Benefits

  • October 30, 2026

    4th Circ. Probes Class Cert. In Utility Group 401(k) Fee Suit

    The Fourth Circuit on Friday wrestled with an electric utility trade group's bid to undo class certification of a suit alleging excessive fees were charged to a 401(k) plan comprising workers from hundreds of employers, weighing the impact of recent precedent that revoked certification in another retirement plan suit.

  • October 30, 2026

    Cigna Patients Seek Hefty Class In Cigna Auto Denials Suit

    A group of Cigna plan beneficiaries on Friday sought approval for a class of 3 million members in its lawsuit alleging the insurer unlawfully used an automated tool to deny their medical claims, telling a California federal court that a class action is the only realistic way to handle the case.

  • October 30, 2026

    Botox Exempt From Medicare Price Talks, Judge Rules

    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services can't subject AbbVie's Botox to Medicare price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act, a D.C. federal judge held, finding CMS misinterpreted an IRA exclusion concerning biological products derived from human plasma.

  • October 30, 2026

    3 Ways Burgeoning AI Use Can Trip Up Benefits Providers

    As the use of artificial intelligence in the employee benefits space grows, experts warn that companies need to be vigilant to guard against mishaps caused by the emerging technology. Here, Law360 looks at three areas where benefits attorneys say AI can cause legal headaches.

  • October 29, 2026

    Judge Seems Unswayed By Fears SEC Seeks 'Enemies List'

    A Pennsylvania federal judge on Thursday appeared reluctant to block the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's subpoena seeking information about voting advice that proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services gives to institutional investors despite ISS' concerns about political retaliation.

  • October 29, 2026

    NJ Panel Says State Shields Military Leave Past Federal Cap

    A New Jersey state appeals court on Thursday upheld a decision giving an Atlantic City police officer his job back after the city fired him for staying on military leave for more than five years, saying a federal five-year limit is a minimum, not a maximum.

  • October 29, 2026

    Judge Rejects Extra Hurdle For Medicaid Frailty Exemption

    A Trump administration bid to create additional barriers to Medicaid eligibility was rejected Thursday by a Massachusetts federal judge, who ruled that Congress did not delegate to the executive branch the task of deciding who is too medically frail to meet work requirements.

  • October 29, 2026

    Pa. Court OKs Unemployment Comp Despite Off-Duty Lie

    A Pennsylvania nurse didn't commit "willful misconduct" by refusing to answer questions about a coworker visiting her while he was on duty and she was off duty, so the nurse remained eligible to collect unemployment benefits after she was fired, a state appellate court ruled Wednesday.

  • October 29, 2026

    Google Cut Worker's Duties After Military Leave, Feds Say

    Google failed to reinstate a former employee to a similar role after he returned from a yearlong stint in the U.S. Army's Cyber Command unit and eventually laid him off, according to a lawsuit the U.S. Department of Justice filed Thursday in Manhattan.

  • October 29, 2026

    DOL Finalizes Pharmacy Benefit Manager Fee Disclosure Rule

    The U.S. Department of Labor's employee benefits arm unveiled a final rule Thursday that requires pharmacy benefit managers — which act as intermediaries between drugmakers, pharmacies and insurers — to make new disclosures on their fees and compensation to employer-sponsored group health plans.

  • October 28, 2026

    Seattle Restaurant Owner Gets 13 Months In $1.4M Tax Case

    A Seattle restaurant owner was sentenced to 13 months in prison and three years of supervised release for willfully failing to pay more than $1.4 million in unemployment, Social Security and Medicare taxes, some of which he withheld from employees' paychecks, federal prosecutors said.

  • October 28, 2026

    Hotel Group Settles LGBTQ+ Bias Suit Over Medical Leave

    A hotel management company agreed to settle and close a former manager's suit claiming she was fired out of discrimination when she asked for time off to undergo gender-affirming medical procedures, according to a North Carolina federal court filing.

  • October 28, 2026

    Pharma Co. Settles Workers' 401(k) Forfeiture Suit

    Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corp. and workers who accused the pharmaceutical company of misusing forfeitures from an employee 401(k) plan have settled their federal benefits dispute, parties told a Connecticut federal court Wednesday.

