Tzvia Feiertag

Financial services companies, public companies navigating acquisitions and divestitures, and employers facing high-stakes benefit plan challenges turn to attorney Tzvia Feiertag ("Svee'a Fire-tag") when they need a strategic advisor who understands not just the law, but their business.

With 25 years of exclusive focus on employee benefits and ERISA, Tzvia leads a team of nearly 15 benefits attorneys and serves as a quarterback on the most complex, high-pressure projects, from post-acquisition benefit integrations to 401(k) plan mergers to large-scale vendor transitions. She gains a deep understanding of a client’s business strategy, works proactively to prevent problems, and executes seamlessly under tight deadlines.

Her practice advises employers of all sizes and in various industries on the full lifecycle of employee benefit plans, including the design, drafting, implementation, and administration of defined contribution plans (401(k), profit sharing), defined benefit plans, and health and welfare plans (medical, life, disability, employee assistance programs, onsite health clinics, wellness programs, health savings accounts, health reimbursement arrangements, flexible spending accounts, and fringe benefits, such as adoption assistance, surrogacy reimbursement, and commuter benefits). She also advises on severance plans, voluntary benefits, and other compensation arrangements. Tzvia counsels clients on compliance with ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, HIPAA, COBRA, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as well as state law applicability and ERISA preemption issues.

Whether a client discovers a compliance failure during an internal audit or seeks to transition from a fully insured health plan to a self-funded model, Tzvia provides the strategic counsel and project management needed to move from planning to execution while managing risk and meeting business goals.

In mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, and divestitures, Tzvia manages multidisciplinary teams to guide clients through due diligence, purchase agreement negotiations, benefit plan terminations, integrations, and transition service arrangements. She advises employers on benefit considerations when entering or exiting professional employer organizations, multiple employer welfare arrangements, association health plans, and multiple employer 401(k) plans. She negotiates third-party service provider agreements and oversees implementation, stepping in to correct vendor failures when they occur. Tzvia also routinely assists clients with plan corrections under the IRS’s and Department of Labor's (DOL’s) correction programs, helping them remediate issues and limit exposure.

Tzvia is deeply committed to making ERISA accessible and actionable. She spearheads the “ERISA You’ll Need a Lawyer for That” blog that takes serious, technical topics and makes them approachable for in-house counsel, HR professionals, and business leaders—proving that employee benefits law doesn't have to be intimidating.

What Tzvia Delivers for Clients

• Proactive Compliance Management: Through ongoing, day-to-day involvement in clients' benefit plans, fiduciary committees, and vendor relationships, Tzvia identifies and resolves compliance gaps before they trigger IRS or DOL audits, protecting clients from penalties and employee relations issues.
• Seamless Transaction Execution: Tzvia manages multidisciplinary teams through complex M&A benefit integrations, divestitures with transition service arrangements, and spin-offs, coordinating strategy, legal advice, and implementation to meet aggressive deadlines and ensure business continuity.
• Strategic Cost Management: Tzvia guides clients through major benefit transformations—such as moving to self-funded health plans, implementing direct contracting arrangements, or adopting unbundled benefit structures—that deliver meaningful cost savings while maintaining competitive programs.
• Vendor Accountability and Oversight: When benefit vendors fail to perform or other mistakes occur, Tzvia steps in to manage corrections, hold service providers accountable, and work with clients to improve processes, protecting clients' interests and ensuring employees receive promised benefits.
• Accessible ERISA Guidance: Tzvia translates complex legal and regulatory requirements into clear, actionable advice, helping clients understand not just what the rules require but why they matter for business strategy.

Education

• University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law (J.D., 2001)
• Touro College (B.A., summa cum laude, 1998)