John D. Walch

Utah

Dentons Durham Jones & Pinegar
111 South Main Street
Suite 2400
Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Tel: +1 801 297 1331

Email: john.walch@dentons.com
Web: www.dentons.com

Professional Biography

With more than 30-years of experience exclusively with employee benefit plans, Mr. Walch works with employers to resolve issues relating to a broad range of qualified and non-qualified benefit plans.

Mr. Walch has worked with employers regarding their equity-based incentive plans, ESOPs, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, qualified retirement (pensions, profit sharing, 401(k), 403 and 457) plans and welfare benefit plans, including health, cafeteria and flexible spending plans. Mr. Walch has designed, drafted and obtained IRS approval of hundreds of qualified retirement plans. For plans facing disqualification or other sanctions, he has obtained dozens of compliance statements from the IRS and negotiated positive outcomes in response to U.S. Dept. of Labor (DOL) investigations. He advises plan fiduciaries on operational issues involving fiduciary liability and plan administration issues, QDROs and benefit claims or appeals.

Mr. Walch also drafts service provider and business associate agreements for plans and plan sponsors. He has tried over 50 ERISA benefit cases in federal court. Mr. Walch also designs deferred compensation arrangements and incentive plans involving stock options, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights and phantom stock. He advises employers on parachute payments, COBRA, HIPAA and other benefit plan issues, including Affordable Care Act compliance for health plans, avoiding prohibited transactions and obtaining DOL exemptions. He also advises plans and plan sponsors involved in M&A transactions.

Representative Experience

  • Advising the plan sponsor in connection with the termination of an overfunded $170 million pension plan and obtaining a Private Letter Ruling concerning the transfer of excess assets to a qualified replacement plan.
  •  Advising the plan sponsor in connection with the sale of 100% of the sponsor to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan.
  • Representing a 30,000+ participant welfare benefit plan in a three year U.S. Department of Labor investigation that resulted in no material adverse findings.

Recognition

  • Chambers USA, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, 2022-2024
  • Utah Legal Elite, Labor & Employment, 2019-2023

  • “SECURE Act and Other Benefit Plan Updates,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference (Salt Lake City Chapter), 2023
  • “Secure Act 2.0 – What you Need to Know,” SHRM Annual 401(k) and Benefits Summit, 2023
  • “Legislative & Regulatory Update,” SHRM Annual 401(k) and Benefits Summit, 2022
  • “You Did WHAT? Fixing Plan Problems,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference (Salt Lake City Chapter), 2021
  • “Employee Benefit Plan Update,” Association of Corporate Counsel (Salt Lake City Chapter), 2021
  • “Legislative and Regulatory Update,” Assoc. of Corporate Counsel (Utah Chapter), Salt Lake City, 2019
  • “Benefit Plan Overview,” Keyes Insurance Services Client Seminar, Salt Lake City, 2019
  • “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017,” Association of Corporate Counsel: Mountain West Chapter, Salt Lake City (2018)
  • “Employee Benefit Provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference Salt Lake Chapter, Salt Lake City (2018)

Pensions. Retirement plans. Employee benefits and executive compensation. If you’re searching for a firm with a deep knowledge and understanding of these areas, look no further. Dentons’ lawyers are leaders in their fields, providing you with clear and practical advice to help you achieve your goals and a seamless service that covers regulatory, fiduciary, tax, governance, transactions and disputes.

At Dentons, we can assist with all types of pension and retirement plans. Benefit from our comprehensive services, which include design and set-up, plan modification, administration and communications, the investment of plan assets and fiduciary responsibilities.

We understand what is needed in different industry sectors to attract and retain top talent and motivate people to achieve critical business objectives. We can help you achieve your goals by working with you to design and implement all types of equity and cash-based incentive plans, whether to incentivize employees to meet short- or long-term operational and financial objectives, or retain and reward key employees in connection with a merger or sale of the business. Our team can advise on senior executive employment and severance arrangements, compensation risk assessments, corporate governance, and the disclosure of directors’ and officers’ compensation. We also provide independent counsel to board compensation committees.

Take advantage of our expertise in employer group health plans, informed by our experience in dealing with insurers and administrative service providers. We can help you meet the challenge of balancing costs against the value of quality health care and addressing ever-increasing regulatory compliance and oversight of group health plans.

Whether you’re a private, public or nonprofit company, pension scheme trustee, financial institution, individual executive, a board of directors’ compensation committee, insolvency practitioner or government body, Dentons can advise you on all your benefit and executive compensation needs.

Dentons Durham Jones & Pinegar is a prominent law firm based in Utah and a key part of Dentons, the world’s largest law firm. With offices in Salt Lake City, Lehi, Ogden, and St. George, the firm provides a wide range of legal services to businesses, individuals, and institutions across the Mountain West and beyond. Its affiliation with Dentons gives clients the benefit of both strong local roots and access to a vast global network of legal professionals.

The firm advises clients in diverse practice areas including corporate and business law, real estate, intellectual property, litigation, banking and finance, estate planning, and employment law. It is particularly recognized for its work with regional businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors, helping them navigate transactions, resolve disputes, and manage regulatory compliance. By combining a deep understanding of local markets with Dentons’ worldwide capabilities, the firm is well positioned to support clients in both domestic and cross-border matters.

Dentons Durham Jones & Pinegar is known for its collaborative approach and commitment to client service. The firm emphasizes practical, results-driven solutions tailored to each client’s unique objectives. With a strong reputation for professional excellence and community involvement, it continues to serve as a trusted advisor to clients throughout Utah while leveraging Dentons’ global resources to meet the demands of an increasingly interconnected business landscape.