http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-06-19T21:15:44-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/drug_testing_as_a_condition_for_unemployment_benefits_supported_by_some_law/ Should unemployment benefits be contingent on consenting to a drug test? Yes, in certain circumstances, say Texas lawmakers. The state house passed Bill 21 Wednesday, Reuters reports. The bill had already passed in the Texas senate. If it becomes law, it will apply to unemployed… Benefits/ERISA, Labor & Employment Thu, 23 May 2013 12:00:25 -0500 44331.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_firm_loses_erisa_case_must_repay_1m_in_worker_retirement_assets/ A federal judge in Georgia has ordered a Savannah-based law firm to repay all of the $1 million in assets improperly transferred from worker retirement and pension plans. A ruling last week also held that the Eichholz Law Firm and its former managing partner, Benjamin Eichholz, breached their fiduciary responsibilities… Benefits/ERISA, Business of Law, Labor & Employment, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 11th Circuit Court, States, Georgia Wed, 23 Jan 2013 13:40:30 -0600 42503.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/work_on_your_retirement_plans_choices_depend_on_firm_size_and_income/ Benefits/ERISA, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Tax Law, Business of Law Tue, 01 Jan 2013 02:40:15 -0600 41969.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/chief_justice_criticizes_disingenuous_characterization_of_administration/ Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. made it clear during oral arguments on Tuesday that he wasn’t happy with footnote 9 in a brief by the Solicitor General’s office. Roberts "publicly dressed down an Obama administration lawyer" for disguising policy changes made under new presidents, Reuters reports. Though… Benefits/ERISA, Government Law, Health Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Attorney Fees, Verdicts & Settlements, U.S. Supreme Court Thu, 29 Nov 2012 06:30:14 -0600 41772.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/unit_of_bank_of_new_york_mellon_to_pay_210m_settlement_for_madoff_investor_/ A Bank of New York Mellon subsidiary that advised clients who invested with Bernard Madoff has agreed to pay $210 million to settle suits by the U.S. Department of Labor, the New York Attorney General’s office and private investors. Ivy Asset Management is paying the money to resolve allegations that… Banking Law, Benefits/ERISA, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:41:14 -0600 41610.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/what_do_doma_decisions_mean_for_employment_law_attorneys_wonder/ As courts strike down laws that ban same-sex marriage, lawyers wonder if employers will change benefits to be more inclusive for lesbian and gay employees, reports Corporate Counsel. The article cites the recent U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit opinion (PDF) that nixed… Benefits/ERISA, Civil Rights, Family Law, Labor & Employment, Legislation & Lobbying Tue, 23 Oct 2012 10:06:25 -0500 41252.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/the_next_chapter_municipalities_are_using_chapter_9_to_fend_off_creditors/ Administrative Law, Bankruptcy Law, Benefits/ERISA, Contracts, Government Law, Labor & Employment, Recession, States, Alabama, Features Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:00:13 -0500 35400.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/retired_biglaw_attorneys_embrace_new_clients_in_people-oriented_public_serv/ When he left Dickstein Shapiro in 2004, James Springer was a top antitrust lawyer. Now, working part-time for the D.C. Legal Aid Society, the 77-year-old attorney handles benefits claims. Working on Social Security claims is every bit as complex as his former practice area, he tells the Appellate Practice, Benefits/ERISA, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Pro Bono, Careers, Civil Rights, Disability Law, Elder Law, Family Law, Law Firms, Large Firm, Partners, States, District of Columbia Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:00:23 -0500 35686.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/insult_to_injury_texas_workers_comp_system_denies_delays_medical_help/ Benefits/ERISA, Disability Law, Health Law, Insurance Law, Labor & Employment, Legal Ethics, Legislation & Lobbying, Tort Law, Injury & Accident Law, Trials & Litigation, 5th Circuit Court, States, Texas, Features Sat, 01 Oct 2011 05:10:10 -0500 34992.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/complex_labyrinth_of_rules_can_wreak_havoc_on_seemingly_clearcut_plan_for_r/ Think you know who will get your retirement-account assets after your death? Think again. Even those who seemingly have named beneficiaries on the right form might be surprised if they could see who actually gets the money, according to the Wall Street Journal. Federal law, for… Benefits/ERISA, Contracts, Labor & Employment, Trusts & Estates Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:49:04 -0500 34844.