Benefits

  • January 16, 2026

    DOJ Reports Historic $6.8B False Claims Act Haul In 2025

    The U.S. Department of Justice secured more than $6.8 billion via settlements and judgments under the False Claims Act in the fiscal year that ended September 2025, the largest amount recovered in a single year in the history of the FCA, the DOJ said Friday.

  • January 16, 2026

    Amazon Beats Suit Claiming Misuse Of Forfeited 401(k) Funds

    A Washington federal judge has thrown out two workers' proposed class action accusing Amazon of using millions in abandoned retirement plan funds to offset its matching contributions instead of defraying administrative costs for participants, concluding Friday that the company followed the plan's terms.

  • January 16, 2026

    PBMs Seek Exit From Philly's Suit Over Opioid Crisis

    CVS Health Corp. and other pharmacy benefit managers asked a Pennsylvania federal judge to let them out of the city of Philadelphia's lawsuit claiming they contributed to the opioid epidemic in the city, arguing that the city waited too long to file its suit and lacked standing to sue the companies.

  • January 16, 2026

    Pension Withdrawal Liability Math Gets High Court Spotlight

    The U.S. Supreme Court will zero in Tuesday on the methodology for assessing the liability of companies that pull out of multiemployer pension plans, hearing arguments in a case attorneys say could have costly implications for employers.

  • January 16, 2026

    High Court Takes Up Intel Workers' Bid To Revive 401(k) Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Friday to hear Intel workers' challenge to a Ninth Circuit decision backing an end to their proposed class action alleging 401(k) mismanagement, a case that gives the justices a chance to clarify the pleading standards for retirement fund underperformance. 

  • January 16, 2026

    Liberty Mutual Strikes Deal To End Sweeping 401(k) Suit

    Liberty Mutual reached a settlement in a 50,000-member class action claiming the insurance company failed to rein in high fees and cull lackluster investment options from its employees' $7 billion retirement plan, a deal that comes just weeks before a scheduled trial.

  • January 15, 2026

    Air Force Asks Justices Not To Hear COVID Vax Back Pay Case

    The U.S. Air Force urged the U.S. Supreme Court to not hear a reservist's bid for back pay after he refused to follow its now-overturned COVID-19 vaccine mandate on religious grounds, arguing its sovereign immunity bars compensatory damages claims. 

  • January 15, 2026

    Ex-CEO Of COVID Vax Maker Accused Of Insider Trading

    New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday sued the former CEO of healthcare contractor Emergent BioSolutions Inc., alleging insider trading amid troubles manufacturing a COVID-19 vaccine, while signing a $900,000 settlement with the company over its approval of an executive trading plan.

  • January 15, 2026

    Gov't Contractor Says Insurers Wrongfully Inflated Premiums

    A contractor for the federal government said it should not have to pay an additional $1.7 million premium for workers' compensation policies issued by units of the Hartford, telling a Connecticut federal court that the retroactive charge was caused by the wrongful reclassification of hundreds of employees.

  • January 15, 2026

    $332M Colgate-Palmolive Pension Deal Nabs Final Nod

    A New York federal judge handed final approval to a $332 million deal ending a class action accusing Colgate-Palmolive of shorting retirees who opted for lump-sum payments, but has yet to rule on the pensioners' attorneys' bid for $99 million in fees.

  • January 15, 2026

    Judge Orders Recalculation In Steel Co. Benefit Suit

    An ironworkers' union local must prepare a revised audit regarding how much a reinforced-steel contractor still owes in unpaid fringe benefit contributions on behalf of ironworkers who traveled from out of state to work on a construction project in Detroit, a Michigan federal court has ruled.

  • January 15, 2026

    Fla. Eye Clinics To Pay $6M Over False Medical Billing Claims

    Five Florida ophthalmology clinics have reached settlements with the government over allegations that they filed false claims to Medicare and Medicaid, agreeing to collectively pay nearly $6 million to resolve accusations that the clinics billed the federal healthcare programs for medically unnecessary eye procedures.

