Goodwin has a powerhouse ERISA litigation department with a stellar track record defending plan sponsors in challenges related to health and retirement plans. The group is well-equipped to handle complex, novel litigation, including class actions challenging pension risk transfers and tobacco surcharges. The group’s elite clientele includes major names across the financial services, retail, and manufacturing industries. Boston-based James Fleckner excels in litigating class actions under ERISA, recently representing Natixis Investment Managers in the inclusion of mutual funds in its 401(k) plan. Also in Boston, co-head Alison Douglass specializes in challenges to 401(k) plan imprudent investments and excessive fees. Douglass focuses on trial and appellate matters, pre-litigation matters, and regulatory investigations before the DOL. Jaime Santos has extensive experience in appellate matters, regularly representing clients in federal courts. Boston-based Dave Rosenberg, Washington DC-based Matthew Riffee, and Christina Hennecken continue to be key assets to the team.

O'Melveny is renowned for its capabilities in ERISA litigation, advising a diverse roster of major corporations and financial services companies. Shannon Barrett and LA-based Catalina Vergara co-head the ERISA group. Barret is active across a range of ERISA issues, including fiduciary structures, fee disclosures, and regulatory investigations, while Vergara is a go-to for retirement plan sponsors in class actions. Brian Boyle has over two decades of experience in ERISA litigation mandates. Meaghan VerGow is a skilled litigator who has experience appearing in the US Supreme Court. Deanna Rice defends clients in class actions involving alleged breaches of fiduciary duty. All aforementioned practitioners are based in the Washington DC office unless otherwise mentioned.

Groom Law Group, Chartered has a deep bench of specialists with a dedicated focus on complex ERISA Litigation, advising on the full spectrum of 401(k), ESOP defense, and plan forfeitures. The Washington DC-based department is a go-to for litigation involving fees and investments, health and welfare, pension plans, and ESOPs. Co-chair Lars Golumbic is a particularly reputable individual with expertise in representing health plan sponsors and health insurers. Sarah Adams has extensive experience representing fiduciaries in class actions involving employer stock, affiliated funds, and 401(k) and 403(b) plans.  Challenges to 401(k) savings plan administration, stock drops and employee benefit plan modifications are core to William Delany‘s caseload. Rounding out the leadership, Andrew Salek-Raham is active in the ESOP space, regularly representing plan fiduciaries, service providers, and sponsors on overvaluation suits. Michael Prame continues to represent clients in lawsuits related to 401(k) investments and the use of forfeited contributions.

Jackson Lewis P.C.'s comprehensive ERISA litigation practice stands out for its defense of high-value private pension plans. The group showcases deep knowledge of complex 401(k) plan fees, prohibited transactions, plan forfeiture, and stable value fund litigation. The department is also operating at the forefront of tobacco surcharge cases. The department fields a deep bench of talent that includes a duo from New Orleans, consisting of Howard Shapiro and René Thorne. Shapiro plays a central role in significant cases involving 401(k) Plans and 403(b) Plans, regularly defending against breach of fiduciary duty and prohibited transactions claims. Thorne is well-versed in the full range of ERISA class actions and is a go-to for employers, plans, plan fiduciaries, third-party administrators, and trustees. Typical engagements for New Orleans-based Lindsey H. Chopin include litigation surrounding tobacco surcharge, as well as excessive recordkeeping and administration fees. Stacey C.S. Cerrone litigates a wide array of class action claims filed against public and private single-employer and multi-employer ERISA plans.

Holland & Knight is noted by one client for its ‘expertise in ESOP transaction litigation’. The group’s portfolio of clients includes plan sponsors, trustees, and plan administrators who rely on the team for advice on both class actions and investigations. Todd Wozniak in Atlanta leads the team and focuses on alleged violations of ERISA by ESOP fiduciaries. Splitting her time between West Palm Beach and Atlanta, Lindsey Camp is a seasoned ERISA trial attorney whose caseload spans breach of fiduciary duty, prohibited transactions, excessive fee claims, and plan termination disputes. Over in Chicago, Chelsea Ashbrook McCarthy has deep knowledge of financial-based litigation, including class actions involving ESOPs and 401(k) plans. A further name to note is Monica Perkowski in Atlanta, who continues to support the team closely.

Sitting within its business litigation department, King & Spalding‘s ERISA litigation practice is widely recognised for its comprehensive capabilities, working in tandem with its employee benefits and executive compensation and tax and healthcare teams. Leading the Atlanta-based department, David Tetrick is sought after for defending class actions involving investments and excessive fees. Darren Shuler is increasingly active defending clients on cases in the health and welfare Space. Trial lawyer Dana Berkowitz also takes point on representing health systems and healthcare provider networks.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP has an established foothold in ERISA litigation, routinely deploying its capabilities to represent clients in ERISA claims for benefits, breach of fiduciary duty claims, including those related to alleged violations of the federal Mental Health Parity Act. Ian Morrison spearheads the team from Chicago and covers filings, trials, and appeals for both major employers and plan service providers. From San Francisco, Kathleen Cahill Slaught also heads up the team and is a key client contact for major clients in the healthcare space. Sam Schwartz-Fenwick represents large insurance companies, third-party administrators, large corporations, and welfare plans in an array of class actions, including prohibited transactions and excessive fee class actions. Ada Dolph also routinely handles 401(k) fee and single-plaintiff cases.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP‘s Chicago-based group is geared to support employers and ERISA fiduciaries in class actions encompassing ERISA plan fees, reimbursement rights, pension overpayments, ERISA estoppel, and ESOPs. The practice deeply benefits from co-chair Craig Martin‘s top-tier trial track record, with experience appearing as lead counsel in high-stakes trials in state and federal courts for breach of fiduciary duty disputes. Co-chair Amanda Amert represents clients at both trial and appellate levels, and is adept at handling individual and class-action lawsuits. Adding further weight to the team, Kimberley Jones defends fiduciaries in class actions related to retirement plans and retiree health and death benefits. LaRue Robinson stands out for being active in ERISA litigation and investigations.

