August 18, 2022
BeLabor the Point Blog
Sharon is a true expert in ERISA and benefits law, responsive, fun to work with, and explains legal concepts clearly in plain English.
Chambers USA 2023
Sharon is a true expert in ERISA and benefits law, responsive, fun to work with, and explains legal concepts clearly in plain English.
Chambers USA 2023
Sharon Quinn Dixon
Overview
Sharon Quinn Dixon is a Florida Board Certified tax lawyer with over four decades of experience advising business clients about their employee benefit plans and executive compensation as well as individuals and organizations regarding their estate, probate and trust planning and administration.
Sharon has particular technical proficiency and an ability to simplify and demonstrate complex legal concepts. She has been ranked Band 1 (the highest ranking) in Chambers USA since 2005 and Best Lawyers in America® has named her Miami Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law Lawyer of the Year five times.
Areas of Concentration
Employee Benefits
- Tax and ERISA compliance and litigation matters involving 401(k), retirement and equity incentive benefit plans
- Executive compensation issues including nonqualified deferred compensation plan compliance with tax Code Section 409A
- Representation of employer-plan sponsors in audits by IRS and U.S. Department of Labor
- Representation of tax-exempt employers in connection with 403(b) and retirement plans (qualified and nonqualified) and health and welfare plans
- Correction of 401(k) and retirement plan compliance deficiencies and submission for IRS approval
- COBRA issues
- Section 125-Cafeteria Plans
- Equity-based plans for employees including stock option and stock appreciation rights plans
- Medical and insurance plan questions
- Affordable Care Act compliance, reporting and “penalty tax” issues
- Merger and acquisition due diligence reviews and agreements
- Planning for employee benefits in implementing Family Leave Act policies
Estate, Probate and Trust Planning and Administration
- Estate planning for retirement benefits
- Development and implementation of individual estate plans
- Federal estate, gift and income tax issues
- Representation of corporate and individual fiduciaries in connection with the administration of estates and personal trusts
- Successful defense of IRS challenges to estate tax valuation
- Drafting personal trusts and planning for family business succession
- Formation and operation of tax exempt organizations, (including obtaining and maintaining tax status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Credentials
Education
- LL.M. in Taxation, University of Miami School of Law, 1988
- J.D., cum laude, University of Miami School of Law, 1982
- B.S., summa cum laude, Bradley University, 1978
Admissions
- Florida
Certifications
- Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Tax Law
Professional & Community Involvement
- South Florida Trail Riders, Board of Directors, 2020-Present
- Estate Planning Council of Greater Miami, Inc., Board of Directors, 2012-Present
- American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, Fellow, Present
- American Bar Association, Tax Section, Employee Benefits Committee, Present
- The Florida Bar, Tax and Real Property Probate and Trust Law (RPPTL) Sections, Present
- Children’s Home Society, Southeastern Division, 2009-2020
- Chair of the Board, 2017-2019
Recognition
- Chambers USA, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Florida), Band 1, 2020-Present; Tax, Band 1, 2005-2019
- Florida Trend, Legal Elite NOTABLE – Women Leaders in Law, 2024
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 1993-2018, 2020-Present
- Miami Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law Lawyer of the Year, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2025
- The Employment Law Issue, 2021
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-Present
- Top 50 Women Florida Super Lawyers, 2024
- Top 100 Miami Super Lawyers, 2024
- Distinguished Estate Planner of the Year, Estate Planning Council of Greater Miami, 2022-2023
- Florida Trend‘s Florida Legal Elite, 2005, 2016
- South Florida Legal Guide, Top Lawyers in South Florida – Labor & Employment, 2008-2021
- AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
News & Insights
March 17, 2021
BeLabor the Point Blog
State tax withholding and other obligations for remote workers. What you don’t know CAN hurt you. (PART 1)
December 1, 2020
Southeast Employment Law Letter
Employers unsure about benefits for furloughed workers
September 16, 2020
BeLabor the Point Blog
Six Months of Benefits on Furlough – Now What?
March 19, 2020
BeLabor The Point Blog
Federal Paid Leave Law Signed by President Trump
January 11, 2019
BeLabor the Point Blog
Dave & Buster’s Settlement – Busted! But Not So Fast….
January 11, 2019
BeLabor the Point Blog
Dave & Buster’s Settlement – Busted! But Not So Fast….
