Debra J. Linder

Minnesota

Fredrikson & Byron P.A.
60 South Sixth Street
Suite 1500
Minneapolis, MN 55402-4400

Tel: 612.492.7163

Email: dlinder@fredlaw.com
Web: www.fredlaw.com

Professional Biography

Debra is a seasoned benefits lawyer with extensive experience advising clients on the design, implementation, and compliance of pension, 401(k), ESOP, health and welfare, fringe benefit, and executive compensation programs. Her practice encompasses the full range of employee benefit plans, including defined benefit pension, cash balance, profit sharing, 401(k), and employee stock ownership (ESOP) plans, as well as health, flexible benefits, and other welfare benefit plans. She also counsels clients on stock-based compensation and equity incentive plans, along with non-qualified deferred and other executive compensation programs. Debra works with public, closely held, and tax-exempt employers across industries to develop tailored solutions that align with their business objectives.

Recognized for her excellence in the field, Debra was named Lawyer of the Year in Minneapolis for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law by Best Lawyers in 2025, and she has been included in The Best Lawyers in America for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law annually from 2014 through 2025. She has also been recognized as a North Star Lawyer by the Minnesota State Bar Association and holds an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Debra is a member of the Order of the Coif and has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1987, bringing additional financial and analytical depth to her legal practice.

Beyond her client work, Debra frequently speaks at seminars on benefit-related topics, including non-qualified deferred compensation and recent developments in retirement and health plans. She has also served as an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of St. Thomas, teaching courses on the administration of retirement and welfare benefit plans. Debra remains actively involved in the legal community as a member and Past President of the Employee Benefits Council of the Minnesota State Bar Association.

Representative Experience

  • Advised professional group on the design and implementation of a cash balance plan to provide additional retirement savings for owners.
  • Regularly conduct benefits due diligence and assist with benefits transition issues on numerous corporate transactions.
  • Routinely advises on 409A, 280G, 162(m) and tax issues in employment and executive compensation matters.
  • Member of team representing clients on complex ESOP transactions, providing for business succession and promoting employee ownership.
  • Assist numerous clients with ongoing compliance matters, including regulatory audits and filings under voluntary correction programs.

Fredrikson & Byron’s Compensation Planning & Employee Benefits Group advises clients on the design, drafting, implementation, and ongoing administration of a wide range of benefit programs.

These include health and welfare programs, flexible benefit or cafeteria plans, executive incentive and nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements, equity incentive and stock option programs, as well as retirement plans such as defined benefit pensions, 401(k), profit-sharing, employee stock ownership (ESOPs), 403(b), and 457 plans. The group provides guidance on navigating complex federal tax and pension laws and regulations while offering creative solutions tailored to the unique needs of each client’s business. The team’s client base spans nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, publicly traded and privately held corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships across all industries.

The group routinely collaborates with accountants, actuaries, third-party administrators, and other professionals to ensure benefit programs are legally compliant and effectively managed. This coordinated approach allows Fredrikson & Byron to deliver comprehensive and seamless service in all aspects of benefits planning and administration.

Working closely with other practice groups within the firm, the Compensation Planning & Employee Benefits team also advises on benefit transitions in corporate transactions, benefits issues in employment matters, fiduciary requirements for employers and investment advisors, and the structuring of retirement plan asset distributions in connection with estate planning.

Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., founded in Minneapolis in 1948, has grown into an international law firm with more than 400 attorneys practicing across more than 50 areas of law. The firm is widely recognized as the place “where law and business meet,” reflecting its reputation for combining legal acumen with practical business insight.

Fredrikson & Byron operates as more than legal counsel—it serves as a trusted business advisor and strategic partner. The firm’s lawyers bring an entrepreneurial mindset and proactive, problem-solving approach to every matter, whether in traditional legal areas such as litigation, real estate, and intellectual property, or in consultative practices like government relations. This perspective ensures client objectives remain at the forefront and challenges are anticipated and addressed before they become obstacles.

Clients value the firm’s ability to blend common-sense advice with deep legal knowledge and in-the-field experience. Leveraging its strong reputation and the extensive networks of its attorneys, Fredrikson & Byron consistently delivers solutions that minimize legal risks and maximize business opportunities. For more than seven decades, clients have relied on the firm for innovative and effective results—experiencing firsthand what it means to work with a team where law and business truly meet.