Russell Hirschhorn
Partner
Russell L. Hirschhorn represents plan fiduciaries, trustees, sponsors and service providers on the full range of ERISA and state law benefit and fiduciary issues. From single plaintiff to litigation and arbitration to complex class action litigation, he provides practical guidance, develops unique litigation defense strategies and, when appropriate, mediates successful resolutions.
Russell represents clients across a wide array of publicly-held, multi-national companies and privately owned companies across a multitude of industries including, banking, finance and investments, pharmaceuticals, retail products and construction, to name just a few. In addition, he also counsels benefit plan clients on a host of compliance and federal and state government agency enforcement matters, including complex and lengthy investigations and audits by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Labor.
Russell is management co-chair of the American Bar Association Employee Benefits Committee. He also writes on cutting-edge ERISA litigation issues, serving as the co-editor of the Firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Blog and as a contributing author and a past chapter editor to Employee Benefits Law (BNA Third Edition).
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This week we discuss the importance of establishing good claims procedures and the benefits of following those procedures. A plan’s claims procedures should be spelled out clearly in both the plan document and the summary plan description (where the two documents are not one in the same). In addition to setting all of the applicable … Continue Reading
This week in our blog series on best practices in administering benefit claims, we discuss the importance of knowing and, importantly, understanding the laws governing benefit claim administration. Section 503 of ERISA sets forth the general guidelines for a plan’s claims and appeal procedures. It requires that a plan provide adequate written notice of the … Continue Reading
Our blog series on best practices in administering benefit claims has thus far stressed the importance of knowing and reading the plan document and summary plan description. This week, we take a look at a plan term that has been the subject of frequent dispute in health and welfare benefits claim litigation—interpretation of plan provisions … Continue Reading
Last week, we kicked off our blog series on the fundamentals of benefit claim administration with an explanation of how important it is to know and read your plan document. The plan document is the legally binding contract that describes each participant’s rights and benefits under the plan. It also guides the legal obligations and … Continue Reading
Our ERISA Practice Center blog posts often discuss many complex, and sometimes esoteric, substantive and procedural ERISA issues, as well as related agency guidance and case law. In this new ten-part blog series, however, we take a step away from the complex and esoteric in order to review some of the fundamentals of benefit claim … Continue Reading
ERISA health care plans typically include reimbursement and subrogation clauses, which give plans a right to reimbursement of medical expenses paid on behalf of a beneficiary where the injury is caused by a third party. While such provisions are common in ERISA health care plans, they sometimes conflict with state laws that prohibit plans and … Continue Reading
The Third Circuit recently held that anti-assignment clauses in ERISA-governed healthcare plans are enforceable as long as they are unambiguous. The Court concluded that the anti-assignment clause clearly stated that participants could not assign their rights under the plan; and the plan’s statement that payments made directly to a provider did not transfer to that … Continue Reading
Over the past several years, the ERISA plaintiffs’ bar has targeted university-sponsored 403(b) plans, arguing that the plan fiduciaries breached their fiduciary duties and engaged in prohibited transactions in connection with offering certain investment options and the administrative fees associated with such plans. Among other things, they have argued that the plan fiduciaries offered too … Continue Reading
The Ninth Circuit held that employees’ agreements to arbitrate all claims the employees may have did not extend to claims brought on behalf of two ERISA plans under ERISA § 502(a)(2). In so ruling, the Court explained that the employees could not agree to arbitrate claims on behalf of the plans in individual employment contracts … Continue Reading
