John A. Papahronis

John Papahronis' practice encompasses the entire range of employee benefit services, including qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, executive incentives and deferred compensation arrangements, legal compliance and fiduciary counseling, and health and welfare plans. In addition, he has particular experience and expertise counseling employers on health and welfare plan compliance and administrative matters, including COBRA, HIPAA and cafeteria plans.   

John provides services to both taxable and nontaxable employers and has particular experience working with governmental entities, including numerous municipalities throughout the state of Oklahoma.

John is a frequent speaker at seminars on employee benefits topics, including the SouthWest Benefits Association Intermediate Level Training Seminars for Employee Benefits Practitioners and Plan Sponsors, the SouthWest Benefits Association Annual Employee Benefits Conference for Practitioners and Plan Sponsors, and the Oklahoma Society of Accountants' Governmental Accounting and Auditing Conference. He is co-author of Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Client Strategies, published by Aspatore Books in 2008. He has also authored articles in various publications, including the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants’ CPA Focus, the Oklahoma Bankers Association’s Oklahoma Banker, and the Oklahoma Municipal League’s Cities and Towns.

John's achievements have earned him inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (employee benefits/ERISA law) and Oklahoma Super Lawyers (employee benefits/ERISA law).

• Counseled public and private companies and governmental entities on the design, drafting and administration of all forms of employee benefits plans, including qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, executive compensation arrangements and health and welfare plans.
• Representation of clients in complex fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction matters, both in counseling and litigation.
• Representation of clients before governmental agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
• Assisted clients with the rehabilitation of qualified retirement plans that have incurred a “qualification” failure.
• Counseled clients on complex employee benefits matters resulting from corporate transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, buyouts, joint ventures, spin-offs and divestitures.