Overview
Gwen Renigar, Steptoe's Chair, represents law firms, lawyers, professionals, fiduciaries, healthcare industry participants, financial services providers, and retirement plan clients in complex litigation and class actions raising breach of fiduciary duty, commercial contract, malpractice, and professional liability claims. Gwen also counsels employees, lawyers, law firms, and employers on loss prevention practices, risk management, policy setting and implementation, and lawyer mobility.
Gwen recognizes the importance of pro bono to the profession and the communities it serves, and has represented women, children, and victims of violence seeking visa or asylum relief in the United States.
- District of Columbia
- Texas
- US District Court, District of Columbia
- US District Court, District of Maryland
- US District Court, Southern District of Texas
- US Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia
- Supreme Court of the United States
- Hon. Lee H. Rosenthal, US District Court, Southern District of Texas, 1996-1997
- J.D., Harvard Law School, 1996, cum laude
- A.B., Princeton University, 1993
Representative Matters
- Defended Am Law 100 law firm against ten-figure claim brought by the bankruptcy trustee of a former client. Claim resolved pre-suit.
- Represented Am Law 100 law firm in negotiating departure of partners who had asserted claims against the firm.
- Defended healthcare industry client in DOL investigation into certain alleged transactions and in parallel civil litigation, ultimately resulting in consent agreement that set standards for the industry.
- Obtained court dismissal of ERISA fiduciary breach and prohibited transaction claims against trustees of multi-employer pension plan.
- Defended investment firm in more than 100 large-scale disputes arising out of sophisticated tax strategies, achieving several dismissals, summary judgment on key claims, and favorable settlements. See, e.g., Loftin v. QA Investments, LLC, 2018 WL 691199 (N.C. Sup. Ct. Feb. 1, 2018) (summary judgment granted in full), appeal dismissed, Case No. 18-793 (N.C. App. Sep. 6, 2018).
- Represented federal corporation in class action and $1 billion class settlement litigation arising from plan terminations. Collins v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., 881 F.3d 69 (D.C. Cir. 2018); Page v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., 213 F. Supp.3d 200 (D.D.C. 2016).
Speaking Engagements
- "To Be (in Person) or Not to Be, That is the Question," ABA Spring 2024 National Legal Malpractice Conference, April 4, 2024
- IBA Annual Conference Miami 2022, October 30 - November 4, 2022
- 11th Annual DC Legal Market Conference, September 22, 2020
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"Women Law Firm Leaders," Washington, DC Chapter of the Coalition of Women's Initiatives in Law, September 23, 2019
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"Top 40 Professional Liability Claims in 40 Years," Attorneys' Liability Assurance Society Annual General Meeting, June 2019
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Washington co-chair, ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, Washington, DC, Spring 2018
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"The Digital Divide Roundtable," University Club, December 14, 2016
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"Representing the Fractured and Imploding Entity," National Legal Malpractice Conference, ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability, Chicago, September 22, 2016
News & Publications
Press Releases
March 26, 2024
Press Releases
March 14, 2024
Press Releases
March 11, 2024
Press Releases
March 11, 2024
Press Releases
February 8, 2024
Press Releases
February 5, 2024
Press Releases
January 18, 2024
Press Releases
Steptoe Opens an Office in Houston, Joining Forces with SKV
Move designed to capitalize on the firm’s extensive energy, transportation, investigations and trial practices
January 16, 2024
Events
Seminars & Events
Global Trade and Enforcement Symposium in Hong Kong
June 1, 2023
Speakers: Renato Antonini, Yongqing Bao, Brigida Benitez, Brian G. Burke, Ali Burney, Henry Cao, John Caracappa, Boyd Cloern, Robyn C. Crowther, Brian J. Fleming, Coy Garrison, Stacie R. Hartman, Zoey Hong, Stanley C. Kuo, Amy J. Lentz, Michelle L. Levin, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Jamie Lucia, Alexandra Melia, Cáitrín McKiernan, Eva Monard, Darryl Nirenberg, Gwendolyn Prothro Renigar, Angus Rodger, Guy Soussan, David M. Stetson, Grace Wang, Philip R. West, Charles Whiddington, Wendy Wysong, Lin Yang, Bo Yue, Wilson Zhao
Webinars
Communicating in a Crisis: Best Practices for Privilege and Position Preservation
June 16, 2020
Speakers: Robyn C. Crowther, Charles A. Michael, Chris Paparella, Gwendolyn Prothro Renigar
Noteworthy
- Legal 500 US, Labor & Employment: ERISA Litigation (2015-2020)
- Legal 500 US, Labor & Employment: Employee Health and Retirement Plans (2017)
Professional Affiliations
- Board Member, Women’s Bar Association Foundation, District of Columbia
- Elected member, American Law Institute
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation