Benefits

  • May 05, 2026

    Potato Co. Gets Defense Attys DQ'ed In Benefits Plan Suit

    A Washington federal judge disqualified Cicotte Law Firm PLLC on Tuesday from representing a consultant accused of mismanaging Oregon Potato Co.'s employee benefits plan, concluding the food processor has shown a potential conflict of interest based on the reasonable belief that it was previously a client of the firm.

  • May 05, 2026

    ERISA Recap: 5 Litigation Developments From April

    The U.S. Supreme Court turned down a bakery company's bid for review of a union multiemployer pension withdrawal bill, the Fourth Circuit held a bonus plan was exempt from federal benefits law, and the Sixth Circuit ruled federal law preempted Arkansas pharmacy benefit manager laws and regulations. Here's more on those and two other major decisions from April that benefits attorneys may want to know.

  • May 05, 2026

    BlackRock, State Street Push To Trim Red State AGs' Suit

    BlackRock and State Street have further urged a Texas federal judge to trim down antitrust claims from Republican state attorneys general accusing the asset managers of driving up coal prices, arguing that the chain from their investment activity to retail electricity prices "stretches through multiple intervening markets and countless nonparties."

  • May 05, 2026

    Contractor Says Early Exit Is Unsupported In Premium Hike Suit

    Hartford Insurance members should not be granted summary judgment in a $1.7 million premium suit, a government contractor has said, arguing in Connecticut federal court the contractor has successfully pled its breach of contract claims.

  • May 05, 2026

    IRS Beats Suit Claiming Secret Rule Targeted Stock Plan

    A transportation company cannot pursue its claims that the IRS adopted a secret rule that targeted its stock ownership plan, a Wisconsin federal judge ruled, throwing out the company's suit.

  • May 05, 2026

    Sandoz, Novartis Must Face Generics Claims From GM, Others

    A Pennsylvania federal judge largely refused to let dozens of generic-drug makers duck stand-alone price-fixing and market allocation antitrust claims from major employers like General Motors, American Airlines and Lowe's, nixing allegations against a small handful while importantly preserving them against Novartis and its former Sandoz subsidiary.

  • May 05, 2026

    Alcoa, Retirees Reach Deal In 7th Circ. Life Insurance Fight

    Alcoa USA Corp. and a class of retirees told the Seventh Circuit on Tuesday they had reached a tentative settlement in a long-running dispute over union retiree life insurance benefits, asking the court to cancel a scheduled May 20 oral argument while they finalize the deal.

  • May 05, 2026

    Idaho Farmers Group Gets DOL Approval For Health Plan

    The U.S. Department of Labor's employee benefits arm cleared the way for the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation to establish a group health plan for its members' employees, determining the proposed plan would be covered by federal benefits law.

  • May 04, 2026

    Exxon Execs Never Pressured Profitability Analysts, Jury Hears

    Former Exxon Chief Executive Rex Tillerson testified Monday that the company's top brass never pressured employees to make the company's holdings seem more profitable than they were, telling a jury in Texas federal court that he stood by the reports the company issued to investors.

  • May 04, 2026

    Ex-Google Worker Says Co. Can't Dodge Cancer Firing Suit

    A former Google Cloud salesman who claims the company fired him during cancer treatment to avoid a nearly $4 million life insurance payout told a Connecticut federal court that Google's latest bid to dismiss his suit should be denied.

  • May 04, 2026

    Hospital Group Calls Anthem's Out-Of-Network Plan Unlawful

    The California Hospital Association urged a state court to block Anthem Blue Cross' implementation of a new policy that penalizes participating facilities for using nonparticipating providers, saying the plan is illegal, fraudulent and an unfair business practice.

  • May 04, 2026

    Software Co. MongoDB To Face Narrowed Investor Claims

    Software company MongoDB Inc. must face some but not all claims from a proposed investor class action alleging it failed to disclose the financial fallout from a change in its customer acquisition strategy, a Manhattan federal judge has ruled.

  • May 04, 2026

    Carpenters Trustees Reach Deal In Allianz Loss Suit

    A group of union carpenters and the trustees of their retirement plans have reached a proposed settlement in a class action accusing the fiduciaries of mismanaging pension assets by investing in risky hedge funds that lost more than $250 million.

