ELLEN KAWASHIMA

Ellen N. Kawashima is a Principal and Vice President at SI GROUP. Prior to joining SI GROUP, she was a partner at Cades Schutte, where she served as the Chair of the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group. Ms. Kawashima received her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics-Applied Science in Physics from the University of California at Los Angeles and her Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to leaving private law practice in 2019, she was selected by her peers to be included in Best Lawyers in America since 2010, was named Lawyer of the Year in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law – Hawaii by Best Lawyers in America for 2014, and was named by Chambers & Partners USA as one of America’s leading lawyers for Labor & Employment: Employee Benefits & Compensation. Ms. Kawashima’s practice areas included retirement plans (401(k), profit sharing, defined benefit, cash balance, money purchase pension, 403(b), 457 and ESOPs), employee benefits, deferred compensation arrangements and executive compensation. With regard retirement plans, she advised clients on a variety of concerns, including:

• Designing, drafting, and implementing plans
• Plan administration, compliance, and fiduciary issues
• Correction of various plan errors, including correction under IRS and DOL correction programs
• Plan audits and other IRS or DOL investigations