diff --git a/helper/helper-common/src/main/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/CodeTransformations.java b/helper/helper-common/src/main/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/CodeTransformations.java
index d1012a708..9bb8d5379 100644
--- a/helper/helper-common/src/main/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/CodeTransformations.java
+++ b/helper/helper-common/src/main/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/CodeTransformations.java
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ public class CodeTransformations {
   private static final Pattern IMPORT_CODECS_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("import org\\.apache\\.avro\\.message\\.([\\w.]+);");
   private static final Pattern AVROGENERATED_ANNOTATION_PATTERN = Pattern.compile(Pattern.quote("@org.apache.avro.specific.AvroGenerated"));
   private static final Pattern MODEL_DECL_PATTERN = Pattern.compile(Pattern.quote("private static SpecificData MODEL$ = new SpecificData();"));
+  private static final Pattern MODEL_ADD_TYPE_CONVERSION_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("MODEL\\$\\.addLogicalTypeConversion\\(.*\\);");
+  private static final String MODEL_DECL_REPLACEMENT = "private static org.apache.avro.specific.SpecificData MODEL$ = org.apache.avro.specific.SpecificData.get();";
   private static final Pattern GET_SPECIFICDATA_METHOD_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("public\\s*org\\.apache\\.avro\\.specific\\.SpecificData\\s*getSpecificData\\s*\\(\\s*\\)\\s*\\{\\s*return\\s*MODEL\\$\\s*;\\s*}");
   private static final Pattern WRITER_DOLLAR_DECL = Pattern.compile("WRITER\\$\\s*=\\s*([^;]+);");
   private static final String  WRITER_DOLLAR_DECL_REPLACEMENT = Matcher.quoteReplacement("WRITER$ = new org.apache.avro.specific.SpecificDatumWriter<>(SCHEMA$);");
@@ -76,6 +78,10 @@ public class CodeTransformations {
 
   private static final int MAX_STRING_LITERAL_SIZE = 65000; //just under 64k
 
+  private CodeTransformations() {
+
+  }
+
   /**
    * applies all transformations to a java class generated by avro
    * @param code raw java code for a class generated by avro
@@ -548,6 +554,51 @@ public static String removeAvroGeneratedAnnotation(String code, AvroVersion minS
     return AVROGENERATED_ANNOTATION_PATTERN.matcher(code).replaceAll("");
   }
 
+  /**
+   * MODEL$ was introduced as a static field in the generated class, starting 1.8, which indicates the conversions
+   * applicable for logical types in a specific record. An example of generated code looks like:
+   * <pre>
+   * {@code
+   *   private static SpecificData MODEL$ = new SpecificData();
+   * static {
+   *     MODEL$.addLogicalTypeConversion(new org.apache.avro.data.TimeConversions.TimestampMillisConversion());
+   *   }
+   * }
+   * </pre>
+   * However, starting 1.9, avro uses reflection to look up this
+   * field, which will throw a {@link ReflectiveOperationException} exception for records generated from older version.
+   * This results in  performance degradation.
+   * Moreover, older avro runtime will not have classes used in these conversions.
+   *
+   * This methods avoids the exception by introducing this field in older versions of the generated record.
