Sue Conway practices employee benefits law. For more than 25 years, she has helped employers design and administer their health and welfare plans. "Health benefits are a major expense and a critical recruiting tool, so it's important for employers to get them right," she says. "My job is to help companies provide quality benefits packages while remaining fiscally sound."
 

Representative Experience

  • Helped companies implement cost-saving high deductible health plans with health savings accounts (HSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs)
  • Developed flexible benefits programs for over 100 employers
  • Worked with third-party administrators and health plans to design and prepare consumer-engaged health plan (HRA and HSA) program documents for their clients
  • Designed innovative wellness programs, including HIPAA-compliant wellness plans
  • Adviser to employers and benefit providers on complex COBRA issues
  • Frequent speaker at seminars and employer meetings statewide on consumer-directed health plans, COBRA, Medicare Prescription Drug coverage, wellness programs and other benefit matters
  • Handled health and welfare benefit issues for companies in numerous merger and acquisition transactions
  • Designed and prepared wrap-around benefit plans to simplify ERISA reporting and disclosure requirements for clients

Honors and Awards

  • Named by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of the leading "Women in the Law"
  • Named among the "50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan" by The Grand Rapids Business Journal
  • Best Lawyers in America, Employee Benefits Law, 2006-Present
  • Named as one of the Top 50 Women Michigan Super Lawyers, 2007-2009, 2011 
  • Named to Michigan Super Lawyers, 2007-Present
  • Named to "Inner Circle" of West Michigan Executive Women by Inforum, a professional women's alliance

Bar Associations

  • State Bar of Michigan

Teaching and Lecturing

  • Adjunct Faculty, Grand Valley State University Master's in Taxation Program (2000-2011)
  • "What's Next for Health Care Reform?," WNJ Human Resources Seminar, March 25, 2011, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • "Wellness Programs," WNJ Human Resources Seminar, March 23, 2010, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • "Employer of Choice - Meaningful Benefits" and "Time to Shape Up Your Cafeteria Plan," WNJ Human Resources Seminar, September 11, 2008, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • "Does Your Cafeteria Plan Need Updating?," January 9, 2008, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • International Society of Certified Employee Benefits Specialists (ISCEBS) West Michigan Chapter Annual Update (2008, 2007, 2006)
  • "Strategies to Control Health Care Costs," WNJ Human Resources Seminar, May 10, 2007, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Statewide Conference (2006)
  • Michigan Colleges and University Professional Association for Human Resources (MiCUPA) Statewide Conference speaker (2006, 2005)

Publications

  • Co-author, "Division of Retirement Benefits," Michigan Family Law, Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education

Community Affiliations

  • Inforum - a Professional Women's Alliance
    State Board of Directors (2009-Present); Corporate Board Access Committee (2011-Present)
  • Leadership Grand Rapids
    Past Board Chair; Executive Board (2000-08)
  • Legal Aid of West Michigan
    Past Vice President; Board of Directors (1997-05)
  • Vassar Club of Western Michigan
    President
  • Visiting Nurse Foundation
    Board of Directors (2003-06)
  • Women's Resource Center
    Past Board Chair; Fund Development Committee (2009-2011)

News

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