Jim Griffin

Bar Admissions

• Texas

Court Admissions

• United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• United States District Court, Northern District of Texas
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Tax Court

Education

• Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law (J.D., cum laude)
• Texas Tech University (B.A., Business Administration, summa cum laude)

Awards & Recognition

• The Best Lawyers in America®, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2025); Tax Law (2025)
• Chambers USA
  • (Band 2) Ranked in Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
• Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine (2024)

Representative Experience

• Advising employers on 401(K) third-party administrator and recordkeeper agreements.
• Representation in connection with IRS audit of private investments in an individual retirement account.
• Numerous Department of Labor investigations including late deposit of 401(K) contributions and Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program (VFCP) filings.
• Advising fiduciaries and investment managers on ERISA compliance issues, including Committee management, charters, meetings, and minutes.
• Working with employers using government self-correction programs, including the IRS’ Employee Plans Compliance Resolution Program (EPCRS), Voluntary Compliance Program (VCP), and the Department of Labor’s Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program (DFVCP).
• Working with individuals and executives on various tax driven issues in executive plans and employment agreements, including 409A.

Professional Memberships and Activities

• American Bar Association
  • Section of Taxation, Employee Benefits Committee
•  Texas Bar Association
  • Section of Taxation, Employee Benefits Committee, Co-Chair
• Dallas Bar Association
  • Employee Benefits Committee, Former Chair
• Southwest Benefits Association
• Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

Community Involvement

• Broadway Dallas
  • Advisory Board Member
• First Dallas Media, 90.9 FM
  • Board Member
• Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law
  • Executive Board Member
• Southwestern Medical Foundation
  • Estate Planning Council Member
• Joint TEGE Council
  • Gulf Coast Chapter Member
• McKinney Avenue Transit Authority
  • Board Member
• First Baptist Church Dallas
  • Music Ministry, Orchestra Member
• Dallas Regional Chamber
  • Leadership Dallas, Class of 2003

Representative Presentations and Publications

• “Employee Benefits Unveiled: Crucial Compliance Nuggets You Didn’t Know You Needed,” Co-Presenter, Snell & Wilmer CLE Webinar Series (June 4, 2024)
• 2024 Whitley Penn Employee Benefit Plans Conference, Speaker (May 14, 2024)
• ESG & ERISA:  Has the Pendulum Stopped Swinging?  Dallas Bar Association (Spring 2024)
• ERISA and ESG:  Catching Up to the Swinging Pendulum, Dallas Bar Association (Spring 2023)