John W. Boyd

Counsel

Cleveland
T +1.216.861.7910
F +1.216.696.0740

Overview

John Boyd has over 30 years of representing employers, financial service providers and executives with regard to employee benefits and related tax matters. The diversity and breadth of his experience enables him to craft practical solutions to complex problems.

John Boyd focuses his practice on employee benefits, executive compensation and related tax and fiduciary issues. He has more than 30 years of experience advising employers and benefit plan service providers on these matters, including qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, equity compensation programs, employment agreements and health and welfare benefit plans. John works with clients on the design and implementation or benefit programs, as well as assisting clients with complex compliance issues which arise in the context of ongoing plan administration. John is inquisitive and thoughtful, and works to understand his clients' perspectives so as to successfully achieve their benefit plan objectives.

Select Experience

  • Designed and implemented deferred compensation equity incentive and incentive compensation plans for key employees of privately held investment management firms. Structured plans to align employees' financial awards with the performance of a private investment fund managed by the firm.
  • Advised a publicly-traded financial institution on cessation of operations and closing of an at-risk $270 million stable-value collective investment fund. Provided legal support for orderly termination and liquidation of a fund while preserving the fund's one dollar unit value.
  • Worked with for-profit, nonprofit and governmental employers to address noncompliance in retirement plans. Shepherded employers and plans through the IRS Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System walk-in correction program and the Department of Labor Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program. Negotiated with IRS and DOL representatives on clients' behalf to allow retroactive correction of operational failures on a simplified basis.
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Experience

  • Designed and implemented deferred compensation equity incentive and incentive compensation plans for key employees of privately held investment management firms. Structured plans to align employees' financial awards with the performance of a private investment fund managed by the firm.
  • Advised a publicly-traded financial institution on cessation of operations and closing of an at-risk $270 million stable-value collective investment fund. Provided legal support for orderly termination and liquidation of a fund while preserving the fund's one dollar unit value.
  • Worked with for-profit, nonprofit and governmental employers to address noncompliance in retirement plans. Shepherded employers and plans through the IRS Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System walk-in correction program and the Department of Labor Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program. Negotiated with IRS and DOL representatives on clients' behalf to allow retroactive correction of operational failures on a simplified basis.
  • Assisted employers and service providers with tax reporting and tax withholding issues relating to a broad range of fringe benefit programs, benefit plans and executive compensation issues, including the expanded welfare plan reporting requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • Chambers USA: Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation in Ohio (2016 to 2019)
    • Recognized Practitioner (2016 to 2019)
  • The Legal 500 United States (2017 to 2019) 
    • Recommended in Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design
  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Ohio: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2022 to present)
  • Martindale-Hubbell: AV Preeminent

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Ohio State Bar Association
  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
  • Worldwide Employee Benefits (WEB) Network, Cleveland Chapter: Steering Committee Member (2006 to 2021)

Prior Positions

  • National City Corporation: Vice President, Senior Attorney (1994 to 2009)
  • Calfee, Halter & Griswold: Associate Attorney (1987 to 1994)
  • BP America, Inc: Tax Attorney (1985 to 1987)

Admissions

  • Ohio

Education

  • J.D., Case Western Reserve University School of Law, 1985
  • B.A., Allegheny College, 1982