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/8th_circuit_oks_denial_of_social_security_benefits_to_daughter_born_2_years/ A federal appeals court has reversed a trial court ruling that a girl born, with the help of in vitro fertilization, two years after her dad's death is entitled to social security benefits. Upholding an Iowa law, since amended, that was enacted before assisted reproductive techniques made such births possible,… Appellate Practice, Benefits/ERISA, Family Law, Government Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 8th Circuit Court, States, Iowa Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:49:44 -0500 34723.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lesbian_spouse_of_deceased_cozen_partner_sues_firm_and_spouses_parents_over/ Married in Canada to a Cozen O'Connor partner, the lesbian spouse of Sarah Ellyn Farley filed a counterclaim in federal court in Philadelphia yesterday staking a claim to benefits following Farley's death. Naming the firm and Farley's parents as defendants, Jennifer Tobits says she is entitled to her spouse's profit-sharing… Benefits/ERISA, Family Law, Law Firms, Large Firm, Partners, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Trusts & Estates, States, Pennsylvania Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:27:08 -0500 34229.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/get_a_plan_b_disabiility_insurance/ Benefits/ERISA, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Disability Law, Insurance Law, Labor & Employment, Business of Law Wed, 01 Jun 2011 01:00:42 -0500 32895.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/mack_trucks_volvo_settle_benefits_case_brought_by_retirees_for_525m/ Mack Trucks and its parent company, Volvo, agreed to pay $525 million to retired employees who challenged the company’s proposed reductions to lifetime health benefits in an Eastern District of Pennsylvania class action lawsuit. According to the Legal Intelligencer, Senior U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick gave… Benefits/ERISA, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements Tue, 17 May 2011 15:24:30 -0500 32868.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/cigna_employees_suing_over_pension_changes_get_chance_to_reform_plan/ The U.S. Supreme Court is giving about 25,000 Cigna Corp. employees another chance to force changes in the company’s pension plan. The Supreme Court opinion (PDF) said the employees may be entitled to relief under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, but not under the provision applied by… Benefits/ERISA, Legislation & Lobbying, U.S. Supreme Court Mon, 16 May 2011 10:43:09 -0500 32832.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/nyc_lawyer_overpaid_pension_due_to_computer_error_loses_legal_bid_to_keep_i/ A former lawyer in the New York City Corporation Counsel’s Office isn’t entitled to keep a pension overpayment caused by a computer error, a judge has ruled. After seven years of pension payments, lawyer Alice Olick learned she had been overpaid $33,000, the New York… Benefits/ERISA, Contracts, Labor & Employment, States, New York Tue, 03 May 2011 08:49:24 -0500 32624.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/suit_claims_ropes_gray_gave_female_partners_clients_to_younger_male_lawyers/ A fired Ropes & Gray partner has filed an age and sex discrimination suit that contends the firm ousted her at age 63 after she complained that her clients were being transferred to younger male lawyers. Patent lawyer Patricia Martone filed the suit Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, Benefits/ERISA, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Large Firm, Partners Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:27:30 -0500 31898.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-ice_miller_associate_files_erisa_suit_says_disability_payments/ A former associate of Ice Miller has filed an ERISA suit against the Indianapolis-based law firm contending that it messed up the long-term disability payments he was supposed to receive after a 1987 motorcycle accident that left him unable to work there due to cognitive impairment. Michael Bailey, 50, is… Benefits/ERISA, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, Associates, Large Firm, Trials & Litigation, States, Indiana Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:52:09 -0500 31847.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_firm_offers_better_cheaper_medical_benefits_via_self-insurance_plan/ If a lawyer or staff member at Stevens & Lee needs medical care, the law firm has a straightforward plan for covering such costs—it simply pays the bill. By self-insuring, it not only is able to continue to offer the same medical benefits in an era… Benefits/ERISA, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, States, Pennsylvania Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:44:04 -0500 31672.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ag_of_ill._sues_over_pension_boards_ok_of_benefits/ After a pension board's OK last month of a $3,000-a-month pension to a former Chicago police commander accused of playing a leading role in alleged widespread torture of suspects by his officers decades ago, the state attorney general has stepped into the fray. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan sued today… Benefits/ERISA, Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Government Law, Labor & Employment, Trials & Litigation, States, Illinois Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:01:22 -0600 30924.abajournal.com