  • October 28, 2026

    NJ Health System Hit With Class Action Over Retirement Plan

    Retirement plan participants and beneficiaries told a New Jersey federal court in a proposed Employee Retirement Income Security Act class action that a hospital network mismanaged their "jumbo-sized" plan.

  • October 28, 2026

    Ex-Manager's Severance Suit Heads To Trial Over Denial Letter

    A Pennsylvania federal judge Wednesday sent a former office manager's fight over nearly $468,000 in severance to trial, ruling that she didn't have to appeal a construction equipment supplier's denial internally first because its rejection letter never explained how.

  • October 27, 2026

    Ex-Worker Sues M&T Bank Over 401(k) Fund In New Jersey

    An ex-worker hit M&T Bank with a proposed class action in New Jersey federal court, alleging that an underperforming investment fund in the bank's employee 401(k) plan cost workers tens of millions in future savings, breaching fiduciary duties under federal benefits law. 

  • October 27, 2026

    Deal In NFL 'Race-Norming' Benefits Suit Gets Final OK

    A Maryland federal judge gave the final green light Tuesday on a settlement that says an NFL disability benefits plan will reassess former players' cognitive health to resolve claims that it discriminated against nonwhite players by adjusting them to a lower cognitive baseline.

  • October 27, 2026

    Meta Investors Say No-Vote Stock Plan Benefits Zuckerberg

    Union pension funds and other Meta stockholders have brought a proposed class action in Delaware Chancery Court against Mark Zuckerberg and the company's directors, including UFC President and CEO Dana White, seeking to halt a plan they say would let Zuckerberg sell billions of dollars in shares while cementing his voting control.

  • October 27, 2026

    NC Health Plan, Atrium Settle Spat Over Cost-Sharing Program

    The North Carolina state health plan said on Tuesday that it will add Atrium Health to its list of in-network providers next year after a public showdown over the nonprofit health system's exclusion from the plan's new preferred provider program.

  • October 27, 2026

    Atty, Northwestern Mutual Settle Disability Benefits Suit

    A real estate attorney agreed to drop his lawsuit alleging that Northwestern Mutual denied him disability benefits after his anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions rendered him unable to work, according to filings in New York federal court. 

  • October 26, 2026

    Conn. Justice Insists PTSD A 'Physical' Injury In Comp Case

    A Connecticut Supreme Court justice told counsel for the town of East Hartford on Monday that post-traumatic stress disorder is a physical injury, even though it is not observable with X-rays and other medical detection methods, and it is "nonsense" to suggest otherwise amid workers' compensation litigation.

  • October 26, 2026

    Blue Cross Says National TM Link Dooms Ford Antitrust Suit

    Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association have asked a Michigan federal judge to hand them a win in Ford Motor's antitrust suit alleging supracompetitive pricing, arguing the Blue Cross trademark means the association and affiliates act as a "single entity" that "cannot conspire with itself."

  • October 26, 2026

    Stellantis Tells 2nd Circ. To Reject Car Inventory Fraud Suit

    Stellantis and two former executives have told the Second Circuit that a New York federal judge correctly dismissed a proposed securities fraud class action accusing the automaker of loading dealerships with excess vehicle inventory in order to pump up Stellantis' operating margins.

  • October 26, 2026

    Heitman Settles Suit Over Ex-Worker's $1.4M Plan Payout

    Real estate investment firm Heitman and the estate of a former employee who died have agreed to settle a $1.4 million benefits dispute over the proceeds of her retirement account, the parties told a Massachusetts federal judge Monday.

  • October 26, 2026

    Workers Say Hard Rock's Tobacco Health Fee Violated ERISA

    Current and former employees of Hard Rock sued the restaurant, hotel and casino company in Florida federal court, alleging the company's $15 weekly surcharge on the health plans of workers who used tobacco violated federal benefits law.

Expert Analysis

  • Attorneys Using AI May Have Ethical Duty To Redact Docs

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    The trajectory of legal ethics guidance in recent years strongly suggests that as redaction technology becomes more accessible, the failure to use it when uploading highly confidential materials into artificial intelligence tools will become increasingly difficult to defend as reasonable, say attorneys at Lewis Brisbois.

