk to Judge Petrese B. Tucker of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

    Prior to attending law school, Sariyah was a management consultant for a boutique consulting firm that specialized in assisting Fortune 500 companies in designing, implementing, and assessing the performance of their shared services organizations.

    Education

    • Duke University, 1999, A.B.
    • Howard University School of Law, 2009, J.D., Cum Laude

    Admissions

    • Pennsylvania

    Awards and Affiliations

    Member, Law Firm of the Year, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Chambers USA (2019)

    Member, Law Firm of the Year, Employee Benefits (ERISA Law), US News/Best Lawyers – Best Law Firms (2019)

    Publications

    2/20/2019 - IRA Owners Have a Couple More Months to Make 2018 IRA Contributions, ML BeneBits

    12/6/2018 - IRS Extends Transition Relief for New Escheated IRA Tax Withholding, Reporting Rules

    8/29/2018 - IRS Guidance Suggests Employer Nonelective Contributions to 401(k) Plans Under Student Loan Repayment Program Do Not Violate ‘Contingent Benefit Rule’, ML BeneBits

    1/29/2018 - UPDATE: US Tax Reform Impacts Roth IRA Conversions

    1/17/2018 - Impact of US Tax Reform on Roth IRA Conversions, ML BeneBits

    1/17/2018 - US Tax Reform Impacts Roth Individual Retirement Account Conversions

    2/2/2016 - Developments in Spousal Rights under Employee Benefit Plans (Part I), ML BeneBits

    7/17/2015 - What Skeletons Are Hanging in Your Closet? How to Ensure Good Plan Governance, ML BeneBits

    10/10/2012 - IRS Guidance on Additional Medicare Tax

    News

    10/16/2017 - Morgan Lewis Advises Aramark in $1 Billion Acquisition of AmeriPride Services

    6/27/2016 - Morgan Lewis Advises MeetMe in Skout Acquisition

    12/29/2014 - Morgan Lewis Advises BNI in Growth Investment

    10/1/2014 - Morgan Lewis Represents UBM in $972M Purchase of Advanstar Communications

    4/9/2012 - Morgan Lewis Advises Sun Capital on Acquisition of CornerStone