On August 21, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota largely dismissed—for a second time—a putative ERISA class action challenging “excessive” fees and “poor” performance in a 401(k) plan. Fritton v. Taylor Corp., No. 22-cv-00415 (ECT/TNL), 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 145940 (D....
Like the tides, the rules regarding ERISA’s fiduciary duties are constantly in flux. The Fourth Circuit recently ruled that while providing “investment advice for a fee” implicates those duties, pitching investment services does not. It also clarified that a fiduciary’s self-interest alone, without any action...
ERISA’s prohibited transaction rules are notoriously complex and opaque. On August 4, 2023, the Ninth Circuit issued an important decision on those prohibited transaction rules that arguably conflicts with decision from the Third and Seventh Circuits, setting the stage for potential review by the U.S....
Recently, federal appellate courts have begun tightening the pleading standards for ERISA breach of fiduciary duty claims based on the fees or performance of funds in 401(k) and 403(b) plans. To state a viable claim based on fees or performance, a plaintiff must, among other...
On May 23, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri dismissed a putative ERISA class action challenging “excessive” fees in a 401(k) plan. Barrett v. O’Reilly Automotive, Inc., 6:22-cv-03111-BCW (W.D. Mo.). This is the latest in a trend of ERISA lawsuits...
Just this month, the Ninth Circuit revisited the relationship between ERISA and Article III constitutional standing, recently addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Thole v. U.S. Bank, 140 S. Ct. 1615. In Winsor v. Sequoia Benefits & Ins. Servs., LLC, the Ninth Circuit held...
A federal court in Wisconsin recently allowed a putative ERISA class action in Lucero v. Credit Union Ret. Plan Ass’n to proceed to discovery on the claim that a 401(k) plan paid excessive recordkeeping fees. This decision highlights an important trend in ERISA litigation. Lucero...
ESG stands for “environmental, social and corporate governance”. In very broad strokes, ESG consists of criteria used to measure a company’s socially responsible behavior. Although the contours of ESG are still vague, there are various concrete factors that fall within each of these three categories,...
A “managed account” is a discretionary portfolio management service that makes investment decisions for individual participants within the confines of a 401(k) plan and its fund options. This service is fundamentally computerized advice (aka “robo” advice), but with the help of a personal representative. Managed...
Investments in Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are becoming more and more mainstream. Driven by outrageous returns, and presenting outrageous volatility and risk, both traditional institutional and individual investors have started to dip their toes into this uncharted territory. New guidance from the Department...
Just this month, the Supreme Court issued its much anticipated decision in Northwestern University, the first time the Court has been called upon to examine a lawsuit alleging that a 401(k) plan’s investment and fees were mismanaged. Although a narrow decision, the case was a...
Since the first round of cases were filed in 2006, plaintiffs’ counsel have raised hundreds of lawsuits challenging the prudence of fees and investments in 401(k) plans. One of the critical issues in those cases is what needs to be included in a complaint to...
Fiduciaries are not guarantors of an investment’s success. Rather, all they are asked to do is be diligent, prudent, and loyal in managing an investment’s success—the ultimate success or failure of the investment does not determine whether a fiduciary has properly complied with their duties. ...
Regular followers of ERISA litigation know that the so-called 401(k)/403(b) “fee” cases have dominated the ERISA litigation space ever since the first tranche was filed in 2006. Literally hundreds of cases have been filed against defined contribution plan fiduciaries, resulting in the payment of billions...
After a long, tortured procedural history, Principal Life Insurance Co. won a court trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. The case was initially dismissed in an early procedural motion, but then revived by the Eighth Circuit Court of...
Courts have increasingly been asked to determine whether arbitration agreements executed by employees apply to claims under ERISA. In Cooper v. DST Systems, Inc., the Second Circuit just held that an employer’s breach of fiduciary duty claims alleging poor management of a 401(k) Plan’s assets...
Giant 401(k) service providers like Fidelity have an array of products and fees. Under ERISA’s fiduciary standards, this network of fees and costs have historically given rise to allegations that Fidelity was a fiduciary. Historically, providers like Fidelity have often—but not always—been able to defeat...
In their search for above-market returns, 401(k) Plan fiduciaries may be tempted to look for alternative investment options to the traditional mutual funds and collective trusts that largely dominate 401(k) Plan investments—options such as hedge funds and private equity. Fear of lawsuits might hamper adoption...
Andrew HollyAndrew represents clients in a wide range of complex civil matters.
Nick BullardNick is a trial partner in Dorsey’s office in Minneapolis. ...
Tim ArendsChair of the Benefits and Compensation practice group, Tim devot...
Shannon BjorklundShannon provides advice and litigation assistance to companies...
Tim GoodmanTim Goodman works with employers on medical plans, retirement pl...
Alan IversonAlan is a litigator in Dorsey’s trial group with a focus on cli...
Stephen P. LuckeSteve represents businesses, employers, insurers, and fiduciarie...
Marianne O'BaraMarianne works regularly with numerous non-U.S. companies and t...
Kirsten SchubertKirsten helps clients large and small navigate all aspects of com...
Michael VovesEmployee Benefits, Minneapolis
