ERISA Litigation

From landmark Supreme Court rulings in the earliest days of ERISA in Massachusetts Mutual Life Ins. Co. v. Russell and Pilot Life Ins. Co. v. Dedeaux, to the present day, Steptoe has long been recognized as one of the nation's premier ERISA litigation practices. Steptoe's ERISA litigation practice is one of only four firms to receive a national number one ranking in the current edition of Chambers USA, a position the group has enjoyed every year this publication has ranked law firms in this category. Legal 500 also consistently has ranked Steptoe among the top ERISA litigation practices.

This national rating is evident in our lawyers' litigation experience, having successfully litigated cases in federal courts throughout the United States, at both the trial and appellate levels, in matters ranging from simple benefit claim disputes to the most significant and complex ERISA matters involving fiduciary responsibility, prohibited transactions, retiree medical obligations, commercial transactions, and ERISA's preemption of state law. Our clients in these matters have come from all segments of the employee benefit community, including Fortune 100 companies, major insurance carriers, plan fiduciaries, investment advisors, and service providers to both pension and health benefit plans. In addition, the ERISA litigation team regularly represents clients in investigations conducted by the Department of Labor and other regulatory agencies.

Steptoe also has extensive experience handling class actions which have come to dominate ERISA fiduciary litigation in recent years, particularly with respect to 401(k) and other individual account plans. From employer stock drop cases to cases alleging excessive or improper management fees in violation of ERISA's fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions, the firm has been at the forefront in defending clients, including BP, Honda America, Morgan Stanley, American Express, Dynegy and Visteon, among others. With extensive experience in this area, Steptoe is intimately familiar with these issues, both from a litigation defense and a plan administration standpoint.

Unlike many other firms, Steptoe’s ERISA Litigation Group consists of dedicated ERISA practitioners whose court room experience is complemented by a thorough knowledge and understanding of the underlying substantive law. This dual experience not only assures our clients effective and cost efficient representation in the event of litigation, but also enables us to bring practical considerations to bear, particularly with respect to the avoidance of potential liability and exposure, in providing advice and counsel on planning matters.