There are some who believe that insurance policies are by definition ambiguous – mostly lawyers who solely represent policyholders for a living – and others, on occasion including judges, who sometimes seem to believe that unless a policy specifically excludes something, than it is either ambiguous and provides coverage or simply provides coverage because the
The Latest Word Out of the First Circuit on Pre-existing Conditions, Long Term Disability Benefits, and Uncertainty Over the Standard of Review
No one is quicker to post about decisions out of the First Circuit than Appellate Law & Practice, who quickly had this post up on Friday about the First Circuit’s opinion issued that day in a long term disability benefits case where the plan and the administrator prevailed at the District Court, and then again
Time to Reset the Clocks, at Least When It Comes to Calculating Interest Awards in ERISA Cases
We are in another one of those stretches where the courts of this circuit issue a fair number of ERISA related decisions in a short time span. I always think that, when this happens, it simply points out how ubiquitous are ERISA governed employee benefits. Appellate Law & Practice has the story of one of
Can Partners Healthcare Systems Provide Different Benefits to Different Kinds of Partners?
Judge Tauro of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued an interesting opinion this week as to the power, if any, of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to continue to investigate whether an employer, in this instance Partners Healthcare Systems – which operates major teaching hospitals, among other operations – violates
At the Crossroads of Trade Dress Infringement, Restaurants and Insurance Coverage
There is a very interesting and entertaining article – if you like law, food, restaurants, intellectual property, or any combination of them – in the New York Times this morning, about a seafood restaurant suing a newer, competing restaurant for, basically, replicating – allegedly, as the two restaurants don’t look all that much alike to
Me and LaRue, and Business Insurance Too
There is an article in Business Insurance magazine this week, the June 25th issue, on the Supreme Court accepting review of the LaRue decision, in which I am quoted. The article is here – subscription required – and if you read it, you will note that it ends on my comment that I expect the
Climate Change Litigation and the Insurance Industry
Well now, we talked recently about how plaintiffs’ lawyers chasing fiduciaries appear likely to help drive changes in how fiduciaries of pension and defined contribution plans operate. Are we going to see the same with alternative energy companies and how businesses operate with regard to climate change issues? I have talked before about how climate
Common Misperceptions and The Obligations of Plan Sponsors
I wrote, it seems to me, an awful lot over the last couple of weeks on the question of the fiduciary obligations of plan sponsors and others with regard to the investment selections made by pension funds and the investment choices offered in 401(k) plans. Susan Mangiero has a lot more to say about this
An Evolution in Fiduciary Standards Means an Increase in Litigation Risk
My email inbox is often inundated with seminar pitches, book offers, and informational material, much of which, even if it looks valuable, I could never get to unless I decide to give up the practice of law and just read all this stuff full time. Fortunately, though, I can cut through the junk pretty quick
Why You Should Hire a Lawyer With A Black Belt in Commercial Arbitration
You know, the term martial arts is really just an umbrella for a whole range of more particular styles of physical combat, and the diversity is actually kind of fascinating. What does this have to do with anything? Well, I was reminded of this by this post from the Adjunct Law Prof on a ruling