+   *
+   * @param code avro generated code that may or may not have the MODEL$ declaration
+   * @param minSupportedVersion lowest avro version under which the generated code should work
+   * @param maxSupportedVersion highest avro version under which the generated code should work
+   * @return code where MODEL$ exists for avro versions expecting it at runtime (&gt;= 1.9)
+   */
+  public static String pacifyModel$Delcaration(String code, AvroVersion minSupportedVersion,
+      AvroVersion maxSupportedVersion) {
+    Matcher match = MODEL_DECL_PATTERN.matcher(code);
+    if (match.find()) {
+      if (minSupportedVersion.earlierThan(AvroVersion.AVRO_1_8)) {  // minAvro < 1.8
+        // replace MODEL$ with specificdata.get and remove any static block after that contains any
+        code = match.replaceAll(Matcher.quoteReplacement(MODEL_DECL_REPLACEMENT));
+        return MODEL_ADD_TYPE_CONVERSION_PATTERN.matcher(code).replaceAll("");
+      }
+      return code;
+    } else {
+      if (maxSupportedVersion.equals(AvroVersion.AVRO_1_9) || maxSupportedVersion.laterThan(AvroVersion.AVRO_1_9)) {  // maxAvro >= 1.9
+        // add no-op MODEL$ to the end of the generate schema$ string
+        int schema$EndPosition = findEndOfSchemaDeclaration(code);
+        return code.substring(0, schema$EndPosition) + "\n " + MODEL_DECL_REPLACEMENT + "\n " + code.substring(
+            schema$EndPosition);
+      }
+      // do nothing - not intended for use under avro that cares about MODEL$
+      return code;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * {@link org.apache.avro.specific.SpecificRecordBase} implements {@link java.io.Externalizable} starting with avro 1.8+
    * trying to compile code generated by 1.8+ under older avro will result in compilation errors as the {@link Override}
@@ -591,8 +642,8 @@ public static String removeAvroGeneratedAnnotation(String code, AvroVersion minS
    * @return code where the externalizable support still exists but is compatible with earlier avro at runtime
    */
   public static String transformExternalizableSupport(String code, AvroVersion minSupportedVersion, AvroVersion maxSupportedVersion) {
-    //strip out MODEL$ completely
-    String codeWithoutModel = MODEL_DECL_PATTERN.matcher(code).replaceAll("");
+    //handle MODEL$ based on supported versions
+    String codeWithoutModel = pacifyModel$Delcaration(code, minSupportedVersion, maxSupportedVersion);
     //then strip out the getSpecificData() method that returns MODEL$ under avro 1.9+
     String codeWithoutGetSpecificData = GET_SPECIFICDATA_METHOD_PATTERN.matcher(codeWithoutModel).replaceAll("");
 
diff --git a/helper/tests/helper-tests-110/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/avro110/CodeTransformationsAvro110Test.java b/helper/tests/helper-tests-110/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/avro110/CodeTransformationsAvro110Test.java
index 6b946a62a..4dd9ddc9d 100644
--- a/helper/tests/helper-tests-110/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/avro110/CodeTransformationsAvro110Test.java
+++ b/helper/tests/helper-tests-110/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/avro110/CodeTransformationsAvro110Test.java
@@ -86,6 +86,18 @@ public void testTransformAvro110Externalizable() throws Exception {
     Assert.assertNotNull(transformedClass);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testPacifyModel$Declaration() throws Exception {
+    String avsc = TestUtil.load("RecordWithLogicalTypes.avsc");
+    Schema schema = AvroCompatibilityHelper.parse(avsc);
+    String originalCode = runNativeCodegen(schema);
+
+    String transformedCode = CodeTransformations.pacifyModel$Delcaration(originalCode, AvroVersion.earliest(), AvroVersion.latest());
+    Class<?> transformedClass = CompilerUtils.CACHED_COMPILER.loadFromJava(schema.getFullName(), transformedCode);
+    Assert.assertNotNull(transformedClass);
+    Assert.assertNotNull(transformedClass.getDeclaredField("MODEL$"));
+  }
+
   private String runNativeCodegen(Schema schema) throws Exception {
     File outputRoot = Files.createTempDirectory(null).toFile();
     SpecificCompiler compiler = new SpecificCompiler(schema);
diff --git a/helper/tests/helper-tests-14/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/avro14/CodeTransformationsAvro14Test.java b/helper/tests/helper-tests-14/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/avro14/CodeTransformationsAvro14Test.java
index 9a75f2dfc..a6decfce6 100644
--- a/helper/tests/helper-tests-14/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/avro14/CodeTransformationsAvro14Test.java