  • May 04, 2026

    Supreme Court Halts Abortion Drug Telehealth Ruling

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday temporarily reinstated telehealth access for the abortion medication mifepristone, pausing a lower-court order that had blocked by-mail and remote prescriptions.

  • May 01, 2026

    Hospitals Say HHS Is Withholding Safety Net Reimbursements

    For more than 20 years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has failed to pay tens of millions in reimbursements to hospitals serving low-income populations by incorrectly factoring service days for patients enrolled in Medicare Part C, a coalition of 91 medical centers claimed in a D.C. federal lawsuit.

  • May 01, 2026

    5th Circ. Pauses Mail-Order Access To Abortion Pills

    The Fifth Circuit on Friday reinstated an in-person dispensing requirement for the abortion medication mifepristone, blocking mail-order access while a challenge to a Biden administration regulation brought by Louisiana officials moves forward.

  • May 01, 2026

    Benefits Co. Inks $3M Deal To End Worker's Tobacco Fee Suit

    A benefits and claims administration company will pay $3 million to end an employee's proposed class action alleging a tobacco fee on her health plan violated federal benefits law, according to the terms of the proposed deal filed in Tennessee federal court Friday.

  • May 01, 2026

    5 Argument Sessions Benefits Attys Should Watch In May

    HP, Siemens and Honeywell will defend victories in 401(k) forfeiture suits at the Ninth and Third circuits, while union pensioners will battle over life insurance and early retirement benefits at the Tenth and Seventh circuits. Here, Law360 looks at five coming oral argument sessions that benefits attorneys may want to keep an eye on.

  • May 01, 2026

    Steel Firm Workers Get OK For $1.8M ESOP Deal, $600K Fee

    A Michigan federal judge has approved a $1.8 million class settlement resolving claims that trustees of a steel company employee stock ownership plan overpaid for company stock, finding the deal "fair, reasonable and adequate" and in the best interest of plan participants. 

  • April 30, 2026

    Fla. Judge Denies FTC Sanctions In Fake Health Benefits Suit

    A Florida federal judge Wednesday denied the Federal Trade Commission's request for sanctions against two siblings accused of destroying evidence in a lawsuit claiming they sold $91 million of fake Affordable Care Act plans, saying it's "too much of a leap" to find they violated a temporary restraining order.

  • April 30, 2026

    Generac Beats Investor Suit Over COVID-Era Sales

    A Wisconsin federal judge on Thursday dismissed, with prejudice, a proposed securities class action accusing home generator company Generac Holdings Inc. and its top brass of failing to keep up with a surge in business during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding the investors failed to cure deficiencies in their prior complaint.

  • April 30, 2026

    Ex-Housing Official Said Convictions Shouldn't Cost Pension

    The former director of a public housing authority who pled guilty to hiding his full $325,000 a year income from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said that conviction and others should not result in the loss of his pension, in a complaint filed Wednesday in Massachusetts state court.

  • April 30, 2026

    Acadia Investors Get Final OK For $179M Deal, Atty Fees

    A Tennessee federal judge has given final approval to a $179 million settlement between investors and Acadia Healthcare Co. Inc., ending a class action that alleged the company misled investors about the strength of its U.K. operations.

  • April 30, 2026

    Trump Order Aims To Help More Workers Save For Retirement

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at expanding workers' access to a low-cost retirement plan via a new government website, touting a $1,000 federal contribution match available under authority that Congress provided in a 2022 retirement law, the Secure 2.0 Act.

  • April 30, 2026

    Painting Co. Loses $350K Fee Bid In Union Pension Row

    A painting company that defeated litigation claiming it owed a union pension fund $427,000 can't make the fund cover its roughly $350,000 in legal fees, a New Jersey federal judge ruled, saying the company could only clinch fee coverage if the fund acted unreasonably, which it didn't.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Coaching Cheerleading Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    At first glance, cheerleading and litigation may seem like worlds apart, but both require precision, adaptability, leadership and the ability to stay composed under pressure — all of which have sharpened how I approach my work in the emotionally complex world of mass torts and personal injury, says Rashanda Bruce at Robins Kaplan.

