Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 319: Spotlight on Torts (Part 3 – Strict and Vicarious Liability)
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 513: Grappling with AI as a Law Student and Lawyer (1L Summer Series)
Podcast - Part II: The Do’s and Don’ts of Demonstratives
Wire Fraud Litigants Beware: Fourth Circuit Ruling Protects the Banks — The Consumer Finance Podcast
Balch’s Consumer Finance Compass: How Standing Can Make or Break Certification for Class Action Lawsuits in Debt Collection
Podcast - Persistence and Determination
Podcast - Part I - The Do’s and Don’ts of Demonstratives
Podcast - Walking Tall
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 317: Spotlight on Torts (Part 2 – Intentional Torts)
Key Discovery Points: A Judicial Approach to Handling AI-Generated Evidence
Master the First Moves in Litigation for Courtroom Advantage – Speaking of Litigation Video Podcast
Podcast - The Seeds of Corruption
Key Discovery Points: Don’t Get Caught with Your Hand in the Production Cookie Jar
Key Discovery Points: BYOD Case Law Covering Subpoenas and Employee Handbooks
Feeling Disillusioned with AI? You’re Not Alone
Current Regulatory, Legislative, and Litigation Developments on ADA Website Accessibility for Consumer Finance Digital Platforms — The Consumer Finance Podcast
Key Discovery Points: Petty Finger Pointing Over Search Terms Results in Wasted Time
The Trend of Threatening Physicians for Personal Gain
Podcast - Seek Out Feedback
The Three C’s for Addressing Prior Inconsistent Statements
Background - In a wave of class-action litigation beginning around 2023, plaintiffs have alleged violations of fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and prohibited transaction rules in...more
A Florida district court recently gave TECO Energy, Inc. another victory in an ERISA case when it dismissed Plaintiff’s proposed class action with prejudice. Roche v. Teco Energy, Inc., No. 8:23-cv-01571, 2025 U.S. Dist....more
The Sixth Circuit recently granted an employer win in an ERISA excessive fee case when it affirmed the dismissal of a proposed class action brought by current and former employees of DENSO International America, Inc., a...more
In its April 17 decision in Cunningham v. Cornell University, the U.S. Supreme Court established a plaintiff-friendly standard for ERISA prohibited transaction claims, resolving a circuit court split. As a result, plan...more
Certain transactions between employee benefit plans and “parties in interest” are prohibited under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA). ...more
by Alex Smith The Supreme Court recently issued a decision regarding the pleading standards for ERISA prohibited transactions claims in a case involving Cornell’s 403(b) plan to resolve a federal circuit court split. Under...more
The US Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision on April 17, 2025 that could have a lasting impact on retirement plan litigation. The decision in Cunningham v. Cornell University clarifies that when plaintiffs bring...more
On April 17, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion in Cunningham v Cornell University, addressing the pleading standard applicable to prohibited transaction claims under the Employee Retirement Income...more
The first two district court opinions deciding whether plaintiffs have Article III standing to challenge pension risk transfers have reached opposite conclusions. One case will proceed to discovery, and the other has been...more
At least four lawsuits have recently been filed against employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) fiduciaries alleging a failure to prudently invest cash held in the ESOP trust. While scrutiny of investments in company stock has...more
In Central States, S.E. & S.W. Pension Fund v. McKesson Corp., No. 23-cv-16770, 2025 WL 81358 (N.D. Ill. Jan. 13, 2025), the district court affirmed that a multiemployer pension plan’s calculation of withdrawal liability...more
A recent decision by Senior District Judge Robert Payne on a Daubert motion in class action litigation against a pension fund offers some helpful lessons on challenging expert witnesses in the EDVA. Trauernicht v. Genworth...more
When I was at law school, I was the editor of the student magazine there and I broke the story about a scandal at one of the law journals. The editor in chief was implicated and she gave me a letter from her lawyer, asking...more
I was a first-year law student participating in moot court, just because all second-year students participated even when I knew I had zero interest in ever being a litigator. In those days, my mother would buy me these cheap...more
The fascinating part of ERISA litigations is the changing law and viewpoints. To combat the rising tide of litigation, some companies have included arbitration provisions in their Plan document. That means participants can’t...more
Many years ago, I represented a defined benefit plan sponsor being investigated by the Department of Labor (DOL). The DOL thought the plan sponsor had embezzled money from the plan because the deceased actuary never provided...more
In a much awaited announcement, on November 8, 2018, the California Supreme Court scheduled oral argument in CalFire Local 2881, et al. v. CalPERS, et al., which is the first of the five pending vested rights cases that are...more
The last ten years have seen a proliferation of high-profile class actions alleging breach of ERISA fiduciary duties of prudence and loyalty against plan fiduciaries. The claims are usually based upon alleged excessive...more
The case of Mid-S. Iron Workers Welfare Plan v. Harmon, 645 F. App’x 661 (10th Cir. 2016), teaches a valuable, if oft-repeated reminder: undeveloped arguments in the lower court may not be considered on appeal. Harmon...more