Groom Law Fortifies Regulatory Edge With Six Key Federal Hires

WASHINGTON, DC – January 07, 2026 – Groom Law Group, a titan in the employee benefits legal space, has significantly deepened its federal regulatory bench with the strategic hiring of six professionals directly from the government agencies that police the industry. The firm announced the addition of five attorneys and a senior policy advisor from the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), signaling a major reinforcement of its insider-focused advisory model.

A Strategic Infusion of Regulatory Insight

This move is a direct execution of Groom's foundational strategy: embedding deep, first-hand government experience into its private practice. The new hires include high-profile officials like Amber Rivers, the former Director of the Office of Health Plan Standards and Compliance Assistance at the DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), and Michelle Koltov, a former Deputy Division Director within the enforcement group at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) at HHS. They are joined by three former IRS attorneys—William Fischer, Brandon Ford, and Joshua Fruto—and Gabrielle Graves from the PBGC.

"Central to one of Groom's core strengths is maintaining a strong, real-time understanding of how the agencies that regulate benefits, health, and retirement operate and think," said Katie Bjornstad Amin, the firm's Executive Principal, in a statement. She noted that the group brings "a wealth of very recent government experience and perspective that our clients will both recognize and benefit from immediately."

This approach is not new for the Washington D.C.-based firm. Founded in 1975, just after the landmark Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) was passed, Groom has built its reputation on navigating the intricacies of federal benefits law. Its single-office location in the nation's capital is no accident, providing proximity to the very regulators its clients must answer to. This latest hiring class, with its combined decades of public service, is a powerful continuation of that legacy, promising clients an advisory platform grounded in the most current regulatory thinking.

Navigating a Complex and Shifting Regulatory Landscape

The timing of these hires is particularly crucial, as employers, health insurers, and plan sponsors face a barrage of aggressive enforcement and complex new rules. The expertise brought by the new team members maps directly onto the federal government's most active enforcement priorities.

The additions of Amber Rivers and Michelle Koltov to the health practice, for instance, come as the DOL and HHS ramp up scrutiny of health plan compliance. Federal agencies are intensely focused on the No Surprises Act (NSA), which has generated over 16,000 consumer complaints since its implementation, and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). The DOL's EBSA reported recovering a staggering $1.4 billion for benefit plans and participants in fiscal year 2023 alone, with health enforcement being a stated priority. Rivers' former role at EBSA placed her at the center of developing and enforcing rules under ERISA, the ACA, and the NSA, giving her unparalleled insight into the agency's playbook. Koltov's background at HHS's CCIIO provides a similar advantage in understanding enforcement related to the commercial health insurance market.

Meanwhile, the arrival of three attorneys from the IRS Office of Chief Counsel—William Fischer, Brandon Ford, and Joshua Fruto—bolsters Groom's capabilities in the perennially complex tax aspects of benefits. Fischer will advise on health-related tax issues like HSAs and COBRA, while Ford and Fruto will focus on the intricate tax requirements for defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans. This deep tax expertise is critical for plan design, compliance, and navigating corrective programs with the IRS.

Completing the group is Gabrielle Graves, whose experience in the PBGC's Bankruptcy, Transactions, and Terminations Department is vital for advising fiduciaries on plan governance and managing government investigations, particularly for sponsors of traditional pension plans.

The 'Revolving Door' as a Competitive Advantage

Groom's hiring spree is a masterclass in leveraging the so-called "revolving door" between public service and private practice—a well-established strategy for dominance in highly regulated legal fields. By recruiting individuals who recently shaped or enforced the law, the firm offers clients more than just legal interpretation; it offers a predictive understanding of regulatory priorities and agency culture.

This strategy is not unique to Groom, but the scale of this announcement underscores the intense competition for top regulatory talent. In the past year, other major firms have made similar moves, with Crowell & Moring and King & Spalding both adding former senior HHS officials to their health care practices. This trend highlights a market reality: for clients navigating billion-dollar compliance risks, the premium placed on an "insider's perspective" is higher than ever.

For Groom, which consistently earns top-tier rankings like Band 1 Nationwide from Chambers USA for its benefits and compensation practice, such strategic acquisitions are essential to defending its market-leading position. The firm explicitly markets this advantage, promising the "white-glove service, insight, and value that clients have come to expect." By bringing in a new class of regulators, Groom is not just adding headcount; it is sharpening the primary tool in its competitive arsenal.

The new professionals will be integrated across Groom's core practices. Amber Rivers, joining as a Principal, will advise a broad range of clients on compliance with ERISA, the ACA, and MHPAEA. Health Policy Advisor Michelle Koltov will focus on client advocacy before the federal agencies and guidance on legislative developments.

In the tax and health practices, William Fischer will counsel clients on the tax implications of various health and welfare benefits, including cafeteria plans and HRAs. Brandon Ford and Joshua Fruto will support plan sponsors and administrators with the tax qualification and administration of their retirement plans. As an associate in the fiduciary practice, Gabrielle Graves will apply her PBGC background to advise trustees and plan fiduciaries on their ERISA compliance obligations, plan governance, and responding to government inquiries.

This infusion of talent solidifies Groom Law Group’s capacity to guide its national client base through an era of heightened regulatory pressure. By embedding the direct experience of former senior regulators into its advisory teams, the firm has powerfully reinforced its claim as the preeminent destination for complex benefits, health, and retirement law.