�鶹ֱ��

A woman with light skin and brown shoulder-length hair, wearing a dark green top, smiling at the camera against a blurred indoor background.

Samantha M. Adams

Associate

Samantha M. Adams

Associate

[email protected]

Chicago 312.832.4580

�鶹ֱ��

Sports & Entertainment

Practice Areas

Education

Washington University School of Law (J.D., 2022)
- Order of the Coif
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (B.A., B.S., summa cum laude, 2018)

Admissions

Missouri
Illinois

Samantha Adams is a trusted adviser to employers of all sizes and from various industries when it comes to crafting competitive benefits and compensation programs. A significant portion of her practice focuses on drafting, revising, and advising clients with respect to their retirement plans (both 401(k) and defined benefit pension plans) and health and welfare plans, drafting and revising equity plans, and providing extensive employee benefits support on corporate transactions, including assisting with plan termination procedures and drafting employment agreements.

Before joining �鶹ֱ��, Sam worked for a national employment law firm where she litigated a variety of employment and ERISA issues and worked closely with clients to draft and revise single- and multi-state employee handbooks and policies.

Presentations and Publications

“‘Influencing’ the Legislature: The Need for Legislation Targeting Online Sexual Harassment of Social Media Influencers,” 99 WASH. U. L. REV. 695 (2021)

Two people sit across a desk in a corporate law office, one holding a pen and explaining something while pointing to a document on a clipboard.

July 15, 2026 Legal News: Employee Benefits Insights

Education or Advice? How Retirement Plan Sponsors Can Boost Retirement Literacy While Avoiding ERISA Fiduciary Liability

Today’s retirement plans (401(k), 403(b), defined benefit pension plans, etc.) are growing ever more sophisticated, offering plan participants more features and options for increased retirement savings. Unfortunately, participant understanding of how those features and options actually work has not kept pace with innovations in plan design, and it may be affecting participants’ retirement readiness.

June 8, 2026 Deals and Wins

�鶹ֱ�� Represents Skōp in Acquisition by Peloton

�鶹ֱ�� & Lardner LLP represented Skōp in its strategic acquisition by Peloton.

April 15, 2026 �鶹ֱ�� Viewpoints

Demystifying the Duty of Prudence: DOL Proposes ERISA Safe Harbor for Designated Investment Alternatives in Retirement Plans

On March 31, 2026, the Department of Labor (DOL) published a proposed regulation (the Proposed Regulation) creating a new safe harbor for...

February 24, 2026 Deals and Wins

�鶹ֱ�� Advises Johnson Controls in Agreement to Acquire Alloy Enterprises

�鶹ֱ�� & Lardner LLP served as legal advisor to Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), a global technology leader in energy efficiency, decarbonization, thermal management, and mission-critical performance, in its agreement to acquire Alloy Enterprises.

February 18, 2026 �鶹ֱ�� Viewpoints

Automatic Cash-Out Limits Under SECURE 2.0: Should Your Retirement Plan Adopt the $7,000 Threshold?

The required amendment adoption date for many of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) provisions is December 31, 2026. While plan...

September 17, 2025 Deals and Wins

�鶹ֱ�� Advises CloserStill Media in Acquisition of Billington Cybersecurity

�鶹ֱ�� & Lardner LLP served as legal advisor to CloserStill Media, the producer of market-leading business events, exhibitions and conferences, in its acquisition of leading U.S. public sector cybersecurity conference and event organizer Billington Cybersecurity.

View All Insights