ERISA Litigation

Overview

Clients seek out our experienced Steptoe & Johnson ERISA litigation attorneys to defend disputes arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). We represent employers, insurance companies, employee benefits plans, trustees, and third-party administrators in single-plaintiff and class action employee benefits litigation, including:

Breach of fiduciary duty
Reimbursement claims
Service provider disputes
Improper plan termination
Executive compensation
Internal investigations
Government investigations

Our ERISA litigation attorneys work closely with our employee benefits and labor and employment attorneys to deliver collaborative solutions which help employers navigate and comply with the ever-changing regulatory requirements of ERISA and associated court cases.

Our ERISA litigation attorneys are particularly experienced in class action litigation and federal jurisdiction issues, both of which enhance our effective ERISA litigation representation.

We also are adept at advising and defending clients on claims related to other welfare plan issues, including the Affordable Care Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) portability and privacy rules, cafeteria plans, Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) extended medical benefits, retiree medical issues, Voluntary Employee Benefit Association (VEBA) rules, and unrelated business taxable income rules.

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Representative Experience

Represented employers and insurers defending lawsuits by employees seeking to reverse benefits denial decisions, including obtaining ERISA preemption dismissal of state law claims of wrongful denial of disability benefits against employer hospital
Represented clients in complex ERISA breach of fiduciary duty matters, including claims that 401(k) plan fees are excessive in breach of administrator’s fiduciary duties
Defended a number of cases before state and federal appellate courts involving ERISA violations
Represented clients in complex ERISA controversy matters, involving fiduciary breach issues and investigations by governmental agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration, as well as the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation