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Benefits
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April 22, 2024
Kansas Gov. Signs Earned Wage Access License Bill Into Law
Kansas has become the fourth state to approve new laws governing so-called earned wage access products, joining Nevada, Missouri and Wisconsin in regulating services for workers seeking cash advances.
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April 22, 2024
Morgan Lewis Atty Aims ERISA Suit At Firm's Plan, Unum
A Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP lawyer has lodged an Employee Retirement Income Security Act suit against the firm's benefit plan, claiming the plan illegally and abruptly terminated her long-term disability benefits after seemingly applying criteria irrelevant to her work.
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April 22, 2024
Unions Can Refile Tossed ERISA Suit Against Anthem BCBS
A Connecticut federal judge on Monday threw out a suit against insurers Elevance Health Inc., Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and many of their subsidiaries, but said the trustees of two union health plans who claimed the companies were overpaying administrative and medical costs can try again.
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April 22, 2024
NY Becomes First State In US To Mandate Paid Prenatal Leave
With its budget passage Saturday, New York became the first state in the U.S. to implement paid leave for pregnant employees to attend doctors' appointments, expanding its paid sick time requirements to create a new bank of up to 20 hours for this purpose.
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April 22, 2024
NJ Man Convicted In $4.5M State Benefits Scam
A New Jersey man has been convicted for his role in a scheme that saw the theft of millions of dollars from a publicly funded Garden State program aimed to help victims of traumatic brain injuries.
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April 22, 2024
J&J Says Worker's Drug Costs Suit Misses Big Picture
Johnson & Johnson asked a New Jersey federal judge to toss a worker's suit claiming employees were overcharged for their prescriptions under a drug benefit program because of a contract with a pharmacy benefits manager, saying employees didn't show they could've gotten a better deal elsewhere.
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April 22, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Last week, Delaware's Chancery Court news included a Tesla announcement about moving to Texas, a midcase appeal of Tripadvisor's move to Nevada, and United Airlines' escape from a stockholder suit. Disputes about board entrenchment, squeeze-out mergers, co-founder fallouts and deadly ice cream moved ahead.
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April 22, 2024
PE-Backed Cruise Operator Viking Sets Sights On $1B IPO
Private equity-backed cruise operator Viking Holdings Ltd. on Monday set a price range on an estimated $1 billion initial public offering, represented by Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP and underwriters counsel Latham & Watkins LLP, marking the latest test of the IPO market's nascent recovery.
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April 19, 2024
Timing Of Cigna Workers' Relief Bid Perplexes Conn. Judge
A Connecticut federal judge wondered Friday if a class of more than 25,000 Cigna workers waited too long to renew a request for an accounting tied to the millions of dollars in underpaid benefits the workers won nearly a decade ago, questioning if the plaintiffs had a right at this stage in the 23-year-old matter to again challenge the company's calculations.
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April 19, 2024
5th Circ. Revives Six Flags Investor Suit Again
The Fifth Circuit has once again restored a securities fraud class action against Six Flags over the amusement corporation's botched plans to expand in China, saying the lower court inappropriately decided the lead plaintiff lacked standing and wrongly denied another plaintiff a chance to lead the suit.
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April 19, 2024
Ex-Gibson Dunn Partners Battle Firm Over Sealed Records
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP is fighting anonymous ex-partners' bid to unseal a contractual arbitration award granted to a former co-chair of the firm's appellate practice, saying the documents contain trade secrets — such as details about the firm's compensation and partnership structure — that other top law firms could exploit to gain an advantage in a competitive recruitment market.
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April 19, 2024
Calif. Union Plan Pays $2.5M To End Early Retirement Suit
A pension plan for union-represented Northern California metalworkers, the plan administrator and a law firm will pay roughly $2.5 million to end a proposed class action alleging about 30 early retirees weren't given the full benefits they were promised, according to paperwork filed Friday in California federal court.
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April 19, 2024
Justices Seek Cornell's Response To ERISA Fee Suit Petition
The U.S. Supreme Court asked Cornell University to respond to a March petition by a group of current and former workers seeking to revive a class action against the university alleging retirees' savings were saddled with unnecessarily high fees, in a sign that the case has drawn the justices' attention.