June 25, 2018
BeLabor The Point Blog
Covering Summer Interns Under Your Employee Benefit Plans – You Can’t Just Forget About Them
November 14, 2017
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update
Retirement Plan Hurricane Relief for Affected Participants
April 21, 2017
BeLabor The Point Blog
EEOC Wellness Plan Controversy: All’s Well That Ends Well?
January 13, 2017
BeLabor The Point Blog
What’s in YOUR COBRA Notice? Insufficiencies Could Drain Your Wallet
August 29, 2016
BeLabor The Point Blog
Don’t Forget About ACA Compliance With Staffing Firm Service Agreements
March 14, 2016
BeLabor the Point Blog
Have an Election Season Free From Tax Penalties!
November 18, 2015
BeLabor the Point Blog
So Boring but So Important – Vendor Service Agreements
June 3, 2015
BeLabor the Point Blog
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished – Improper Extension of Benefits After Termination of Employment
August 7, 2014
BeLabor the Point Blog
Health Care Reform – Business as Usual (for Now)
June 4, 2014
BeLabor the Point Blog
It’s Summer: How to Treat Your Interns Under the ACA
January 1, 2013
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Employment Law Manual
April 30, 2025
Miami Labor & Employment Law Seminar
Keeping Score: Adapting Benefit Plans for a Changing Workforce
June 26, 2024
KSDT, CPA|
Donor Advised Funds vs. Private Foundation – A Panel Discussion
February 16, 2023
WEBINAR: Leveraging your 401(k) Plan to Increase Employee Retention
July 22, 2021
Stearns Weaver Miller Webinar
WEBINAR: The Mystery of Disappearing Employees and Electronic Information
June 30, 2021
Stearns Weaver Miller News Program Special
Breaking Through the Noise: Labor & Employment Issues Post-Pandemic
April 8, 2021
Stearns Weaver Miller Webinar
WEBINAR: COBRA Conundrum – Changes to COBRA Under the American Rescue Plan Act
June 1, 2020
Stearns Weaver Miller Webinar
Back to Work Virtual Chat
April 16, 2020
Estate Planning Council of Greater Miami Workshop + Presentation
Virtual Webinar – Drafting to Protect the Settlor from Himself
November 1, 2018
Greater Miami Society for Human Resource Management
Hype vs. Reality: The Effect of Recent Guidance on Your Employee Benefit Plans
August 9, 2017
Greater Miami Tax Institute
Executive Compensation and Partnership Awards
March 24, 2017
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
The Changing HR Landscape: A Post-Inauguration Overview
September 29, 2016
GMSHRM 2016 Legal Update
New EEOC Wellness Guidelines and Incentive Programs Under the Affordable Care Act
September 24, 2015
Crystal & Company
Hot Topics in Benefits Compliance What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
May 8, 2015
Quick Beauty Tips for Your Employee Benefits Package
November 19, 2014
Stearns Weaver Miller Labor & Employment Breakfast Series
The Top HR “Need to Knows” about the Affordable Care Act
October 16, 2014
Estate Planning Council of Greater Miami
It’s Not Just a Form! – Important Details in IRA/Plan Beneficiary Designations
September 24, 2014
Miami-Dade County Bar Association
The Affordable Care Act and its Effect on Businesses and Individuals
September 16, 2014
Stearns Weaver Miller Miami Office
Wine Tasting & Estate Planning Seminar
August 19, 2014
American Bar Association Section of Real Property
Trust and Estate Law CLE webinar
May 1, 2014
The Top 10 HR “Need to Knows” About the Affordable Care Act As We Drive Into 2015
May 9, 2013
Ready or Not, Here it Comes: What HR Really Needs to Know About The Affordable Care Act
October 27, 2011
Stearns Weaver Miller Labor & Employment Breakfast Series
Healthcare Reform & Benefit Planning: Managing Change, Mitigating Cost
September 9, 2011
Florida National Employment Lawyers Association Summer Conference
Tax Issues on Settlement of Employment Cases
May 5, 2011
Dancing with the Regulators: Benefits Regulations Galore for 401(k) and Health Plans…Tune in for the Latest Steps
April 13, 2011
Stearns Weaver Miller Labor & Employment Breakfast Series
Benefits Think Tank- New Burdens on Your 401 (k) Plan: Are You Prepared?
