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  • Donald W. Meaders
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Donald W. Meaders

Meaders_Don_New-Bio-Template-730-x-730

Partner

Tax
Contact
  • dmeaders@manatt.com
  • Phone: 310.312.4345
  • Download vCard
  • Los Angeles
Bar Admissions
  • California
Education
  • Harvard Law School, J.D., 1973

    Harvard College, A.B., 1969

Services
  • Capital Markets
  • Employment and Labor
  • Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits
  • Tax
Industries
  • Manatt Health

Show Full Bio

  • Profile
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Honors & Awards
  • Memberships
  • Publications
Profile

Profile

Don Meaders' practice focuses on employee benefits and ERISA, with a broad range of experience within the specialty. His skill set encompasses qualified plan design, drafting, counseling (including 401(k), defined benefit, and employee stock ownership plans), welfare plan drafting and compliance, executive compensation (including nonqualified deferred compensation plan drafting and counseling, and stock-based compensation, such as restricted stock and qualified and nonqualified option plan drafting and counseling), Internal Revenue Service audits and corrective programs, Department of Labor audits, tax controversy, benefits due diligence and counseling in connection with mergers and acquisitions, and strategic assistance to litigators in ERISA litigation.

Don is particularly known for his experience in the legal aspects of institutional pension plan investment and related fiduciary matters, and in collectively bargained multiemployer plan practice. He has many years of experience as plan counsel to major multiemployer (Taft-Hartley) trusts.

Speaking Engagements

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, "Health Care Reform/Regulatory Panel" and "Health Care Reform Tips for Plan Sponsors, "ASPA/Western Benefits Conference Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, July 2011.

Speaker, “ERISA Litigation – What Employers Need to Know” Western Pension & Benefits Conference, monthly meeting, San Diego Chapter, May 2006.

Speaker, “Qualified Plan/Title I Update,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference, Spring Summit, Los Angeles Chapter, May 2006.

Speaker, “Overview of Collectively-Bargained Multiemployer Plans,” Associated General Contractors of California, April 2005.

Speaker, “Overview of Collectively-Bargained Multiemployer Plans,” Western Wall & Ceiling Contractors Association, January 2005.

Speaker, “ERISA Update: Cash Balance Plans,” West Coast General Counsel Conference, Corporate Counsel/American Lawyer Media, November 2003.

Seminar Leader, “Retirement Plan Developments,” University of Southern California Tax Institute, January 2003.

Speaker, “Employee Benefits for the Entertainment Industry,” California Society of CPAs – Business Managers’ Section, February 2002.

Speaker, “IRS Field Initiatives and Audits,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference, 2000 Annual Meeting, August 2000.

Speaker, “Regulatory Developments and Issues Regarding Investment Management,” International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 1998 Accountants’ Forum on Employee Benefits, June 1998.

Speaker, “Recent Employee Benefit Legislative Developments,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference, 1998 Spring Seminar, March 1998.

Speaker, “Investment Management and Alternative Investment Arrangements,” International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 1988 Attorneys’ Forum on Employee Benefits, February 1998.

Speaker, “Technology and Employee Benefit Plans: Legal Issues in Paperless Administration,” International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, October 1995.

Moderator, “General Session with Senior IRS and Department of Labor Staff”, Western Pension & Benefits Conference, Annual Meeting, July 1995.

Speaker, “Recent Developments Affecting Executive Compensation and Qualified Plans,” University of Southern California, Institute for Corporate Counsel, March 1995.

Speaker, “Fiduciary Responsibility Under ERISA,” 12th Annual Employee Benefits Seminar of Hawaii, October 1994.

Speaker, “Fiduciary Relief for Participant-Directed Individual Accounts, Final Regulations Under ERISA Section 404(c),” Western Pension & Benefits Conference, Annual Seminar, Santa Barbara Chapter, September 1993.

Speaker, “Employee Benefits Legislative Update, Including Comparison of Family & Medical Leave Act of 1993 and the California Family Rights Act,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference, 12th Annual Spring Seminar, San Diego Chapter, May 1993.

Speaker, “Retirement Plans,” Institute of Management Accountants, February 1993.

Speaker, “Employee Benefit Developments,” California Bar Association, Annual Meeting, Employee Benefits Committee, Taxation Section, September 1992.

Moderator, “Current Issues in Health Care Litigation,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference, 1992 Annual Meeting, July 1992.

Speaker, “Selected Recent Employee Benefit Developments,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference, January 1991.

