Christopher A McMican

Practice Areas

Christopher “Chris” McMican has extensive experience in all aspects of employee benefits law. He focuses on assisting and advising employers with such issues as compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), retirement plans, health and welfare plans, executive compensation, fiduciary matters, phantom and equity plans, stock options, and all elements of the compensation package as well as corporate matters. Preparing plans and working with clients on documentary compliance and plan operational issues, including those related to changes in the law, are central to his practice.

Chris has led the employee benefits portion of a $550 million international corporate transaction as well as various other transactions allowing clients to acquire or divest entities and divisions. He has also contributed to text publications on various aspects of employee benefits law and is experienced with union activity and the impact of collective bargaining on employee benefits.

Qualified Retirement Plans

His practice includes implementing, drafting, amending, and providing advice with respect to all sizes and types of plans, including defined contribution plans, traditional defined benefit pension plans, money purchase pension plans, cash balance plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), church plans, and various hybrid-style plans.

Standard Compliance Issues

Chris spends significant time with discrimination testing of retirement plans, controlled group issues, the IRS determination letter process, and qualified domestic relations orders. He is often involved in corporate transactions and multi-employer withdrawal liability cases with respect to union-sponsored plans.

Executive Compensation

Chris counsels clients regarding various elements of the pay package and represents employees and employers in matters involving executive compensation arrangements, stock options, nonqualified salary deferrals, incentive plans, phantom stock plans, employment agreements, change-in-control agreements, supplemental executive retirement plans, top-hat plans, rabbi trusts, and plans utilizing life insurance.

Health and Welfare Plans

Chris’s practice involves medical plans (including insured plans and self-insured plans with stop-loss coverage), “wrap” plans, cafeteria plans, VEBAs, wellness plans, health reimbursement arrangements, health savings accounts, multiple employer welfare arrangements, flexible spending arrangements, dependent care assistance plans, and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). He also provides advice with respect to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).