John Lawrence Utz

Overland Park, KS

John L. Utz is a partner in the Overland Park, Kansas office of Spencer Fane LLP, where he focuses exclusively on employee benefits and executive compensation law, including matters affecting pension, profit sharing, and 401(k) plans, ESOPs, Section 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities, Section 457 plans, stock options, nonqualified deferred compensation, incentive pay, severance pay, and health and welfare programs.

Mr. Utz is a Fellow in the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, a Fellow in the American College of Tax Counsel, and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Superlawyers. He is active in the American Bar Association, having served as Chair of the Employee Benefits Committee of the Section of Taxation and having chaired several ABA subcommittees.

Mr. Utz has published more than 100 articles in professional journals and has been a frequent speaker at national employee benefits seminars, giving more than 200 invited talks.

Mr. Utz holds a law degree (magna cum laude), as well as a master’s degree (M.S.) in mathematics, from the University of Illinois. Mr. Utz’s undergraduate degree (A.B. in mathematics, magna cum laude) is from the University of Missouri, where he was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

PBGC Issues

IRC Issues

Health and Welfare Plans

Fiduciary/Other Title I Issues

Executive Compensation

DC Plans

DB Plans