John D. Arendshorst

Employee Benefits Attorney

John leads the firm’s Employee Benefits Practice Team and is a leading practitioner in employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). He has guided clients through transactions ranging from $10 million to $1 billion in size, advising companies at every stage of the ESOP lifecycle, from initial feasibility analysis and plan design through transaction structuring, stock valuation issues, trustee selection, and regulatory compliance. He also consistently counsels ESOP sponsors with plan maintenance, annual administration, repurchase obligation planning, participant distributions, and fiduciary governance, ensuring plans remain in compliance with ERISA and IRS requirements over the long term.

Beyond his ESOP practice, John counsels employee benefit plan sponsors on ERISA and IRS requirements for 401(k) plans and other defined contribution plans, defined benefit plans, cash balance plans, equity incentive plans, and deferred compensation arrangements. He advises clients on employee benefits issues in the context of corporate transactions, including qualified plan compliance issues, change-in-control agreements, continuation of health coverage, and golden parachute payments under Section 280G. John is experienced in negotiating and drafting executive employment agreements and incentive plans on behalf of employers and executives, and advises clients with regard to compliance with Section 409A. He also partners with companies to implement succession planning strategies, ownership transition, and liquidity events.

In addition, John helps businesses with health and welfare plan design, Affordable Care Act implementation and compliance, and consumer-driven health arrangements, including high deductible health plans, health savings accounts, health reimbursement accounts, and wellness programs. His experience includes regularly advising on claims procedures, medical and disability appeals, plan documentation, summary plan descriptions and other disclosures, third-party provider agreements, flexible benefits arrangements, taxation of dependent coverage, subrogation and reimbursement, as well as portability, nondiscrimination, and privacy matters arising under HIPAA.

Honors and Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America®, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, since 2024

DBusiness, Top Lawyers, Employee Benefits Law, 2026

Grand Rapids Magazine, Top Lawyers, Employee Benefits Law, since 2019

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of Michigan, Taxation Section, Employee Benefits Committee, since 2017

Community Involvement

Adoption and Foster Care Mentoring, 2006 – 2007

Center for Disability and Elder Law: Young Professionals Board, 2011 – 2012

City of East Grand Rapids, Commissioner, 2019 – 2023

East Grand Rapids Community Foundation Board, 2019 – 2022

East Grand Rapids Planning Commission, 2015 – 2023

East Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Commission, 2022 – 2023

Fulton Street Market, board, since 2026

Grand Rapids Area Professionals for Excellence, since 2015

Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, Health Care and Human Resources Committee, since 2017

Macatawa Bay Yacht Club, since 2021

Macatawa Parking Corporation, board member since 2025, vice president since 2026

IRS Great Lakes TE/GE Council, since 2017

Minds Matter Mentoring, 2007 – 2010

West Michigan Trails, board member since 2019; president since 2025