April 20, 2026
Executives behind a New York-based barbecue chain and its employee stock ownership plan caretaker have agreed to pay $22.5 million to resolve a class action claiming they tanked workers' savings in a $99 million stock purchase, according to a federal court filing.
March 09, 2026
A New York-based barbecue chain's executives and the caretaker of the company's employee stock ownership plan have agreed to settle a class action from workers alleging ESOP mismanagement, the parties told a New York federal court Monday.
February 17, 2026
A certified class of participants in a barbecue company's employee stock ownership program is seeking assurance that a $15 million settlement among the U.S. Department of Labor, the company's executives and the ESOP's caretaker won't affect a coming trial on the matter.
February 02, 2026
Two executives for a New York barbecue chain and the company's employee stock ownership plan trustee have agreed to settle a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Labor alleging that a $99 million stock purchase violated federal benefits law, according to a joint stipulation from the parties.
January 02, 2023
Appeals courts will get to decide whether arbitration agreements can nullify workers’ ability to sue on behalf of their retirement plan, and what it takes for a lawsuit claiming retirees lost savings due to excessive plan fees to survive a dismissal bid. Here are five Employee Retirement Income Security Act cases attorneys should watch in the New Year.
December 12, 2022
A trust company wants the Second Circuit to review the company's push to force to individual arbitration proposed class claims that barbecue chain workers were overcharged for their employer's stock, less than a week after a trial court said the arbitration pact was unenforceable.
December 06, 2022
A New York federal judge refused to send to arbitration a suit claiming Argent Trust let a barbecue chain's employee stock ownership plan overpay for company shares, ruling Tuesday that the plan's arbitration agreement is unenforceable because it denies rights afforded under federal benefits law.
October 04, 2022
Argent Trust urged a New York federal judge to boot a proposed class action alleging the firm allowed barbecue chain employees to overpay for their company's stock, saying the workers must individually arbitrate their claims and the recent addition of another plaintiff didn't change that.
August 02, 2022
A proposed class action from former barbecue chain workers who said Argent Trust Co. unlawfully let them overpay for their company's stock in a $99 million sale can't go forward because the ex-employees signed individual arbitration agreements, Argent told a New York federal court.
May 20, 2022
A former barbecue chain worker hit Argent Trust Co. with a proposed class action in New York federal court Friday, accusing it of violating federal benefits law and costing workers millions in retirement savings by letting them pay too much for their employer's stock.