August 18, 2010
Webinar
Time For Action on Employer-Sponsored Group Health Plan Mandates
June 5, 2025
40 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers and 11 Practice Areas Ranked in Chambers USA 2025
Stuart D. AmesThomas G. AubinS. Elise BatselSusan Fleming BennettLisa K. BergReggie L. BouthillierJeffrey A. CollierPatricia A. ConnersJacob T. CremerPaul CrucetDrew M. DillworthSharon Quinn DixonCarl EldredMaria Arhancet FehretdinovBarbara J. FerrerAndrew FotiEric K. GabrielleVinette D. GodeliaJason P. HernandezMichael I. KeyesPeter D. LopezNicole Neugebauer MacInnesBrian J. McDonoughGrace MeadAlison W. MillerJeffrey V. NelsonGeorge A. PincusMatthew S. PodolnickIngrid H. PoncePatricia Ann RedmondNicholas S. RisiAmelia A. SavageJay B. ShapiroEric J. SilverCurtis H. SittersonEugene E. StearnsSusan L. StephensDonald “Rocky” E. Thompson, IIErin J. TiltonRobert S. Turk
June 6, 2024
35 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers and 11 Practice Areas Ranked In Chambers USA 2024
Stuart D. AmesThomas G. AubinSusan Fleming BennettLisa K. BergReggie L. BouthillierJeffrey A. CollierPatricia A. ConnersJacob T. CremerDrew M. DillworthSharon Quinn DixonCarl EldredBarbara J. FerrerEric K. GabrielleMichael I. KeyesPeter D. LopezNicole Neugebauer MacInnesBrian J. McDonoughGrace MeadAlison W. MillerGeorge A. PincusMatthew S. PodolnickIngrid H. PoncePatricia Ann RedmondNicholas S. RisiJay B. ShapiroEric J. SilverCurtis H. SittersonEugene E. StearnsErin J. TiltonRobert S. Turk
June 2, 2023
29 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers in 11 Practice Areas Ranked In Chambers USA 2023
Stuart D. AmesThomas G. AubinLisa K. BergReggie L. BouthillierJeffrey A. CollierJacob T. CremerDrew M. DillworthSharon Quinn DixonBarbara J. FerrerEric K. GabrielleMichael I. KeyesPeter D. LopezNicole Neugebauer MacInnesBrian J. McDonoughGrace MeadAlison W. MillerGeorge A. PincusMatthew S. PodolnickIngrid H. PoncePatricia Ann RedmondJay B. ShapiroEric J. SilverCurtis H. SittersonEugene E. StearnsRobert S. Turk
June 1, 2022
28 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers in 12 Practice Areas Ranked In Chambers USA 2022
Stuart D. AmesThomas G. AubinLisa K. BergReggie L. BouthillierJeffrey A. CollierJacob T. CremerDrew M. DillworthSharon Quinn DixonBarbara J. FerrerEric K. GabrielleMichael I. KeyesPeter D. LopezBrian J. McDonoughGrace MeadAlison W. MillerGeorge A. PincusMatthew S. PodolnickIngrid H. PoncePatricia Ann RedmondJay B. ShapiroEric J. SilverCurtis H. SittersonEugene E. StearnsRobert S. Turk
May 20, 2021
29 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers in 12 Practice Areas Ranked In Chambers USA 2021
Stuart D. AmesThomas G. AubinLisa K. BergReggie L. BouthillierJeffrey A. CollierJacob T. CremerDrew M. DillworthSharon Quinn DixonEric K. GabrielleMichael I. KeyesPeter D. LopezBrian J. McDonoughGrace MeadGeorge A. PincusMatthew S. PodolnickIngrid H. PoncePatricia Ann RedmondJay B. ShapiroEric J. SilverCurtis H. SittersonEugene E. StearnsRobert S. Turk
June 27, 2019
Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers Recognized in Florida Super Lawyers 2019
Stuart D. AmesS. Elise BatselReggie L. BouthillierJacob T. CremerDrew M. DillworthSharon Quinn DixonAlan H. FeinEric K. GabrielleMatthew M. GrahamMelanie R. LeitmanBrian J. McDonoughAlison W. MillerKelly A. O’KeefeDarrell PaynePatricia Ann RedmondRene F. RuizJay B. ShapiroBridget SmithaEugene E. StearnsRobert S. Turk
June 22, 2021
Miami Herald
Hear from Marlins, Fisher Island and EEOC leaders about post-COVID labor issues
December 29, 2014
Brickell Newspaper