ERISA Class Action Dismissed and Favorable Judgment Secured on Statute of Repose Grounds

The Challenge: High-Exposure ERISA Class Action Litigation

O’Hagan Meyer partners Joelle Sharman and Mike Metta represented clients in a $25+ million ERISA class action, facing substantial alleged liability and the prospect of extensive discovery and litigation. The class action posed significant financial exposure and regulatory risk.

In a separate but related matter, the clients also faced ERISA enforcement issues that raised potential IRS and Department of Labor penalties.

The Solution: Early Dismissal Strategy and Long-Term Motion Practice

Through a Rule 11 safe harbor submission, O’Hagan Meyer persuaded class counsel to dismiss the $25+ million ERISA class action before an answer was even required. In a later ERISA case involving the same clients, Joelle Sharman filed a motion to dismiss on statute‑of‑repose grounds, arguing that the claims were time‑barred.

Seven years after the initial motion, and two years after the issue was renewed post‑trial, the court granted judgment in favor of the clients, holding that all ERISA claims were time‑barred, despite significant litigation activity and more than $10 million in combined fees expended by counsel involved in the case.

The Outcome: Claims Defeated and Penalties Abated

The court’s ruling conclusively resolved the ERISA litigation in favor of O’Hagan Meyer’s clients, eliminating substantial claimed liability. In additional ERISA matters, the firm also successfully abated IRS and Department of Labor penalties, further reducing regulatory and financial exposure.

These results combined to bring final resolution to long‑running ERISA disputes while protecting the clients from significant monetary and compliance consequences.