Mike Blais counsels employers on all aspects of their employee benefit and compensation programs. His practice includes advising publicly traded and privately held employers, including tax-exempt organizations and church plan sponsors, with an emphasis on pension plans and matters arising under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. In addition to broad-based employee benefit plans, Mike has extensive experience with nonqualified deferred compensation plans and executive and equity compensation programs. He frequently advises the Firm's transactional attorneys on benefit and compensation aspects of mergers and acquisitions.

Mike's representative clients in recent matters include A. H. Belo Corporation, Alon USA, Belo Corp., Bon Secours Health System, Brinker International, and Total Petrochemicals USA.

Mike is also an enrolled actuary (retired status) under ERISA. Prior to joining Jones Day, he was a consulting actuary with a major international consulting firm for 11 years. Mike is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Dallas Bar Association (Employee Benefits/Executive Compensation Section).