Amberlee Lapointe

Bar Admissions

• Arizona

Court Admissions

• Supreme Court of Arizona

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law (J.D. with distinction)
  • College of Law Merit Scholarship
  • Boyd Service Award, High Honors
  • Faculty Award in Contracts
  • Faculty Award in Criminal Procedure: Investigation
  • Iowa Law Review, Student Writer and Contributing Editor
  • Equal Justice Foundation, Bookstore Chairman
  • Pro Bono Society
•  University of Arizona (B.A., magna cum laude)

Awards & Recognition

• Emerging Leaders in Arizona Law, AZ Big Media (2025)
• Southwest Super Lawyers®, Rising Stars Edition, Employee Benefits (2023-2025)
• The Best Lawyers in America^®, Ones to Watch, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2024-2025)

Representative Experience

• Advised employers regarding the correction of retirement plan failures using the self-correction program (“SCP”) and voluntary correction program (“VCP”) under the IRS’s Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (“EPCRS”) and using the DOL’s Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program (“VFCP”)
• Assisted employers with drafting plan amendments and restatements for retirement plans with individually designed plan documents, and reviewing draft plan amendments and restatements for retirement plans with pre-approved plan documents, to reflect optional design changes and required amendments
• Advised large and small employers regarding new obligations for retirement plans under the SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 Act
• Assisted private employers through the termination of retirement plans, including the termination of defined benefit plans pursuant to the PBGC’s standard termination requirements
• Assisted employers regarding the administration of COBRA continuation coverage, including drafting and reviewing COBRA general and election notices
• Assisted large and small employers with the determination of whether domestic relations orders for defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans satisfy the qualification requirements of the Internal Revenue Code
• Assisted plan fiduciaries with the review and revision of investment manager, advising, and consulting agreements related to the assets of qualified retirement plans sponsored by private and publicly traded companies
• Advised on administrative rules governing a Qualified Tuition Program under Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code
• Advised private and publicly traded companies, including buyers and sellers, with employee benefits issues in mergers and acquisitions

Previous Professional Experience

• Snell & Wilmer L.L.P., Summer Associate (2018)
• University of Iowa College of Law, Research Assistant to Dean Adrien K. Wing (2017-2019)
• Arizona Attorney General, Antitrust Unit, ABA Janet D. Steiger Fellow (2017)
• Pima County Legal Defender’s Office, Intern (2015)

Professional Memberships and Activities

• Western Pension and Benefits Council
  • Member (2019-Present)
  • Spring Conference Committee Member (2022-2023)

Community Involvement

• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, Volunteer Income Tax Preparer (2020-2023)
• Arizona Foundation for Women
  • Board Member (2022-2024)
  • Co-Chair, Programming (“RAP”) Committee (2023-2024)

Representative Presentations and Publications

• “Top Ten Employee Benefit Issues to Consider in 2025,” Co-Presenter, 2025 SHRM of Greater Phoenix Labor & Employment Conference (April 16, 2025)
• “IRS Provides Guidance on Benefit Overpayment Rules, Reconciles SECURE 2.0 with EPCRS,” Author, SW Benefits Blog (November 7, 2024)
• “Employee Benefits Unveiled: Crucial Compliance Nuggets You Didn’t Know You Needed,” Co-Presenter, Snell & Wilmer CLE Webinar Series (June 4, 2024)
• “Catch Back Up on the SECURE 2.0 Increased Catch-Up Limits for 2025,” Author, SW Benefits Blog (May 31, 2024)
• “Employee Benefits Unveiled: Crucial Compliance Nuggets You Didn’t Know You Needed,” Co-Presenter, Western Pension and Benefits Council 2024 Spring Conference (April 11, 2024)
• “Enforcement Back On: Departments Rescind Enforcement Relief for Machine Readable File Requirements under Transparency in Coverage Rules,” Author, SW Benefits Blog (October 6, 2023)
• “Required Minimum Distributions and Other Key Provisions,” Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Virtual CLE Series (June 13, 2023)
• “COVID-19 Comes to an End(emic): Preparing Group Health Plans for Anticipated End of COVID-19 Emergencies,” Author, SW Benefits Blog (March 2, 2023)
• “CalSavers Program Expanding for Small Employers,” Author, S&W Benefits Blog (September 29, 2022)
• “Impact of the Dobbs Decision: An Employee Benefits and Labor & Employment Perspective,” Co-Presenter, Western Pension & Benefits Council (Sept. 22, 2022)
• “The Dobbs Decision: Employee Benefits and Labor and Employment Perspective,” Co-Presenter, The Dobbs Ruling: Understanding the Legal Implications in an Evolving Business Environment Webinar (July 27, 2022)
• “Rethinking Reproductive Healthcare Benefits After Roe: Three Initial Benefits Questions for Employers to Consider,” Co-Author, SW Benefits Blog (July 1, 2022)
• “First Came the ACA, Then Came the CAA,” Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Virtual CLE Series (June 23, 2022)
• “Departments Clarify that HIV PrEP Services Must Be Free by September 17,” Author, SW Benefits Update (August 19, 2021)
• “Subsidized COBRA Elections under ARPA Override COBRA Election Deadline Extensions,” Author, SW Benefits Blog (June 11, 2021)
• “COVID-19 Relief Package Hands 30 Years of Relief to Underfunded Multiemployer Plans,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Under Construction Newsletter (April 19, 2021)
• “COVID-19 Relief Package Hands 30 Years of Relief to Underfunded Multiemployer Plans,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (March 18, 2021)
• “Get Ready, Get Set, to Cover COVID-19 Vaccines for Free,” Author, SW Benefits Blog (January 7, 2021)
• “Is Your Safe Harbor Section 401(k) Plan Required to Provide an Annual Notice?,” Author, SW Benefits Blog (November 16, 2020)
• “Free COVID-19 Testing Extended for Another 90 Days,” Co-Author, SW Benefits Update (July 28, 2020)
• “Help for Employees Can Equal Headaches for Employers: Agencies Issue More Health and Welfare Relief for COVID-19,” Co-Author, SW Benefits Update (May 29, 2020)
• “Asked and Answered: Agencies Issue FAQ’s on COVID-19 Requirements for Group Health Plans,” Co-Author, SW Benefits Update (May 7, 2020)
• “CARES Act Loans With an Executive Compensation Catch,” Co-Author, SW Benefits Update (April 14, 2020)
• “Tax-Favorable COVID-19 Pandemic Relief for Employees and Employers Covered by Section 139 Programs,” Co-Author, SW Benefits Update (March 26, 2020)