Employee Owned 2025

Litigation attorneys Chelsea McCarthy and Todd Wozniak will participate in The ESOP Association's Employee Owned 2025 conference. The largest gathering of employee owners and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) professionals, this year's rendition will feature hands-on educational seminars, a diverse lineup of keynote speakers and enhanced client engagement opportunities. Ms. McCarthy and Mr. Wozniak will both speak on the third day of the event, and a number of Holland & Knight attorneys will attend the conference alongside them.

Ms. McCarthy's session will prepare ESOP fiduciaries and ESOP transaction parties to respond to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) investigations and audits. She will walk attendees through the department's process for conducting investigations, including a demonstration of a mock DOL investigation to illustrate issues that may arise and strategies that may be helpful. The session will additionally highlight allegations or areas that can trigger the government's attention, as well as practices to implement at closing and post-transaction that provide a document record and are key to navigating a DOL audit.

Mr. Wozniak's panel will also focus on preparing for government investigations, outlining how DOL investigations unfold from initial contact to potential resolution. He will explore the different paths toward resolving a matter and provide attendees with tips and tools to undergo an investigation with confidence and compliance.

Session Times and Topics

When the DOL Comes Knocking: Best Practices, Pitfalls and Lessons Learned
November 4, 2025 | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. PT
Speaker: Chelsea McCarthy

Preparing for DOL & IRS Audits
November 4, 2025 | 10:45 – 11:45 a.m. PT
Speaker: Todd Wozniak