Mayer Brown has a stellar track record litigating complex disputes involving recordkeeping and managed account fees, forfeiture-related claims, and challenges to investment strategies and target-date funds. The group’s portfolio of clients includes plan sponsors, administrators, fiduciaries, and trustees. At the helm of the practice, Nancy Ross is widely renowned as an expert in defending employee benefits class action lawsuits under ERISA. Alongside Ross, co-lead Brantley Webb recently won a complete dismissal for Marmon Holdings in an ERISA excessive fee class action related to custom target-date funds in its 401(k) plans. A recent addition to the team, Richard Nowak, draws on in-house experience to counsel clients in class action lawsuits involving the full spectrum of benefit plans, from defined contribution and defined benefit plans to health and welfare plans. Alex Lakatos has a steady stream of cases related to 401(k) and 403(b) plans and ERISA class actions.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Excellent subject matter knowledge and depth of team working on the case.’
‘Trial attorney Nancy Ross and appellate specialist Nicole Saharsky are the primary partners I have worked with. They are strong advocates and excellent strategic partners.’
‘They have a deep bench of truly experienced ERISA lawyers and sharp litigators.’
‘Nancy Ross has a wealth of knowledge. Matthew Moscon melds both ERISA knowledge and litigation chops and is a star.’
‘Mayer Brown's ERISA litigation team are strategic masters. They are more effective because they are unafraid of taking a case to trial.’
‘Brantley Webb is masterful in expert battles. Rick Nowak is practical and strategic.’
Key clients
- Marmon Holdings
- HMS Host International
- Siemens Corporation
- Motion Picture Industry Pension Plans
- Caesars Entertainment
- Nordstrom
- Cornell University
- Shell Oil Company
- American Airlines (Spence and Fischer)
- Lumen Technologies
- Lockheed Martin
- Charter Communications
- W.W. Grainger
- Huntington Ingalls Industries
- Mitsubishi Chemical America
- Illinois Tool Works
- New York University
- University of Rochester
- Yale University
Work highlights
Represented Marmon Holdings (a Berkshire Hathaway company) in a complete victory and dismissal of an ERISA excessive fee class action.
Achieved a significant victory for the Board of Directors for the Motion Picture Industry Pension Plans and 50 individual directors in an ERISA class action challenging the design of the Motion Picture Industry Pension Plan and the Plan’s investment strategy.
Obtained a significant summary judgment dismissal for their Caesars Holdings, Inc. (“Caesars”) in an ERISA class action challenging the investments offered to participants in the Caesars Entertainment Corporation Savings & Retirement Plan.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
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Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Nancy Ross; Brantley Webb; Richard Nowak
Other key lawyers
Alex Lakatos; Nicole Saharsky; Matthew Moscon