+++ b/helper/tests/helper-tests-14/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/avro14/CodeTransformationsAvro14Test.java
@@ -62,6 +62,18 @@ public void testTransformAvro14RecordWithMultilineDoc() throws Exception {
     Assert.assertNotNull(transformedClass);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testPacifyModel$Declaration() throws Exception {
+    String avsc = TestUtil.load("RecordWithLogicalTypes.avsc");
+    Schema schema = AvroCompatibilityHelper.parse(avsc);
+    String originalCode = runNativeCodegen(schema);
+
+    String transformedCode = CodeTransformations.pacifyModel$Delcaration(originalCode, AvroVersion.earliest(), AvroVersion.latest());
+    Class<?> transformedClass = CompilerUtils.CACHED_COMPILER.loadFromJava(schema.getFullName(), transformedCode);
+    Assert.assertNotNull(transformedClass);
+    Assert.assertNotNull(transformedClass.getDeclaredField("MODEL$"));
+  }
+
   private String runNativeCodegen(Schema schema) throws Exception {
     Method compilerCompileToDestinationMethod = SpecificCompiler.class.getDeclaredMethod("compileToDestination", File.class, File.class);
     compilerCompileToDestinationMethod.setAccessible(true); //private
diff --git a/helper/tests/helper-tests-allavro/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/AvroCompatibilityHelperGeneratedRecordClassesTest.java b/helper/tests/helper-tests-allavro/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/AvroCompatibilityHelperGeneratedRecordClassesTest.java
index 6f26a1e8d..fe9ddb333 100644
--- a/helper/tests/helper-tests-allavro/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/AvroCompatibilityHelperGeneratedRecordClassesTest.java
+++ b/helper/tests/helper-tests-allavro/src/test/java/com/linkedin/avroutil1/compatibility/AvroCompatibilityHelperGeneratedRecordClassesTest.java
@@ -34,4 +34,39 @@ public void testRecordGeneratedUnderAvro16HasGetClassSchema() throws Exception {
   public void testRecordGeneratedUnderAvro17HasGetClassSchema() throws Exception {
     Assert.assertEquals(under17.SimpleRecord.getClassSchema(), under17.SimpleRecord.SCHEMA$);
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testRecordGeneratedUnderAvro14HasModel$Declaration() throws NoSuchFieldException {
+    Assert.assertNotNull(under14.SimpleRecord.class.getDeclaredField("MODEL$"));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testRecordGeneratedUnderAvro15HasModel$Declaration() throws NoSuchFieldException {
+    Assert.assertNotNull(under15.SimpleRecord.class.getDeclaredField("MODEL$"));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testRecordGeneratedUnderAvro16HasModel$Declaration() throws NoSuchFieldException {
+    Assert.assertNotNull(under16.SimpleRecord.class.getDeclaredField("MODEL$"));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testRecordGeneratedUnderAvro17HasModel$Declaration() throws NoSuchFieldException {
+    Assert.assertNotNull(under17.SimpleRecord.class.getDeclaredField("MODEL$"));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testRecordGeneratedUnderAvro18HasModel$Declaration() throws NoSuchFieldException {
+    Assert.assertNotNull(under18.SimpleRecord.class.getDeclaredField("MODEL$"));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testRecordGeneratedByAvro19HasModel$Declaration() throws NoSuchFieldException {
+    Assert.assertNotNull(under19.SimpleRecord.class.getDeclaredField("MODEL$"));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testRecordGeneratedByAvro110HasModel$Declaration() throws NoSuchFieldException {
+    Assert.assertNotNull(under110.SimpleRecord.class.getDeclaredField("MODEL$"));
+  }
 }
diff --git a/helper/tests/helper-tests-common/src/main/resources/RecordWithLogicalTypes.avsc b/helper/tests/helper-tests-common/src/main/resources/RecordWithLogicalTypes.avsc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..656486617
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helper/tests/helper-tests-common/src/main/resources/RecordWithLogicalTypes.avsc
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{
+  "type": "record",
+  "namespace": "com.acme",
+  "name": "RecordWithLogicalTypes",
+  "fields": [
+    {
+      "name": "uuidFiled",
+      "type": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "logicalType": "uuid"
+      }
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "timestampField",
+      "type": {
+        "type": "long",
+        "logicalType": "timestamp-millis"
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file