  • January 15, 2026

    DOL's Benefits Arm Describes New Enforcement Focus

    The U.S. Department of Labor's employee benefits arm Thursday outlined a shift in its enforcement priorities, including by ending a focus on employee stock ownership plans.

  • January 15, 2026

    Ex-Yale Law Assistant Dean Must Clarify $6.8M Injury Claim

    A former Yale Law School dean of students and her husband must clarify whether they are pursuing negligence or bad faith claims in a lawsuit against an insurer they seek to hold responsible for portions of a $5 million settlement with a driver who struck her while she was walking.

  • January 15, 2026

    Murphy's Legacy: Tackling Some Of NJ's 'Intractable' Issues

    When New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy took office, he had his pick of policy challenges that had plagued the Garden State for years. The state's pension fund had been underfunded for decades, municipalities had been locked in litigation over their affordable housing obligations, and the state's public transit system needed a major overhaul.

  • January 15, 2026

    Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Loses 3rd Circ. Appeal In CBA Fight

    The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has lost its latest bid to duck an injunction compelling it to restore its 2014-17 collective bargaining agreement, with the full Third Circuit refusing to reconsider a panel's decision to issue the injunction in 2025.

  • January 15, 2026

    House OKs Restricting ESG Investment In 401(k) Plans

    The U.S. House of Representatives greenlighted a bill Thursday that would restrict how retirement plan managers can consider environmental, social and governance issues when picking investments, codifying a 2020 U.S. Department of Labor rule requiring a sole focus on financial risk factors.

  • January 15, 2026

    IRS Updates Guidance For Retirement Plan Safe Harbors

    The Internal Revenue Service on Thursday updated its guidance to retirement plan administrators for notifying beneficiaries of rollover distributions, saying the changes are meant to align with legislative changes from 2022.

  • January 15, 2026

    Ambulance Co. Will Pay $225K To Settle OT Suit

    An Illinois ambulance services company will pay $225,000 to end a suit alleging it violated wage law by only paying employees overtime when they worked more than 80 hours in a two-week period, according to a federal judge's order approving the deal.

  • January 14, 2026

    Oracle Sued By Pension Plan Over AI-Linked Debt Disclosures

    The Ohio Carpenters Pension Plan filed a proposed class action Wednesday in New York state court against Oracle, its founder Larry Ellison and other top brass, alleging the company failed to disclose that it would need to sell significant extra debt to fund its artificial intelligence buildout.

  • January 14, 2026

    JPMorgan's Tobacco-Use Health Fee Is Illegal, Employee Says

    A JPMorgan Chase & Co. employee has hit the financial giant with a proposed class action in a New York federal court accusing it of issuing health insurance plans including fee requirements for tobacco users that violate the antidiscrimination provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

  • January 14, 2026

    Trader Joe's Inks $750K Deal In Philly 'Fair Workweek' Suit

    Trader Joe's will pay $750,000 to resolve class claims from workers that it violated a Philadelphia ordinance requiring employers to give workers a fair and predictable work schedule, according to a recent filing.

  • January 14, 2026

    Florida Equipment Dealer Settles 401(k) Fee Suit For $1.25M

    A Caterpillar construction equipment dealer will pay $1.25 million to settle an ex-worker's proposed class action alleging his employee 401(k) plan paid excessive fees, under the terms of a proposed deal filed in Florida federal court on Wednesday.

  • January 14, 2026

    $9.6M Deal Over Capital One 401(k) Forfeitures Gets 1st OK

    A New York federal judge preliminarily approved Capital One Financial Corp.'s $9.6 million settlement to end a proposed class action alleging it improperly used $42.65 million in forfeited employee funds that were paid into the company's retirement plan to reduce its own contributions instead of curtailing administrative costs. 

  • January 14, 2026

    Alternative Asset 401(k) Investing Rule Sent To OMB

    The White House Office of Management and Budget is reviewing a proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor's employee benefits arm related to fiduciary duties involved with alternative asset investing in 401(k)s, marking the last hurdle before the regulations' release for public comment. 

