Steven Barber is a partner in the Tampa office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the Corporate Practice Group. Steven has more than 25 years of experience in the areas of ERISA transactional and compliance law and employee benefits law.

A Martindale Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rated attorney, Steven has been named among the Best Lawyers in America® in employee benefits law and has consistently been recognized by Chambers USA as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Steven has worked extensively in the design, adoption, operation and administration of employee benefit plans, including preparation of all necessary plan documents. He has provided counsel to numerous clients on ERISA fiduciary best practices and qualified plan corrections under compliance resolution programs sponsored by the IRS and the U.S. Department of Labor. He has also represented clients with respect to plan investigations by the Department of Labor and plan examinations by the IRS.

Steven has worked with clients in the design and implementation of section 457(b) and (f) plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, including Section 409A compliance. He has significant experience working with welfare benefit plans (including employer-provided health care, medical reimbursement plans, cafeteria plans and flexible spending accounts, HRAs and HSAs) and COBRA compliance.

Credentials

Education

  • University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D. 1979
  • University of South Carolina, B.S. 1975

Bar Admissions

  • Florida

Professional and Civic

  • American Bar Association
  • The Florida Bar Tax Section
  • Florida West Coast Employee Benefits Council
  • The Group, Inc.
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
  • Tampa Bay Pension Council

News & Insights

News & Speaking Engagements

Publications

  • "Health Care Reform:  What 401(k) Administrators Need to Know" The 401(k) Advisor
  • "Will the High Court's Decision in LaRue v. DeWolff Change 401(k) Administration?  The 401(k) Advisor
  • "Estate Planner and Family Law Practitioner:  Beware of REA Rules re: Retirement Plan Distributions," Co-Author, The Florida Bar Journal
  • "New Florida Statute Protects Retirement Plan Assets from Claims of Creditors," Co-Author, The Florida Bar Journal
  • "Pension Assets in Bankruptcy - The Final Chapter?" Author, The Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer
  • "Pension Simplification: The Ultimate Oxymoron?" Author, The Florida Bar Journal

Blog Posts

Industry Focus

Accolades

  • Martindale Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Rated
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Tax: Employee Benefits, 2006, 2007, 2008 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2023
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023
    • Best Lawyers in America®, 2013 Tampa Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law "Lawyer of the Year"
    • Best Lawyers in America®, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law "Lawyer of the Year," 2022
  • Florida Super Lawyers, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018

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Shutts & Bowen, established in 1910, is a full-service business law firm with approximately 300 lawyers located in eight offices across Florida.

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