Moderator and Commentator, “TRA86: IRS Technical Session with IRS and Treasury Pension Officials”, Western Pension & Benefits Conference, 27th Annual Meeting, July 1988.

Moderator and Commentator, “General Session: Legislative and Regulatory Outlook with Senior IRS and Legislative Staff,” Western Pension & Benefits Conference, 27th Annual Meeting, July 1988.

Speaker, “401(k) Plan Design and Administration,” Beverly Hills Bar Association, 1988 Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Conference, May 1988.

Speaker, “Current Developments,” Mountain States Pension Conference, 1988.

Speaker, “Non-Discrimination,” Annual Meeting, Mountain States Pension Conference, September 1987.

Speaker, “Controlled and Affiliated Relationships Revisited,” Beverly Hills Bar Association, 1986 Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Conference, May 1986.

Speaker, “Compensation Alternatives,” California CPA Foundation for Education and Research, Tax Planning for High Bracket Taxpayers Conference, 1986.

Seminar Leader, “Current Developments in Employee Benefits,” University of Southern California Tax Institute, January 1986.

Speaker, “The Administration of Employee Benefit Programs with a Reduced Legal Risk: Recent Legal Developments,” Western Pension Conference, 1985.

Speaker, “Special Features of Leveraged ESOPs and PAYSOPs,” California Continuing Education of the Bar, Advanced Pension & Benefits Planning, January 1985.

Speaker, “The Reported Demise of Personal Service Corporations: Grossly Exaggerated?” California Continuing Education of the Bar, Professional Corporations After TEFRA, October/November 1983.

Speaker, “Selected Recent Developments Affecting Employee Benefits,” Beverly Hills Bar Association, 1983 Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Conference, May 1983.

Speaker, “Dealing with Affiliated Service Group and Controlled Group Problems,” Beverly Hills Bar Association, 1982 Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Conference, May 1982.

Speaker, “Employee Benefit Developments,” Title Insurance and Trust Co. , Annual Tax and Trust Forum, 1979-1980.

Honors & Awards

Honors & Awards

Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America, 2023

Selected as a Southern California “Super Lawyer” by Los Angeles magazine

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America

Harvard College National Scholarship

Memberships

Memberships

Admitted to practice in California and the United States District Court for the Central District of California

Fellow, American College of Employee Benefits Counsel

Member, California Bar Association

Past Chairman, Employee Benefits Committee, Tax Section, Los Angeles County Bar Association

Past President, Western Pension and Benefits Conference, Los Angeles Chapter

Program Chair, 1988 Annual Meeting, Western Pension and Benefits Conference

Member, Planning Committee, University of Southern California Tax Institute, 2003-2005

Publications

Publications

Co-Author, “Cash Balance Plans Under Fire,” The Recorder, October 2003.

Co-Editor, TaxLaw@manatt, e-Newsletter, 2001-present.

Co-Author, “The Pension Provisions of TEFRA,” Part II, California Business Law Reporter, January 1983.

Co-Author, “The Pension Provisions of TEFRA,” Part I, California Business Law Reporter, December 1982.

Don in the News

  • 08.18.22

    86 Manatt Attorneys Named to 2023 Best Lawyers Guide

    Eighty-six Manatt attorneys have been named to the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the nation’s leading lawyers each ...

  • 08.18.22

    Five Manatt Professionals Named Lawyers of the Year in Best Lawyers ...

    Best Lawyers in America named five Manatt attorneys “Lawyer of the Year” for 2023 – Christine Reilly, Donald Meaders and ...

  • 08.19.21

    77 Manatt Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers 2022 Guide

    Seventy-seven Manatt attorneys have been named to the 2022 edition of Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the nation’s leading lawyers ...

  • 08.20.20

    Best Lawyers in America Names 76 Manatt Attorneys to 2021 List

    Seventy-six Manatt attorneys have been named to the 2021 edition of the Best Lawyers in America report, which recognizes the nation’s leading...

Show More


Don's Newsletters

  • 01.26.16

    The Built-In Gains Tax

    Many business owners are aware that, if a business is operated through a C corporation, the corporation pays tax on the profits and, when the profits ...

  • 12.04.13

    1031 Exchanges: Exchanging Out of California? Do Keep In Touch

    As we have noted previously, many property owners are aware that one can sell investment property and reinvest the sales proceeds in like-kind ...



Don's Events and Webinars

  • 07.22.10

    Manatt Co-Hosts Healthcare Reform: A Brave New World?

    With landmark health care legislation now a reality, we know that you may have questions about the impact on your organization and your employees. ...

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