Overview
Jason serves as Counsel in the Tax and Benefits Practice Group and Business Department at McDonald Hopkins. He has extensive experience and expertise advising on ERISA, employee benefits and executive compensation matters.
Jason’s practice focuses on providing strategic counseling for clients on a variety of subjects including qualified defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans (including 401 (k) and 403(b) plans), health and welfare plans (including Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act compliance), nonqualified deferred compensation plans, ERISA and employee benefits in mergers and acquisitions, HIPPA compliance, Internal Revenue Code compliance, COBRA and more.
Jason’s clients not only benefit from his vast knowledge of employee benefits law but also from the unique perspective he brings to the table, which can be attributed to his past work experience. Prior to entering private practice, Jason served as in-house counsel for one of the nation’s largest Taft-Hartley defined pension plans, as a compliance associate for a benefits, compensation and human resources consulting firm and as an extern with the Office of Benefits Tax Counsel at the U.S. Department of Treasury in Washington, D.C.
Jason earned his LL.M. in Employee Benefits (with honors) and his J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Illinois Chicago School Of Law. He earned his B.A. from Marquette University.
Representative Cases & Matters
- Provided day-to-day employee benefits compliance counseling for a Fortune 500 food production company and assisted with the employee benefits aspects of its numerous acquisitions and divestitures.
- Counseled a private equity clients on the ERISA aspects of a $400 million acquisition of a top supply chain network
- Successfully navigated many controlled and affiliated service group issues during his advisement for a client on ERISA aspects of the $500 recapitalization of a top, private-provider of anatomic pathology and clinic lab services.
- Advised an energy client during their Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings on how to limit retirement, health and welfare, and executive compensation liabilities
- Successfully advised a client on the benefits integration and ERISA aspects throughout its $1.65 billion acquisition of a software company
Honors & Recognition
Chambers USA, Associate to Watch in Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (2020)
Legal 500, Executive Benefits and Employee Compensation & Retirement Plans – Design (2021)
Excellence in Employee Benefits Law Award, Chicago Bar Association (2012)
Credentials
Education
The University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
Marquette University
Admissions – Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Admissions – State
- Illinois
Professional & Civic
Professional Activities
Chicago Bar Association (Member)
Community Involvement
RUSH (Associate Board Member)
Open Heart Magic (former Professional Board Member; Certified Hospital Magician, Fundraiser)
JDRF Volunteer/Fundraiser
St. Michael School/Parish – Orland Park, IL (Active Parishioner; Dad’s Club Member/Volunteer)