Sam Schwartz-Fenwick > Seyfarth Shaw LLP > Chicago, United States > Lawyer Profile
Seyfarth Shaw LLP Offices
233 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE
SUITE 8000
CHICAGO, IL 60606 - 6448
ILLINOIS
United States
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Sam Schwartz-Fenwick
Work Department
Labor & Employment Department; ERISA & Employee Benefits Litigation; Labor & Employee Relations.
Position
Mr. Schwartz-Fenwick is a partner in the Labor and Employment Practice Group of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. He is particularly well-versed in benefits-related litigation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Mr. Schwartz-Fenwick defends complex class actions and single-plaintiff lawsuits under ERISA. In the class action realm, he has defended various types of claims, including claims for benefits and claims for breach of fiduciary duty, including 401(k) fee litigation.
In addition to his ERISA litigation practice, Sam has significant experience in general employment matters. He regularly assists in the defense of complex litigation matters brought under the National Labor Relations Act, and represents clients in collective bargaining, in hearings before the National Labor Relations Board and in grievance arbitrations. Sam represents clients in litigation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Illinois Human Rights Act. He also provides day-to-day counseling and advice to clients about the various laws affecting the employment relationship, especially as it relates to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Sam speaks nationwide and publishes regularly on a variety of employment law and litigation topics, and issues regarding diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. He has serves as a Senior Editor to Employee Benefits Law (ABA) and is a member of the ABA’s Labor & Employment Law Nominating Committee.
Sam leads the firm’s LGBT Affinity Group and is the executive vice president of his synagogue.
Career
Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP.
Memberships
Chicago Bar Association; American Bar Association, Employee Benefits Committee
Education
J.D., Northwestern University School of Law, cum laude (2005); B.A., Tufts University, summa cum laude (2001)
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Labor and employment > ERISA litigation
With a ‘strong blend of legal and practical advice during the litigation process’, Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s ERISA practice has a broad range of experience, with specific expertise in multi-employer plans and trustees, and works closely with the firm’s employee benefits litigation group as well as compliance experts in the wider employee benefits department. The practice is led by Ian Morrison and Kathleen Cahill Slaught, based in Chicago and San Francisco respectively. Morrison focuses on retirement and welfare plan matters and frequently litigates cases on behalf of clients facing 401(k) class actions. Slaught is an experienced litigator and has handled several cases relating to the health care sector and its related plans. Sam Schwartz-Fenwick, in Chicago, is a key name to note in relation to employment and employee benefit plans surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, including transgender insurance benefit coverage and has experience defending claims of employee-benefits discrimination in this area. Also in Chicago is Ada Dolph who defends plan sponsors, fiduciaries and insurers in 401(k, stock drop and retiree medical class actions with particular focus on the retail, manufacturing and aviation sectors.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
- Labor and employment > Immigration
- Labor and employment > Labor-management relations
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m)
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > E-discovery
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design
- Labor and employment > ERISA litigation
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
- Tax > Not-for-profit (nonprofit and tax exempt organizations)
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Government > Government contracts
- Real estate > Real estate
- Industry focus > Cannabis
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Real estate > Real estate finance
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious