Thora Johnson focuses on tax-exempt organizations, employee benefits and executive compensation matters. She advises clients on the establishment and operation of tax-exempt organizations, including private foundations, public charities, trade associations, and title holding companies. She also counsels clients on the establishment and operation of qualified and non-qualified deferred compensation plans and health and welfare benefit plans. She routinely reviews and drafts employee benefit plans, summary plan descriptions, and other employee communications and negotiates vendor contracts. She regularly works with clients to structure comprehensive compliance programs and procedures to comply with the privacy and security requirements of HIPAA. She has broad expertise in health plan compliance, including ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, HIPAA (privacy and portability), and PPACA. She has been helping employers navigate health care reform from its enactment in March 2010, and is a frequent speaker and writer on the topic.

Representative Clients
Ms. Johnson represents, among others, Allegis Group, Bank of America Corporation, General Dynamics Corporation, and Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

Activities
Ms. Johnson is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association and its Study Group for Employee Benefits, as well as the Tax Section of the District of Columbia Bar, the Tax Section of the American Bar Association, and the American Health Lawyers Association. She also regularly assists in pro bono matters involving charitable organizations and employee benefits. She is a trustee of the Friends School of Baltimore and has served as a director of a local charity whose mission is to help individuals find and keep entry-level, nonprofessional jobs.