Patrick S. Menasco

Patrick Menasco is a partner in and co-chair of the firm’s ERISA & Executive Compensation practice. With more than 27 years of public and private sector experience, Mr. Menasco enjoys longstanding connections with regulators and a broad proficiency in Title I and Title IV of ERISA and the regulation of IRAs under the Internal Revenue Code. His clients include national and international private equity and real estate fund sponsors, financial institutions, technology startups and crypto/digital asset investors, traders and service providers. His practice focuses on ERISA regulatory exceptions for private investment funds, ERISA and IRA regulatory issues in crypto/digital asset markets, the operation and management of collective trusts, stable value funds and other ERISA-regulated funds, Title IV merger and acquisition issues, ERISA-regulated capital market transactions, U.S. Department of Labor investigations, and ERISA litigation strategies.

Representative matters:

• TA Associates $12.5 billion Fund XIV
• Advent International $25 billion GPE Fund X
• Private Crypto/Digital Asset Fund ($2 billion)
• Restructuring of $30+ billion real estate collective trust*
• Represented seven major asset managers in U.S. Department of Labor criminal waiver proceedings*

* Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin

Mr. Menasco served as an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School from 2008 to 2018. He sits on the board of directors of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. and is a member of the faculty of the Practicing Law Institute, where he is a frequent speaker on ERISA investment issues.

Mr. Menasco has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Best Lawyers for his work in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law 2022. 

Mr. Menasco is regularly recognized by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 as one of the top lawyers for employee benefits and executive compensation.

Mr. Menasco is a frequent lecturer on employee benefit investment issues at the Practising Law Institute in New York. Topics include:

• “Update on Regulatory Issues for Financial Institutions,” Practising Law Institute’s Pension Plan Investments 2018: Current Perspectives, May 22, 2018
• “Derivatives and Other Financial Instruments,” Practising Law Institute’s ERISA Plan Investments in Financial Markets 2018: The Fundamentals, March 19, 2018
• “The DOL Process: Exemptions & Advisory Opinions,” Practising Law Institute, March 20, 2017
• “Repos, Securities Lending and Stable Value Funds,” Practising Law Institute, February 3, 2016
• “Regulatory Interaction with Plans,” Practising Law Institute, August 4, 2015
• “Department of Labor, Office of Exemption Determinations: Updates, Issues, and Perspectives,” Practising Law Institute, March 31, 2015
• “Understanding Basic Financial Institution Activities,” Practising Law Institute, February 4, 2015

Mr. Menasco is frequently quoted in the media on ERISA matters. Recent commentary includes:

• “The Push and Pull of CITs,” PlanSponsor (August-September 2020 Issue)
• “DOL Letters Seen as Further Effort to Restrict Use of ESG in Retirement Plans,” PlanSponsor (August 24, 2020)
• “403(b) Litigation Offers Instruction for Plan Sponsors,” PlanSponsor (January 3, 2020)