  • Series

    Juggling And Unicycling Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Because I juggle (sometimes with fire) and ride the unicycle, friends and family used to joke that I should join the circus, but I pursued the practice of law instead and learned that my hobbies benefit my profession in several important ways, says Morgan Eddy at Smith Currie.

  • Series

    Ballet Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    A lifetime of learning and performing ballet taught me that success — whether in dance or practicing law — comes only through hours of thorough preparation, boundless energy and relentless effort, says Sharon Katz-Pearlman at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Series

    Taekwondo Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Taekwondo has taught me to recognize when to fight for a position and when to focus on finding a solution, and that the best outcomes are often achieved by solving problems — all of which has improved my work as a bankruptcy lawyer, mediator and Subchapter V trustee, says Amy Denton Mayer at Berger Singerman.

  • Target's ERISA Win Doesn't Ax Tobacco Surcharge Questions

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    Though a Minnesota federal court's recent dismissal of a putative class action challenging Target's tobacco surcharge wellness program offers employers a defense road map, courts' differing conclusions about the Employee Retirement Income Security Act versus U.S. Department of Labor requirements leave the legal landscape unsettled, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

  • What To Know As Legal Duty To Consider AI Takes Shape

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    While the U.K. Jurisdiction Taskforce’s recent statement on liability for artificial intelligence harms is nonbinding for both U.K. and U.S. lawyers, it highlights the importance of being able to distinguish between the availability of a tool and a professional obligation to use it, say Jonny Frank and Michael Costa at StoneTurn.

  • WWE Sanctions Ruling Pins Down Spoliation Lesson

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    The Delaware Chancery Court’s recent verdict in favor of WWE investors may be the most carefully calibrated spoliation sanctions decision in recent memory, and it should reshape how counsel approach their motions — including in federal court, says Ricky Weingarten at Slarskey.

  • Series

    Being In A Band Made Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing shows in storied New York City venues and rehearsing with my bandmates in poorly ventilated rooms helped develop the professional qualities I rely on as a litigator, including an ability to collaborate with strong-minded equals and the determination to treat each client with singular focus, says Eliad Shapiro at Herrick Feinstein.

  • Notable Q2 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

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    After 2026's second quarter, there is more authority rejecting class certification on total loss valuation theories from courts at the federal circuit, federal district and state appellate level — along with a resolution of a novel issue of depreciation on a wildfire claim, says Kevin Zimmerman at BakerHostetler.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Surviving A Long Trial

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    Most of law school trial advocacy is geared toward the sprint of trying a short case, but beyond managing a cross-examination or closing argument, effectively handling the marathon of a lengthy trial requires the ability to maintain composure, organization and credibility with the jury, says Mihir Elchuri at Hirschler.

  • Series

    Going To Hardcore Shows Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While government contracts law and the hardcore scene may seem entirely unrelated, in my experience, both are about community, focus, being prepared for the unexpected and managing chaos, says Isaac Natter at Fluet.

  • Navigating The Limits Of Calif. Justices' Public Pension Ruling

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    Despite the California Supreme Court's recent holding that counties and cities wield discretion over classification and salary decisions for their public retirement board staff, it is important to remember that such authority is not unchecked as unreasonable rejections remain subject to judicial review, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • Justices' FTC Ruling Weakens Qui Tam's Constitutional Base

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Trump v. Slaughter, expanding presidential control over those exercising executive power, suggests that courts may be receptive to arguments challenging the constitutional foundations of the False Claims Act’s qui tam mechanism, says Daniel Passeser at Wiggin.

  • Series

    Being A Sommelier Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Being a sommelier has quietly shaped how I practice law by changing the way I think, communicate and connect with people, and offers a constant reminder that expertise is about making your knowledge useful and accessible to others, says Kara Du at Sheppard.

  • A Shift In How Policymakers Are Approaching PBM Regulation

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    Recent federal and state legislative and regulatory activity involving pharmacy benefit managers represent a change in focus from transparency to PBM compensation structures, vertical integration and competitive effects, say attorneys at Barclay Damon.

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