Legal Specialist

You bring the motivation, teamwork, and integrity and we will provide the collaborative culture, professional development, and opportunity to build a meaningful career at Wespath! Wespath is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to a diverse and inclusive company culture and does not discriminate against applicants and employees because of disability, sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, veteran status, or any other protected status under the law. Wespath’s Legal team has an opportunity for a Legal Specialist – Benefit Plans . This role is a highly specialized role responsible for independent analysis and administration of complex marital litigation matters impacting primarily retirement benefit plans administered by Wespath (but also health and welfare plans). The role requires advanced knowledge of employee benefits plan design and compliance, including interpretation and application of plan provisions and legal requirements to fact-specific situations (e.g., divorce decrees, qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs), subpoenas). The position serves as a key subject matter resource to internal stakeholders and external parties, exercising independent judgment to ensure legal compliance and protect plan integrity. This role partners closely with the Associate General Counsel and Senior Legal Analyst when necessary but is expected to own matters from intake through resolution, including identifying risks, resolving ambiguities, advising on appropriate outcomes, and communicating with plan participants. More specifically, as a Legal Specialist – Benefit Plans, you will have the following key responsibilities: Analyze and interpret marital litigation-related documents (including, e.g., divorce decrees and QDROs) to determine legal and operational impact on benefit entitlements across retirement, health, and welfare plans. Provide guidance to participants, alternate payees, and legal counsel regarding complex benefit plan rules, legal requirements, and administrative processes related to marital litigation. Conduct detailed legal and plan compliance review of draft and filed QDROs, identifying deficiencies, interpreting ambiguous provisions, and ensuring alignment with Internal Revenue Code requirements and plan terms. Administer and process the division of retirement benefits pursuant to approved QDROs, including data entry, calculations, record updates, and generation of participant communications. Respond to marital litigation-related questions from Wespath personnel in other departments. Work collaboratively with the Senior Legal Analyst to oversee incoming work, e.g., process incoming correspondence and calls, index and allocate work, and coordinate with other functional areas. Analyze and respond to subpoenas and document requests for participant data, ensuring appropriate application of privacy and disclosure requirements. Demonstrate knowledge of and familiarity with benefit plan documents, summary plan descriptions, plan procedures/interpretations, and recordkeeping system functionality. Identify legal, financial, and operational risks related to benefit plan administration and escalate or recommend mitigation strategies as appropriate. Coordinate cross-functionally with Legal, Compliance, Customer Solutions, and external stakeholders to resolve complex, non-routine cases and improve administration processes. Participate in special projects and process improvement initiatives related to benefit administration and marital litigation workflows, as needed. Legal Specialist – Benefit Plans Benefits and Compensation: Choose the medical, dental, vision, and well-being benefits that best fit your needs from day one. 8% employer contribution to retirement plan with an additional match up to 2% on day one. 22 days of PTO + 12 paid holidays. Hybrid working arrangement. The compensation range for this position is $73,000 – $91,000 with a bonus opportunity and customary benefits. Final compensation will be set based on the hired applicant’s qualifications (education, training, and/or experience related to this role), and as such, may fall outside the range shown.