Settling Down – Lessons Learned from Recent Class-Action ERISA Settlements
The Presentation:
When faced with the ruinous costs of the years-long Federal litigation process, both plaintiffs and defendants often begin looking for a quicker (and cheaper) exit. High-profile ERISA decisions from the Federal courts may grab headlines, but settlements are an increasingly frequent resolution of large-scale ERISA litigation matters involving retirement plan investments and administration. As with court decisions, agreed settlements often have important lessons to teach and can offer valuable insights into the strengths and vulnerabilities of common administrative practices.
To get you informed about this important trend, we’ll dig into the notable settlements of ERISA class-action cases in 2015, explore the trends these settlements are a part of, and try to distill some practical guidance from the situations that led into and out of the courthouse in these matters. We’ll also take a quick tour through some recent ERISA cases of note that didn’t settle (at least not yet) to see what we lessons can be learned there.
Come join us as we learn from the travails of others and discover a few new ways to help our clients avoid a long walk up the courthouse steps.
About our Speaker:
Timothy G. Verrall is a shareholder in the Houston office of Ogletree Deakins where he advises a diverse range of clients on a wide variety of employee benefit plan issues arising under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, and related federal and state laws including employee benefit plan design and administration, executive and incentive compensation, controversies and litigation, plan investments and health care privacy. Tim is a past president of the Orange County Chapter of the Western Pension & Benefits Conference and is a frequent speaker on employee benefits topics for industry organizations.
Who should attend this program?
Financial Advisors who want to learn about ERISA litigation exposure to themselves and their clients and how to avoid it.
Plan Fiduciaries who want to know where they may have exposure to ERISA litigation & how to avoid it.
Plan Auditors who want to be aware of current litigation issues.
Service Providers, including consultants, ERISA attorneys and TPA’s who want to deep dive into ERISA litigation.
All Benefits Professionals who are interested in participating in a high-quality educational forum and want to benefit from the knowledge and experience of other benefits professionals in the Orange County benefits community.
Continuing Education:
1 CE for ASPPA certifications
1 CEC for NIPA certifications
1 CPE for CEBS
1.5 hours MCLE for California attorneys
1.5 hours for California CPAs
1.5 hours for Certified Financial Planners
1 hour for ERPA and Enrolled Agents
Doors open at 7:30 a.m. for check-in, breakfast and networking. Our program will begin at 8:00 a.m. and this program will end at approximately 9:30 a.m. The registration fee includes a full breakfast buffet and hosted valet parking.
The reservation deadline for this event is Thursday, March 10, 2016
WP&BC Members can bring a guest for free! This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce your peers and colleagues to our Chapter. Remember, your guest should be a first-time visitor and potential member. Look for the free guest offer when you register online
The statements and materials presented at WP&BC Orange County Chapter events are solely the opinions of the speakers and do not represent the opinions or positions of WP&BC Orange County Chapter. In addition, WP&BC Orange County Chapter assumes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the statements and materials presented by speakers at WP&BC Orange County Chapter events.