  • How New Texas Law Targets ESG Proxy Advice

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    A recently enacted Texas law represents a major shift in how proxy advisory services are regulated in Texas, particularly when recommendations are based on nonfinancial factors like ESG and DEI, but legal challenges underscore the statute’s broader constitutional and statutory implications, say attorneys at Bracewell.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: How To Make A Deal

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    Preparing lawyers for the nuances of a transactional practice is not a strong suit for most law schools, but, in practice, there are six principles that can help young M&A lawyers become seasoned, trusted deal advisers, says Chuck Morton at Venable.

  • From Clerkship To Law Firm: 5 Transition Tips For Associates

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Transitioning from a judicial clerkship to an associate position at a law firm may seem daunting, but by using knowledge gained while clerking, being mindful of key differences and taking advantage of professional development opportunities, these attorneys can flourish in private practice, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Associates Can Earn Credibility By Investing In Relationships

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    As the class of 2025 prepares to join law firms this fall, new associates must adapt to office dynamics and establish credible reputations — which require quiet, consistent relationship-building skills as much as legal acumen, says Kyle Forges at Bast Amron.

  • Filing Clarifies FTC, DOJ's Passive Investment Stance

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    The antitrust agencies' statement of interest filed in Texas v. Blackrock clarifies that certain forms of corporate governance engagement are permissible under the "solely for investment" exemption, a move that offers guidance for passive investors but also signals new scrutiny of coordinated engagement, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • Lessons From 7th Circ.'s Deleted Chat Sanctions Ruling

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    The Seventh Circuit’s recent decision in Pable v. Chicago Transit Authority, affirming the dismissal of an ex-employee’s retaliation claims, highlights the importance of properly handling the preservation of ephemeral messages and clarifies key sanctions issues, says Philip Favro at Favro Law.

  • Series

    Quilting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Turning intricate patterns of fabric and thread into quilts has taught me that craftsmanship, creative problem-solving and dedication to incremental progress are essential to creating something lasting that will help another person — just like in law, says Veronica McMillan at Kramon & Graham.

  • What To Expect From 401(k) Plan Alternative Assets Order

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    The executive order this month making it easier for retirement plans to invest in alternative assets, including private equity, real estate and digital assets, marks a watershed moment for democratizing access to private markets, but the U.S. Department of Labor's anticipated formal rulemaking will also be impactful, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • What 2 Profs Noticed As Transactional Law Students Used AI

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    After a semester using generative artificial intelligence tools with students in an entrepreneurship law clinic, we came away with numerous observations about the opportunities and challenges such tools present to new transactional lawyers, say professors at Cornell Law School.

  • State AGs Are Turning Up The Antitrust Heat On ESG Actions

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    Recent antitrust developments from red state attorneys general continue a trend of environmental, social and governance scrutiny, and businesses exposed to these areas should conduct close examinations of strategy and potential material risk, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Navigating Executive Perk Enforcement Under Trump Admin

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    While the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently signaled a softer approach to executive perks, companies should remain vigilant due to the bipartisan and lengthy nature of executive perquisite cases and Chairman Paul Atkins' previous support for disclosure requirements, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • Rebuttal

    BigLaw Settlements Should Not Spur Ethics Deregulation

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    A recent Law360 op-ed argued that loosening law firm funding restrictions would make BigLaw firms less inclined to settle with the Trump administration, but deregulating legal financing ethics may well prove to be not merely ineffective, but counterproductive, says Laurel Kilgour at the American Economic Liberties Project.

  • 5 Ways Lawyers Can Earn Back The Public's Trust

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    Amid salacious headlines about lawyers behaving badly and recent polls showing the public’s increasingly unfavorable view of attorneys, we must make meaningful changes to our culture to rebuild trust in the legal system, says Carl Taylor at Carl Taylor Law.

  • Series

    Hiking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    On the trail, I have thought often about the parallels between hiking and high-stakes patent litigation, and why strategizing, preparation, perseverance and joy are important skills for success in both endeavors, says Barbara Fiacco at Foley Hoag.

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