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Fly-Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Much like skilled attorneys, the best anglers prize preparation, presentation and patience while respecting their adversaries — both human and trout, says Rob Braverman at Braverman Greenspun.

  • 4 Ways GCs Can Manage Growing Service Of Process Volume

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    As automation and arbitration increase the volume of legal filings, in-house counsel must build scalable service of process systems that strengthen corporate governance and manage risk in real time, says Paul Mathews at Corporation Service Co.

  • Series

    The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Forming Measurable Ties

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    Relationship-building should begin as early as possible in a law firm merger, as intentional pathways to bringing people together drive collaboration, positive client response, engagements and growth, says Amie Colby at Troutman.

  • Del. Dispatch: What Tesla Decision Means For Exec Comp

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    The recent Delaware Supreme Court decision granting Tesla CEO Elon Musk his full pay, now valued at $139 billion, following a yearslong battle appears to reject the view that supersized compensation may be inherently unfair to a corporation and its shareholders, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2026 And Beyond

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    2026 will likely be shaped by issues ranging from artificial intelligence regulatory turbulence to potential evidence rule changes, and e-discovery professionals will need to understand how to effectively guide the responsible and defensible adoption of emerging tools, while also ensuring effective safeguards, say attorneys at Littler.

  • Series

    Judges On AI: How Courts Can Boost Access To Justice

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    Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Samuel A. Thumma writes that generative artificial intelligence tools offer a profound opportunity to enhance access to justice and engender public confidence in courts’ use of technology, and judges can seize this opportunity in five key ways.

  • Opinion

    The Case For Emulating, Not Dividing, The Ninth Circuit

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    Champions for improved judicial administration should reject the unfounded criticisms driving recent Senate proposals to divide the Ninth Circuit and instead seek to replicate the court's unique strengths and successes, says Ninth Circuit Judge J. Clifford Wallace.

  • ERISA Litigation Trends To Watch With 2025 In The Rearview

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    There were significant developments in Employee Retirement Income Security Act litigation in 2025, including plaintiffs pushing the bounds of sponsor and fiduciary liability and defendants scoring district court wins, and although the types of claims might change, ERISA litigation will likely be just as active in 2026, say attorneys at Groom Law.

  • Series

    Muay Thai Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Muay Thai kickboxing has taught me that in order to win, one must stick to one's game plan and adapt under pressure, just as when facing challenges by opposing counsel or judges, says Mark Schork at Feldman Shepherd.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Intentional Career-Building

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    A successful legal career is built through intention: understanding expectations, assessing strengths honestly and proactively seeking opportunities to grow and cultivating relationships that support your development, say Erika Drous and Hillary Mann at Morrison Foerster.

  • 4 Developments That Defined The 2025 Ethics Landscape

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    The legal profession spent 2025 at the edge of its ethical comfort zone as courts, firms and regulators confronted how fast-moving technologies and new business models collide with long-standing professional duties, signaling that the profession is entering a period of sustained disruption that will continue into 2026, says Hilary Gerzhoy at HWG Law.

  • Navigating AI In The Legal Industry

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    As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly integral part of legal practice, Law360 guest commentary this year examined evolving ethical obligations, how the plaintiffs bar is using AI to level the playing field against corporate defense teams, and the attendant risks of adoption.

  • The Major Securities Litigation Rulings And Trends Of 2025

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    The past 12 months saw increased regulator focus on disclosures concerning artificial intelligence, signs of growing judicial scrutiny at the class certification stage, and shifting regulatory priorities at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — all major developments that may significantly affect securities litigation strategy in 2026 and beyond, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • How Fractional GCs Can Manage Risks Of Engagement

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    As more organizations eliminate their in-house legal departments in favor of outsourcing legal work, fractional general counsel roles offer practitioners an engaging and flexible way to practice at a high level, but they can also present legal, ethical and operational risks that must be proactively managed, say attorneys at Boies Schiller.

  • Series

    Nature Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Nature photography reminds me to focus on what is in front of me and to slow down to achieve success, and, in embracing the value of viewing situations through different lenses, offers skills transferable to the practice of law, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.

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