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April 19, 2024
CVS Narrows But Can't End HIV Patients' Disability Bias Suit
A California federal judge declined to toss a disability bias lawsuit brought by HIV or AIDS patients alleging CVS Pharmacy Inc. made their medication harder to get, saying federal regulations and even an internal company study warned that the program at issue was potentially problematic.
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April 19, 2024
Creditor Committee Backs Yellow In Pension Fund Fight
The official committee of unsecured creditors in Yellow Corp.'s Chapter 11 bankruptcy has largely backed an objection from the debtor to several pension plans' claims for retirement-fund withdrawal liability, while saying it hopes the issues can be resolved quickly to reduce costs.
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April 19, 2024
Zurich Insurance Hit With $80M Verdict Over 3 Terminations
Three former Zurich American Insurance Co. employees were awarded over $80 million by a Sacramento, California, jury that found they were wrongfully terminated for taking unofficial time off that the plaintiffs said was approved by their supervisor.
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April 19, 2024
IQVIA Strikes Deal To Exit Ex-Workers' 401(k) Suit
Healthcare technology company IQVIA has reached a settlement to resolve allegations from a 9,000-member class that it picked inferior and expensive investments for its $1.13 billion 401(k) plan, according to a filing in North Carolina federal court.
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April 19, 2024
Feds Want Prison For Ga. Chiropractor In NBA Health Fraud
Federal prosecutors have asked a New York federal judge to impose a 10- to 16-month prison sentence for a chiropractor who admitted to conspiring with former Celtics forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis to commit healthcare and wire fraud by submitting fake invoices to the NBA health plan.
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April 18, 2024
Elevance Units Not Fiduciaries Of Union Plans, Court Told
A lawsuit that two union healthcare funds brought against Elevance Health Inc. and several subsidiaries should be dismissed because it does not plausibly allege that fund money was overspent on medical care and administrative fees, and the defendants did not have fiduciary responsibilities, attorneys told a Connecticut federal judge on Thursday.
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April 18, 2024
Pharma Ex-Exec Can't Revive $12M Underpayment Suit in US
A Manhattan federal judge has refused to rethink her decision tossing a $12 million suit accusing Altum Pharmaceuticals Inc. and its cannabis-focused parent company, BetterLife Pharma Inc., of stock dilution and underpaying a former executive chairman of the board of directors, saying the claims are better suited for Canadian courts.
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April 18, 2024
Retirees Seek $5.4M Counsel Fee In Talen Energy ERISA Suit
Lawyers from three firms representing a class of retirees alleging Talen Energy unlawfully withheld early retirement benefits have asked a Pennsylvania federal judge to designate $5.4 million of the $20 million settlement as attorney fees.
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April 18, 2024
Pomerantz To Rep Investors In AT&T Lead Cable Class Action
A New Jersey federal judge approved Pomerantz LLP as the lead counsel for a proposed investor class action alleging AT&T lied about its effort to be environmentally conscious while contributing to the installation of toxic lead cables, with the New York City Public Pension Funds serving as lead plaintiff.
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April 18, 2024
Feds Fight George Santos' 'Meritless' Brady Violation Claims
Federal prosecutors are urging the Eastern District of New York to deny former U.S. Rep. George Santos' motion for a one-month delay in filing deadlines over allegations that the government withheld evidence in its fraud and campaign finance suit against him, calling the Long Island Republican's request "pretextual and meritless."
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April 18, 2024
Kellogg Beats ERISA Suit Over Use Of Outdated Data
A Michigan federal judge tossed litigation accusing Kellogg of shortchanging married retirees by relying on outdated life expectancies and interest rates when calculating their pension payments, agreeing with the company that the Employee Retirement Income Security Act doesn't require the data used to be reasonable.
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April 18, 2024
Northeastern U. Must Face Core Of Retirement Plan Fee Suit
A Massachusetts federal judge declined to toss the majority of a professor emeritus' suit claiming Northeastern University cost its workers in retirement savings through high plan fees and lackluster funds, ruling the suit's allegations have enough detail at this stage of the case.
Expert Analysis
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5th Circ. Ruling Reminds Attys That CBP Can Search Devices
The Fifth Circuit’s recent Malik v. Department of Homeland Security decision adds to the chorus of federal courts holding that border agents don’t need a warrant to search travelers’ electronic devices, so attorneys should consider certain special precautions to secure privileged information when reentering the U.S., says Jennifer Freel at Jackson Walker.
