Joseph B. Hurst,

Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

3.0 (1 reviews)

Little Rock, Arkansas

44+ years experience

Friday Eldredge & Clark LLP

Updated: Jan 04, 2026

Contact Information

501-370-1590

https://fridayfirm.com/en/attorneys/attorney/hurst/

400 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 2000, Little Rock, AR 72201-3493

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Bio

Joseph B. Hurst, Jr. is the head of the firm's Employee Benefits Practice Group. His focus is on the design, implementation and administration of tax-qualified retirement plans (including defined benefit pension plans, profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans and ESOPs), nonqualified deferred compensation plans, and welfare benefit plans for financial institutions, regular business organizations, professional corporations and governmental and non-profit organizations.He assists plan sponsors and fiduciaries with regulatory compliance with ERISA, state and federal tax issues and with local legislation affecting retirement and welfare plans. In addition, he acts as counsel to plan sponsors, fiduciaries and participants with respect to ERISA controversies and litigation. Joseph B. Hurst, Jr. is the head of the firm's Employee Benefits Practice Group. His focus is on the design, implementation and administration of tax-qualified retirement plans (including defined benefit pension plans, profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans and ESOPs), nonqualified deferred compensation plans, and welfare benefit plans for financial institutions, regular business organizations, professional corporations and governmental and non-profit organizations.He assists plan sponsors and fiduciaries with regulatory compliance with ERISA, state and federal tax issues and with local legislation affecting retirement and welfare plans. In addition, he acts as counsel to plan sponsors, fiduciaries and participants with respect to ERISA controversies and litigation.

Practice Areas

Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Awards & Recognition

Lawyer of the Year: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Little Rock (2025)
Recognized: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Special Focus: ERISA
Special Focus: ESOPS
Special Focus: Executive Compensation
Special Focus: Exempt Organizations
Special Focus: Fiduciary Responsibility
Special Focus: Government Plans
Special Focus: Pension, Health and Welfare
Special Focus: Qualified Plans

Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1989

Education

New York University, LL.M. in Taxation , graduated 1981
University of Arkansas at Little Rock, JD, graduated 1980
Vanderbilt University, B.A. in Business and Accounting, graduated 1977

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Reviews

Jeffrey Garcia

2 weeks ago

Knowledgeable on ERISA but communication could be clearer

I engaged Joseph Hurst to assist our small business with a complex IRS audit of our 401(k) plan. His deep expertise in ERISA and tax-qualified plans was immediately evident, and his 40+ years of experience, including his LL.M. in Taxation, provided significant reassurance. He successfully navigated the audit to a favorable resolution, which was our primary goal. However, the experience was not without its frustrations. At times, his communication felt somewhat opaque, relying heavily on technical jargon without always pausing to ensure we fully understood the implications. There were also notable delays in receiving responses to non-urgent emails, which added to our stress during the process. While I recognize his "Lawyer of the Year" recognition speaks to his standing among peers, as a client, I found the service delivery to be merely adequate. He is undoubtedly a highly skilled attorney in employee benefits law, but for the premium rate, I had expected a more client-centric communication style and proactive updates. He solved our legal problem competently, but the journey there felt more arduous than anticipated.