A Closer Look at Arbitration Provisions in ERISA Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claims

BRIAN D. MURRAY and ANGEL L. GARRETT, December 19 2023 As plan sponsors increasingly look to arbitration provisions to avoid costly class action litigation, courts across the nation have weighed in on whether plan-wide claims for breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA § 502(a)(2) can be subject to mandatory arbitration.  ERISA § 502(a)(2) provides that […]

The Unlikely Intersection Between ERISA and State Laws Regulating Abortion

JOSEPH C. FAUCHER and BRIAN D. MURRAY, November 10, 2022 In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Org., which overturned Roe v. Wade and its progeny, many states have passed, or are in the process of passing, laws that severely restrict abortion services. Assuming no federal legislation […]

The Supreme Court Limits Standing to Sue in Cases Involving Defined Benefit Plans

JOSEPH C. FAUCHER and BRIAN D. MURRAY, June 8, 2020   On June 1, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Thole v. U.S. Bank, N.A., 2020 WL 2814294 (2020). The majority opinion — written by Justice Kavanaugh — is likely to have a significant impact on ERISA litigation involving defined benefit plans. While […]

The Latest in Stable Value Fund Litigation

JOSEPH C. FAUCHER and BRIAN D. MURRAY, February, 2020    401(k) plan sponsors routinely offer stable value funds as conservative investment alternatives for their participants. Insurance companies that manage stable value funds invest in fixed income instruments, such as short- and intermediate-term government and corporate bonds and mortgage-backed securities. The funds are insured, so investors […]

U.S. Supreme Court Considering Three ERISA Cases in October Term 2019

JOSEPH C. FAUCHER and BRIAN D. MURRAY, November, 2019 The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) has generated numerous U.S. Supreme Court decisions since its enactment, and this year’s term is no exception. The Court is currently considering three ERISA cases involving a range of significant issues. First, in Retirement Plans Committee of […]

Are ERISA Claims Subject to Arbitration?

DYLAN D. RUDOLPH and BRIAN D. MURRAY, October, 2018 In recent years, the number of lawsuits filed under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) has grown exponentially. So, too, has the typical value of claims asserted in those lawsuits. With the increased risk and expense of litigation, employee benefit plan sponsors and […]