Jorge M Leon

Jorge Leon is at the forefront of advising on emerging fiduciary issues related to ERISA cybersecurity and litigation mitigation. Clients entrust Jorge to oversee the design and administration of their health and welfare programs, executive compensation arrangements, and retirement plans. As a boardroom insider for public and privately-held companies, Jorge enjoys the confidence of directors, compensation committees and C-suite executives and helps them solve critical compensation and benefit issues.

Plan sponsors, administrators, fiduciaries, insurers, and third-party recordkeepers turn to Jorge for strategic counsel on designing, establishing, and maintaining benefit and compensation plans. Clients laud his responsiveness and meticulous approach to matters ranging from plan establishment and design to government investigations and inquiries, ongoing compliance and qualification, ERISA litigation, and mergers and acquisitions.

As a general problem-solver and external general counsel in higher education, Jorge has helped clients with their non-benefit needs. These clients have ranged from colleges and publicly traded and privately-held companies to ultra-high-net-worth individuals in the NFL and financial world. Recent matters Jorge has successfully handled for these clients involved M&A, banking regulatory compliance, corporate/commercial law, real estate, immigration, employment law, bankruptcy, debt restructuring, turnarounds, and various types of litigation (e.g., commercial, cybersecurity, securities, and employment).

Before joining Michael Best, Jorge practiced for 15 years at a premier Chicago-based AmLaw 100 firm, where he served as lead partner on qualified plan matters. He brings to his current practice a record of successful outcomes, disciplined risk management, and a client-centric approach that improves efficiency without compromising quality.

As a leading ERISA practitioner and thought-leader, Jorge’s opinions and views are frequently sought by nationally recognized publishers, journalists, bar associations and professional organizations. Jorge has advised regulators and legislators on various policies impacting benefits. Some of Jorge’s views on benefits and related policy have been affirmed by the DOL and IRS in published guidance.

Vice Chair of the Fiduciary Responsibility, Administration, and Litigation Committee, American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, 2024-2025

Host Committee Member, National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair, 2022

Fellow, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2018

Fellow, The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, 2018-Present

Board Member, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois Charities, 2018-Present

Chair and Co-chair, Michael Best Access & Engagement Committee, 2014-Present

Member, Leadership Advisory Council of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, 2017-Present

Advisor on Employee Benefits, Program Committee of the Board of Directors, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education, 2008-2016

Financial Director, Zeta Corporation, 1998-2011

Member, American Bar Association

Member, Asian American Bar Association

Member, Hispanic National Bar Association

Member, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois

Member, Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago

Jorge combines deep technical command with a broad understanding of how benefit and compensation decisions affect governance, culture, financial performance, and litigation risk. He is well versed in the intricacies of 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and defined benefit plans, and regularly advises clients on:

- Serving as ERISA subject-matter counsel and defense strategist in one of the first ERISA cybersecurity litigations, resulting in landmark rulings

- Advising on and negotiating ERISA §3(21) and §3(38) investment advisor and manager agreements

- Counseling on recordkeeping conversions, including administrative, design, legal, and testing considerations

- Negotiating third-party recordkeeping and service provider agreements for plans holding between $1 million and $5 billion in assets

- Leading insurer and claims administrator transitions for health and welfare plans

- Restructuring health and welfare plans to improve cost efficiency while maintaining compliance

- Resolving IRS, DOL, and PBGC audits and investigations involving qualification, fiduciary, reporting, and prohibited transaction issues

- Designing fiduciary governance frameworks, policies, and internal controls for plan sponsors, fiduciaries, and administrators

- Guiding clients through EPCRS, VFCP, and other correction and voluntary compliance programs

- Advising on safe harbor and automatic enrollment plan designs, including 401(k)(12) and QACA structures

- Counseling employer-trustees on the establishment and administration of Taft-Hartley plans

- Advising public, private, and higher education clients on qualification, correction, administration, and participant communications

- Counseling hedge fund and venture capital clients on ERISA plan asset rules and state disclosure requirements

University of Illinois College of Law

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

1998

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

1995

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