She earned her J.D. at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University and graduated from Boston University, B.A., cum laude. Ms. Bernhardt has a unique perspective on matters concerning ERISA – the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, a federal law that governs retirement accounts and many other employee benefit programs. Ms. Bernhardt worked at the U.S. Department of Labor when ERISA was first enacted, and as a result is extremely well versed in how this law impacts retirement accounts and their distribution, a critical part of many estate plans.