After nearly a decade in the making, the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule appears to be officially dead. On June 21st, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued its mandate that finalized its earlier decision vacating the rule—discussed here. Along with the regulation that expanded the definition of investment fiduciary, the mandate … Continue Reading
On May 7, 2018, the DOL issued a Field Assistance Bulletin (“FAB”) addressing the Department’s enforcement policy on the fiduciary rule that was recently vacated by the Fifth Circuit. Although the DOL has elected not to continue defending the rule before the Fifth Circuit, the FAB leaves the rule’s status in a holding pattern. Rather … Continue Reading
On March 23, 2018, the National Association for Fixed Annuities (“NAFA”) and the Department of Labor filed a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal of litigation involving the Department’s fiduciary rule in the District of Columbia Circuit. NAFA had appealed a district court decision that dismissed NAFA’s challenge to the fiduciary rule. The decision to drop that … Continue Reading
In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule, including the expanded definition of “investment advice fiduciary” and the associated exemptions. The decision nullifies the Department’s 2016 regulation—at least in the Fifth Circuit, which includes Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and arguably nationwide—but is not … Continue Reading
The Tenth Circuit recently affirmed the Department of Labor’s authority to impose new conditions for exemption from prohibited transaction rules with respect to the sale of annuity contracts. The case related to the Department’s decision, as part of the 2016 “fiduciary rule,” to make sales of fixed indexed annuities ineligible for Prohibited Transaction Exemption 84-24, … Continue Reading
In an opinion released yesterday, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) must be interpreted according to “ordinary principles of contract law.” CNH Industrial N.V. v. Reese, No. 17-515, 2018 WL 942419 (U.S. Feb. 20, 2018). In so ruling, the Court again rejected the Sixth Circuit’s inference from silence that CBAs vested retiree … Continue Reading
On November 27, 2017, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) finalized the delay of the applicability date for certain conditions for exemptions to the fiduciary rule until July 1, 2019. This delay was initially proposed in late August as described here. Although certain requirements have been delayed, the fiduciary rule’s broad definition of “fiduciary” and the … Continue Reading
On August 30, 2017, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) officially proposed delaying the applicability date of exemptions to its fiduciary rule until July 1, 2019. The proposal was expected after DOL stated in a court filing earlier this month that a delay proposal was under review by the Office of Management and Budget. This proposal … Continue Reading
On August 9, 2017, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) stated in a court filing that the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) is reviewing a proposal to extend the applicability date for certain requirements under DOL’s fiduciary rule until July 1, 2019. As discussed here and here the fiduciary rule’s “impartial conduct standards” have been … Continue Reading
On June 29, 2017, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) requested another round of public comment on its fiduciary rule—this time in the form of a Request (“RFI”) for Information. The RFI seeks input on (a) whether to extend the January 1, 2018, applicability date for parts of the rule that are not yet in effect, and … Continue Reading
The Department of Labor has announced that the new fiduciary conflict of interest rule and related exemptions will begin taking effect on June 9, 2017, ending speculation of further delay. At the same time, the Department announced a relaxed enforcement standard for the rest of 2017. See our blog post on the delayed effective date … Continue Reading
On April 4, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a final rule postponing applicability of the conflict of interest rule and related exemptions for sixty days, until June 9, 2017. The stated purpose of the extension is to allow more time to: (i) complete the examination required by President Trump’s February 3, 2017 memorandum, … Continue Reading
On the heels of the Department of Labor’s temporary enforcement policy concerning the DOL conflict of interest rule and related exemptions (see our blog post here), the IRS announced that it is providing relief from excise taxes under Code § 4975 that conforms to the DOL’s temporary enforcement policy described in FAB 2017-01. The IRS’s action … Continue Reading