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Avoiding The Ethical Pitfalls Of Crowdfunded Legal Fees
The crowdfunding of legal fees has become increasingly common, providing a new way for people to afford legal services, but attorneys who accept crowdsourced funds must remember several key ethical obligations to mitigate their risks, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.
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An Overview Of 6 PBM Bills Moving Through Congress
As legislators turn to pharmacy benefit manager reform as a potential next step in addressing the cost of prescription drugs, six congressional committees have recently advanced PBM-related legislation with generally high bipartisan support, suggesting that a final package is likely to advance through Congress, say Rachel Stauffer and Katie Waldo at McDermott+Consulting.
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10th Circ. ERISA Ruling Is Promising For Self-Funded Plans
Though some recent appellate decisions have seemingly narrowed application of Employee Retirement Income Security Act preemption, which generally helps protect self-funded health plans from state regulation, the Tenth Circuit's decision in PCMA v. Mulready takes a big step toward reaffirming preemption, say attorneys at Bass Berry.
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What Large Language Models Mean For Document Review
Courts often subject parties using technology assisted review to greater scrutiny than parties conducting linear, manual document review, so parties using large language models for document review should expect even more attention, along with a corresponding need for quality control and validation, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Series
Participating In Living History Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My role as a baron in a living history group, and my work as volunteer corporate counsel for a book series fan association, has provided me several opportunities to practice in unexpected areas of law — opening doors to experiences that have nurtured invaluable personal and professional skills, says Matthew Parker at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
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Opinion
Private Equity Owners Can Remedy Law Firms' Agency Issues
Nonlawyer, private-equity ownership of law firms can benefit shareholders and others vulnerable to governance issues such as disparate interests, and can in turn help resolve agency problems, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.
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Okla. Workers' Comp Case Could Mean Huge Shift In Claims
An Oklahoma appeals court's recent opinion in Prewitt v. Quiktrip Corp. may expand the scope of continuing medical maintenance orders in workers' compensation cases to unprecedented levels — with potentially major consequences for employers and insurers, says Steven Hanna at Gilson Daub.
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How To Protect Atty-Client Privilege While Using Generative AI
When using generative artificial intelligence tools, attorneys should consider several safeguards to avoid breaches or complications in attorney-client privilege, say Antonious Sadek and Christopher Campbell at DLA Piper.
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How New Lawyers Can Leverage Feedback For Growth
Embracing constructive criticism as a tool for success can help new lawyers accelerate their professional growth and law firms build a culture of continuous improvement, says Katie Aldrich at Fringe Professional Development.
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Corporate Compliance Lessons From FirstEnergy Scandal
Fallout from a massive bribery scheme involving Ohio electric utility FirstEnergy and state officeholders — including the recent sentencing of two defendants — has critical corporate governance takeaways for companies and individuals seeking to influence government policymaking, say attorneys at Wilson Sonsini.
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Asset Manager Considerations For Soliciting Calif. Pensions
With California public pension and retirement plans representing close to $1 trillion in assets, managers must understand the lobbying laws that may be applicable to soliciting investments from the state's plans, say Chelsea Childs and Catherine Skulan at Ropes & Gray.
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Twitter Legal Fees Suit Offers Crash Course In Billing Ethics
X Corp.'s suit alleging that Wachtell grossly inflated its fees in the final days of Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition provides a case study in how firms should protect their reputations by hewing to ethical billing practices and the high standards for professional conduct that govern attorney-client relationships, says Lourdes Fuentes at Karta Legal.
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Why It's Time To Regulate Plan Data As An Asset
With cyberattacks on the rise and the availability of artificial intelligence technology to the public, now is the time for the U.S. Department of Labor to regulate plan data as a plan asset to help protect participants from cybertheft and misuse, say attorneys at Michael Best.
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ABA's Money-Laundering Resolution Is A Balancing Act
While the American Bar Association’s recently passed resolution recognizes a lawyer's duty to discontinue representation that could facilitate money laundering and other fraudulent activity, it preserves, at least for now, the delicate balance of judicial, state-based regulation of the legal profession and the sanctity of the attorney-client relationship, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.