Supreme Court's Cornell Decision Has Broad Implications for ERISA Litigation.

Supreme Court's Cornell Decision Has Broad Implications for ERISA Litigation.

This article was originally published by Law360 on April 24, 2025 and is made available here with permission. ERISA prohibits fiduciaries from entering  into prohibited transactions with related parties unless the transaction is specifically exempted. Does every ERISA plan fiduciary who hires a third party service provider to service its plan engage in a prohibited transaction? Or must plaintiffs challenging the arrangement additionally plead th…

ERISA-Governed vs. Non-ERISA Group Benefits: Key Differences and Why They Matter

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) affects millions of Americans with employer-sponsored benefits, but most don’t know until a claim is denied. Congress passed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) in 1974. The primary intent behind ERISA was to protect employees’ retirement benefits. However, immediately prior to ERISA’s enactment, Congress significantly broadened the law by incorporating “welfare” benefits within…

The ERISA Edit: Supreme Court Issues Decision Favorable to Plaintiffs in ERISA Pleading Standards Dispute | Miller & Chevalier

Publications khospital3 Fri, 04/25/2025 - 00:27 Featured On Alert Type Employee Benefits Alert Include Disclaimer On Date 04.25.2025 Description Supreme Court Eases Pleading Standard for Prohibited Transaction Claims On April 17, 2025, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Cunningham v. Cornell University, No. 23-1007, a defined contribution plan class action lawsuit, reversing the Second Circuit's decision affirming dismissal of…

The Supreme Court Relieves ERISA Plaintiffs of a Pleading Requirement: What’s Next for ERISA Plan Fiduciaries?

The Supreme Court Relieves ERISA Plaintiffs of a Pleading Requirement: What’s Next for ERISA Plan Fiduciaries? On April 17, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision that dealt a blow to benefit plan fiduciaries nationwide. The Court unanimously held in Cunningham v. Cornell University1 that a plaintiff asserting that a plan and service provider engaged in a prohibited transaction under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is…

Supreme Court Ruling May Lead to More Fiduciary Lawsuits Under ERISA - The MJ Companies

On April 17, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a group of employees may challenge their employer’s fee arrangement with a retirement plan service provider under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). In its unanimous decision, the Supreme Court took an employee-friendly view of statutory text and simplified the requirements for alleging a […]