Branching out beyond traditional pension benefits defense cases, ArentFox Schiff has an ERISA litigation practice that is proficient in representing clients in a wide breadth of mandates, including health benefits cases. Caroline English, who oversees the Washington DC-based practice, specializes in representing healthcare providers, drawing on over two decades of experience to assist in both trial and appellate matters. Alison Andersen closely supports English and has deep client relationships with healthcare provider clients. Adept litigator Katie Heilman also comes recommended for her dispute expertise.

Baker Botts L.L.P. has a robust presence in the ERISA litigation space, representing clients in a range of mandates from breach of fiduciary duty claims to benefit entitlement claims. The team houses a bench consisting of trial lawyers with expertise in representing plans and fiduciaries in single-plaintiff and multi-plaintiff cases. In San Francisco, Christopher Rillo specializes in ERISA litigation and guides clients through 401(k) fee class actions. Rillo is praised for his ‘deep understanding of all aspects of ERISA’. Over in Houston, energy companies turn to Tina Nguyen for support with alleged breach and benefit claims.

Fox Rothschild LLP‘s ERISA litigation team is well-equipped to represent clients in 401(k)/403(b) plan prudence and excessive fee cases, health care and disability plan claims, and breach of fiduciary duty litigation. New York-based Brian Cousin advises on a range of fiduciary claims and single plaintiff ERISA mandates. In Atlanta, co-lead Kenton Coppage focuses on cases involving health and disability benefits under ERISA plans. Plan sponsors, fiduciaries, third-party administrators, and insurance companies turn to José Jara in New York for both risk mitigation and litigious matters.

Working in concert with the firm’s labor and employment practice, Karl Nelson, Ashley Johnson, and Heather Richardson have spearheaded a dedicated ERISA litigation team at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Leading the group from Dallas, Nelson and Johnson are strong litigators and regularly lead on complex class actions spanning pension benefits, fiduciary duties, tobacco surcharges, and excessive fees. Based in Los Angeles, co-head Heather Richardson has a strong track record in ERISA cases involving health plan administration and benefit determinations, recently acting as lead counsel for the defendant in Popovchak v. United Healthcare Services. Jennafer Tryck from Orange County assists the department in the full gamut of contentious mandates, defending large plan sponsors and insurers in trial courts and on appeal.

Greenberg Traurig fields experienced ERISA litigators whose expertise spans fee disclosure, employer stock drop litigation, benefit discrimination, breach of fiduciary duties, and Department of Labour investigations. The group’s capabilities encompass defending ERISA fiduciaries and trustees, employer plan sponsors, plan administrators, and service providers in class actions and single plaintiff matters. Heading up the Silicon Valley-based practice, Magan Ray is frequently engaged as outside ERISA counsel and focuses on the design and operation of retirement plans and health and welfare benefit plans. Stephanie Ahmad closely supports Ray, assisting companies that are undergoing health benefits audits before the Department of Labor.

Miller & Chevalier Chartered‘s ERISA litigation practice centres around representing clients in ERISA health benefits cases, regularly defending companies, filing amicus briefs, and advising on government investigations and enforcement actions. The practice is distinguished by one client for its ‘exceptional knowledge of a very niche area, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Act’.  Anthony Shelley is an experienced litigator with deep knowledge of issues surrounding pharmacy benefit administration. Shelley is also singled out for his appellate work.

Public and private companies from a range of industries across healthcare, insurance, financial services, manufacturing, and technology trust Sidley Austin LLP‘s Chicago-based ERISA litigation practice for class actions related to 401(k) and health plans. Practice head Brian Kavanaugh has considerable experience counselling clients on cases related to insured and self-funded health plans. Caroline Wong continues to excel in ERISA cases, assisting with the full spectrum of matters, including excessive fee class actions related to retirement plans. Eric Mattson retired in 2025, while Brienne Letourneau joined the team from White & Case LLP in February 2025.

Trucker Huss, APC has a robust grasp of ERISA litigation cases, demonstrating its capabilities in defending plans and fiduciaries in an array of litigious matters, from single plaintiff pension and health and disability benefit claims to class actions for fiduciary breach regarding investments and plan administration. Practice head Clarissa Kang is lauded for her ‘wealth of knowledge about ERISA in the litigation space’ and is a key client contact for employee benefit plans, plan administrators, plan sponsors, and other fiduciaries. Located in Los Angeles, Joseph Faucher continues to assist with a host of breach of fiduciary duty cases, from excessive fees to imprudent investments. Also in Los Angeles, Brian D. Murray is active in 401(k) class action litigation, claims for retirement and medical, disability benefits, as well as ESOP cases.