T. Clayton Walts

Georgia

Miller & Martin PLLC
Regions Plaza Suite 2100
1180 West Peachtree Street, N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30309-3407

Tel: 404.962.6409

Email: clay.walts@millermartin.com
Web: www.millermartin.com

Professional Biography

Clay Walts concentrates his practice in employee benefits and executive compensation, which includes drafting and preparing qualified retirement plans, welfare benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements for both public and closely held companies; addressing employee benefit issues in corporate transactions; advising clients on issues relating to the investment of plan assets and exemptions from the plan asset and prohibited transaction rules; and counseling clients on issues relating to plan design, ERISA and federal tax compliance, securities regulation and disclosure, plan administration and various other matters.

Prior to joining Miller & Martin, Mr. Walts was a Partner at Troutman Sanders LLP in Atlanta, Georgia, where he practiced for 12 years and, prior to attending law school, was an ERISA Legal Assistant with King & Spalding in Atlanta, Georgia.

Education

  • J.D., Georgia State University, 1995
  • B.A., Michigan State University, 1987
    • Institute for Employee Benefits Training, 1988
    • Harvard University, Summer 1985

Bar Admissions

  • Georgia

Certifications

  • Certificate in Employee Benefit Plans from the Institute for Employee Benefits Training, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Accolades

  • The Best Lawyers in America® – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, since 2013
  • State Bar of Georgia – Of Counsel Award

Memberships

  • State Bar of Georgia, Employee Benefits Law Section

Miller & Martin Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation attorneys are experienced and committed to helping employers evaluate, implement and maintain competitive employee benefits and executive compensation plans. Our clients span the spectrum of the firm’s practice and range from individuals and local businesses to nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies and multinational Fortune 500 companies.

Many aspects of employee benefit plans are closely regulated by the federal government through the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and other statutes. Plans may also be subject to collective bargaining agreements. Given the complex and sometimes unexpected interplay of employee benefit plan rules and regulations, sound legal advice is critical when designing and administering benefit plans.

We are skilled in representing multiemployer plans created for labor unions and in assisting growing companies with the merger and consolidation of benefit plans. Our attorneys can partner extensively with employers on the design and administration of retirement plans, fringe and welfare benefit plans, and executive compensation programs, and are adroit at interpreting and applying benefits-related legislation such as ERISA, COBRA and the Affordable Care Act. Should trouble arise, our attorneys are adept at benefits litigation.

As a leading Southeastern law firm with four offices, Miller & Martin has helped businesses and individuals achieve their goals for more than 150 years. Talented attorneys with significant experience in multiple practice areas deliver advanced legal thinking to help clients – from individuals and local startups to large, national and international companies – stand prepared and well-represented in addressing nearly any legal challenge they may face.

We measure our achievements from this simple fact: nothing comes before client satisfaction. Our clients are our biggest asset, and we are deeply connected to their success. With every matter, every piece of advice, our attorneys work with a dedicated focus to foster highly developed relationships with each client

Miller & Martin attorneys recognize that the experience we have gained in serving our clients is our greatest resource, that our growth is a result of their growth. Many early clients, such as the original bottler of Coca-Cola, have evolved from local concerns into global enterprises, allowing us to draw on diverse experiences to serve clients locally, nationally and globally.

Miller & Martin’s attorneys have established relationships with numerous legal and professional organizations, including international associations, local and state economic development agencies, and chamber-based business groups. Our firm is also a member of the World Law Group, an international network of 62 leading independent law firms with approximately 425 offices in 88 countries. It allows us to access legal services worldwide, enhancing our ability to manage our clients’ legal needs wherever they may arise.