The Legal 500

Within Healthcare and life sciences, Groom Law Group is a third tier firm,

Groom Law Group is recommended specifically for its extensive representation of healthcare industry entities in labor and employment matters, such as advising or litigating on employee benefits programs for retired medical workers or insurer health programs. Clients include Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association, Pfizer, Prudential Financial and UnitedHealth Group. Practice head Christine Keller is ‘very good and pragmatic, and has a very deep and up-to-date knowledge of ERISA’.

Within ERISA litigation , Groom Law Group is a third tier firm,

Groom Law Group garners high praise from its clients. The firm ‘knows its stuff, more importantly the advice it provides is practical and tailored to our unique circumstances’. ‘Advice and more importantly, results are exceptional. ‘ Michael Prame, who ‘is without question one of the best litigation strategists’, leads a team which includes the talents of Gary Ford, Thomas Gigot, Lonie Hassel and Lars Golumbic. ‘ Ted Scallet has a rare skill among attorneys; he understands the objective and is always thinking ahead three to five steps whenever working through an issue or situation’. Recently, the firm obtained dismissal of a putative nationwide class action lawsuit against Paychex challenging its receipt of fees from mutual fund companies in which Paychex’s 401(k) plan clients invest. The firm is currently defending a putative class action lawsuit against New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and the NYSUT Member Benefits Trust challenging the receipt of fees in connection with an endorsement of a particular group annuity product.

Within Employee benefits and executive compensation, Groom Law Group is a first tier firm,

Groom Law Group ‘is very responsive, knowledgeable in ERISA matters and provides practical advice, and the attorneys are easy to work with’. Commended for excellent Washington DC connections and keeping clients abreast of cutting-edge developments, the firm fields ‘experts in almost every issue related to employee benefits’. The firm, as the largest employee benefits specialty firm in the US, should be distinguished from the large law firms whose expertise in executive compensation and benefits is linked to transactional and regulatory instructions. It frequently receives referrals from other law firms in connection with benefits matters. The expert Washington DC-based practice group houses several former government lawyers, and the firm ‘knows its way around the corridors’. Recent representative assignments include serving as lead outside counsel in the re-design of a number of executive compensation arrangements at several Fortune 100 companies in connection with complex new requirements under section 409A of the Tax Code, and working with the in-house counsel of several Fortune 200 companies and large tax-exempt charities and foundations to redesign retirement and health benefits in line with current practice. Client recommended lawyers include fiduciary responsibility expert Roberta Ufford, pension and welfare plan guru Lonie Hassel and executive compensation group chair John McGuinness, who are ‘very knowledgeable, responsive and practical, and a pleasure to work with’. Andree St Martin is ‘a star, she has a wealth of knowledge and experience that transcends others yet is able to explain the nuances of ERISA to novices’ and there is ‘none better in the benefits area’ than Gary Ford, an expert on issues relating to the treatment of employee benefit plans in bankruptcies. Brigen Winters specializes in health and welfare, executive compensation and tax-qualified arrangements. Other acclaimed members of the firm include David Levine, Louis Mazawey, David Powell, Jon Breyfogle, and Mark Lofgren, and Jennifer Eller Active clients of the firm include American Benefits Council, Eli Lilly, Hess Corporation, Pfizer and Prudential Financial.