John A. Papahronis
Shareholder

John Papahronis is a shareholder at McAfee & Taft. He is an ERISA attorney whose practice encompasses the entire range of employee benefit services, including qualified retirement plans, health and welfare plans, legal compliance, and fiduciary counseling. He has particular and extensive experience working with defined benefit pension plans and employer stock ownership plans. In addition, his expertise includes counseling employers on health and welfare plan matters, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly referred to as health care reform, COBRA, HIPAA and cafeteria plans.
John provides services to both taxable and nontaxable employers and has particular and extensive 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.
Download Bio (PDF)Representative Experience
- Counseled public and private companies and governmental entities on the design, drafting and administration of all forms of employee benefits plans, including qualified retirement plans (pension plans, profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, cash balance plans, ESOPs and governmental plans) , and health and welfare plans (including self-insured medical plans, cafeteria plans, consumer-driven health plans and fringe benefit plans) .
- Assisted clients in analyzing extensive health plan issues under PPACA, COBRA, HIPAA, GINA, ADA, HITECH and other laws.
- 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 Voluntary Correction Program submissions for 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.
Honors and Awards
- Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (employee benefits/ERISA law)
- Listed in Oklahoma Super Lawyers
- Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings
Professional Organizations and Memberships
- Oklahoma County Bar Association
- Oklahoma Bar Association
- SouthWest Benefits Association
- Gulf Coast Area TE/GE Council