Overview

Mindi Johnson helps clients navigate challenges and solve problems in the areas of employee benefits law and health care law with a business-minded approach, and a service-oriented delivery.

Some of the most important and complicated questions and challenges employers face in today's highly regulated environment relate to employee benefit plans. From determining the impact of the Health Care Reform law on current health and welfare plans, to ensuring ERISA compliance for retirement plans, it's critical employers understand the issues in order to mitigate risks and to attract and retain talented workers.

Specifically, the types of matters Mindi handles include:

Employee Benefits Law

• Advising taxable and tax-exempt non-governmental employers and governmental employers regarding federal and state deferred compensation and welfare benefits law, including matters related to fiduciary standards and ERISA compliance.
• Implementing strategic changes to qualified retirement plans (such as 401(k) Plans and ESOPs) and welfare benefits plans (such as group health plans, Cafeteria Plans and Group Benefit Plans).
• Responding to the IRS and DOL when issues arise related to plan corrections and prohibited transactions.
• Providing legal compliance reviews and audits of corporate benefit packages.
• Assisting with benefit plan administration, including preparation of QDROs, distribution materials and nondiscrimination testing.

Health Care Reform (PPACA)

• Developing strategic plans for implementing benefit packages that comply with PPACA mandates (and employers' budgets).
• Providing guidance on administrative challenges, including reporting requirements, determination of measurement and stability periods and transitional issues.
• Navigating challenges posed by both the Employer Mandate and Individual Mandate.
• Assisting with PPACA compliance reviews and audit preparation.

Health Care Law

• Advising health care providers on various legal issues, including fraud & abuse, regulatory, licensing, compliance, billing, Medicare/Medicaid and HIPAA.
• Assisting with health care facility mergers and acquisitions.

Mindi has spoken and written extensively on employee benefits, health care reform and health care law topics. She is actively involved in a number of legal, professional and industry organizations focused on these issues. Additionally, she leads the firm's Employee Benefits Group.

Outside of work, Mindi enjoys spending time with her family.

Honors & Recognitions

Affiliations

Memberships & Affiliations

Legal Affiliations:

• State Bar of Michigan
  • Taxation Section
    • Council Member
    • Michigan Tax Lawyer Editor
  • Health Care Law Section
• American Bar Association 
• Taxation Section

Industry & Professional Associations:

• Member of MBA @ Calvin Leadership Team, Co-Chair
• Michigan Jaycees, Past Legal Counsel
• Business Network International (BNI), Advantage Chapter, Past President
• Calvin College Alumni Association
• ESOP Association
• National Center of Employee Ownership (NCEO)

Community Activities:

• Girls on the Run, Board of Directors
• Grandville Calvin Christian Schools, Board of Directors

Communications

Publications

• New Disability Claims Procedures Take Effect on April 1st, March 2018 Business & Corporate Law News, March 12, 2018
• U.S. Supreme Court Affirms that Collective Bargaining Agreements Must be Interpreted According to “Ordinary Principles of Contract Law”, March 2018 Business & Corporate Law News, March 12, 2018
• Tax Reform: What to Expect Regarding Employee Benefits, Lexology, January 11, 2018
• Qualified Plan Overpayments: Not all Hope is Lost, Michigan Tax Lawyer, Winter Edition, March 14, 2017
• Nationwide Right to Same-Sex Marriage: Employee Benefit Implications, Foster Swift Employment, Labor & Benefits News, June 30, 2015
• What Else Can We Do for You?, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, March 30, 2015

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News & Events

News

• Foster Swift Attorney Re-Elected as Council Member with the SBM's Taxation Section, Grand Rapids Bar Association, October 12, 2017
• Foster Swift Elects Four New Shareholders, January 25, 2016
• Attorney Mindi Johnson to Lead Foster Swift Employee Benefits Practice, January 20, 2015

Speaking Engagements

• Emerging Trend: A Defined Contribution Approach to Health Care Coverage, Lansing Economic Club, October 27, 2016
• ESOP Administration Q+A- Get Your Questions Answered, Great Lakes Regional ESOP Conference, October 20, 2016
• ERISA Fiduciary Duties and Retirement Plan, July 21, 2016
• Legal Issues for the Medical Professional, Health Care Financial Management Association's Western Michigan Chapter, September 16, 2015
• Legal Consideration for the Treatment of Minors, Kent County Dental Society, March 11, 2015
• Employee Benefits Basics from 401(k) to PPACA", Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association Great Lakes Trade Expo, January 26, 2015

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