On March 20, 2017, a federal court in the Northern District of Texas denied the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s emergency motion for an injunction pending appeal challenging implementation of the Department’s conflict of interest rule and related exemptions. The court applied the standard for evaluating a preliminary injunction motion and concluded that: (i) the Department already … Continue Reading
On March 1, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed a 60-day delay of the conflict of interest rule and related exemptions (currently set to be applicable on April 10, 2017). The Department opened two comment periods related to the rule: A 15-day comment period (ending March 17, 2017) on whether enforcement of the rule … Continue Reading
Best Practices in Administering Benefit Claims #5 – Establishing (and Following) a Good Claims Process
By Paul M. Hamburger, Russell Hirschhorn and Malerie Bulot on Posted in Benefit Claims
Best Practices in Administering Benefit Claims #4 – Know (and Understand) the Law: Full and Fair Review
By Paul M. Hamburger, Russell Hirschhorn and Malerie Bulot on Posted in Benefit Claims
Best Practices in Administering Benefit Claims #3 – Dealing with Benefit Assignments
By Paul M. Hamburger, Russell Hirschhorn and Malerie Bulot on Posted in Benefit Claims
Best Practices in Administering Benefit Claims #2 – Know (and Read) Your SPD
By Paul M. Hamburger, Russell Hirschhorn and Malerie Bulot on Posted in Benefit Claims
Best Practices in Administering Benefit Claims #1 – Know (and Read) Your Plan Document
By Paul M. Hamburger, Russell Hirschhorn and Malerie Bulot on Posted in Benefit Claims
Ninth Circuit Enforces Hawaii Anti-Reimbursement Statutes Against Insured Plan
By Russell Hirschhorn and Kyle Hansen on Posted in Subrogation/Reimbursement
Third Circuit Upholds Health Plan’s Anti-Assignment Clause
By Russell Hirschhorn on Posted in Assignments
Third Circuit Resuscitates Claims Against University 403(b) Plan Fiduciaries
By Myron Rumeld, Stacey Cerrone, Russell Hirschhorn and Kyle Hansen on Posted in 403(b) Plans
Ninth Circuit Rejects Bid To Arbitrate ERISA Plans’ Claims
By Russell Hirschhorn on Posted in Arbitration
As DOL Fiduciary Rule is Officially Vacated, Focus Shifts to SEC
By Seth Safra and Russell Hirschhorn on Posted in Department of Labor
New DOL FAB Further Delays Enforcement of Fiduciary Rule, But Does Not Undo The Rule In Its Entirety
By Seth Safra, Russell Hirschhorn and Steven A. Sutro on Posted in Department of Labor, Fiduciary
Confusion Ensues After Appeal Over Fiduciary Rule in D.C. Circuit Dropped
By Seth Safra, Russell Hirschhorn and Steven A. Sutro on Posted in Department of Labor, Fiduciary
Fifth Circuit Vacates DOL Fiduciary Rule
By Seth Safra, Russell Hirschhorn and Steven A. Sutro on Posted in Department of Labor, Fiduciary
Tenth Circuit Upholds DOL’s Authority to Impose New Conditions for PTEs and Leaves Door Open for Changes to Fiduciary Rule
By Seth Safra, Russell Hirschhorn and Steven A. Sutro on Posted in Department of Labor, Fiduciary
Tackett Redux: Ordinary Principles of Contract Interpretation Mean No Inference of Vesting
By Seth Safra, Russell Hirschhorn and Benjamin Flaxenburg on Posted in Retiree Health Care Benefits
Department of Labor Finalizes 18-Month Delay of Fiduciary Rule Exemptions
By Russell Hirschhorn, Ruthanne Minoru and Seth Safra on Posted in Fiduciary
Department of Labor Officially Proposes Delaying Fiduciary Rule’s Exemptions for 18 Months
By James Huffman, Russell Hirschhorn and Seth Safra on Posted in Fiduciary
Department of Labor Requests Additional 18-Month Delay of Certain Fiduciary Rule Requirements
By James Huffman, Russell Hirschhorn and Seth Safra on Posted in Department of Labor, Fiduciary
DOL Again Seeks Comments on New Fiduciary Rules and Exemptions
By Benjamin Saper, Russell Hirschhorn and Seth Safra on Posted in Fiduciary
Department of Labor’s New Fiduciary Rule Will Go Into Effect June 9th
By Benjamin Saper, Russell Hirschhorn and Seth Safra on Posted in Fiduciary
DOL Fiduciary Rule Delayed, But At Least Parts Might Be Here to Stay
By Russell Hirschhorn and Seth Safra on Posted in Fiduciary
IRS Issues Temporary Enforcement Policy In Line with DOL FAB 2017-01
By Benjamin Saper and Russell Hirschhorn on Posted in Fiduciary
No Emergency Injunction Appeal in Chamber’s Challenge to DOL Rule
By Benjamin Saper and Russell Hirschhorn on Posted in Fiduciary
U.S. DOL Proposes Delay of Conflict of Interest Rule and Related Exemptions
By Benjamin Saper, Russell Hirschhorn and Seth Safra on Posted in Department of Labor, Fiduciary
