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Mutual Funds Fiduciary Duty

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

California District Court Denies Motion to Dismiss 401(k) Excessive Fee and Underperformance Claims

A California district court recently denied a motion to dismiss claims that the fiduciaries of a 401(k) plan breached their ERISA fiduciary duties of prudence and loyalty by selecting underperforming, high-cost investments...more

Stikeman Elliott LLP

Pleading Breaches of Fiduciary Duties in Class Proceedings: Court of Appeal Keeps the Bar Low in Ontario

Stikeman Elliott LLP on

In Boal v International Capital Management Inc.(“Boal”), the Ontario Court of Appeal (the “Court”) considered the pleading requirements for certification of a breach of fiduciary duty cause of action. In holding that it was...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

Second Circuit Establishes Practical Pleading Requirement for Prohibited Transaction Claims Under ERISA Section 406(a)(1)(C)

The Second Circuit recently held that in order to state a claim for a prohibited transaction pursuant to ERISA section 406(a)(1)(C), it is not enough to allege that a fiduciary caused the plan to compensate a service provider...more

Harris Beach PLLC

SEC Examination Priorities for 2024

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The United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Examinations announced its examination priorities for fiscal year 2024 on October 16, 2023. The timing of the announcement is significant because it is the...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Low-Cost Index Funds in the Crosshairs of New 401(k) Lawsuits

Holland & Knight LLP on

Since late July, at least 10 lawsuits have been filed against large 401(k) plan sponsors that offer certain BlackRock Inc. target-date funds (TDF) among their investment options. In an unexpected pivot away from the 401(k)...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

Sixth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Some Investment Fee and Performance Claims But Allows Mutual Fund Share Class Claim to Proceed...

The Sixth Circuit recently issued a mixed opinion in a 401(k) plan investment litigation. The Court upheld the dismissal of the plaintiffs’ fiduciary-breach claims relating to the investment management fees and performance...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

Ninth Circuit Revives Fee Challenge to Salesforce.com 401(k) Plan

On Friday, the Ninth Circuit became the first circuit court to rule in a 401(k) plan fee and investment litigation following the Supreme Court’s January 2022 decision in Hughes v. Northwestern University, 142 S. Ct. 737...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

District Court Declines to Dismiss 401(k) Fee Litigation Case in First Decision Post-Hughes

In the first decision since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Hughes v. Northwestern Univ., No. 19-1401, 595 U.S. ___ (U.S. Jan. 24, 2022), a Georgia federal district court held in favor of plaintiffs and declined to dismiss...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Hire an advisor when you get an employee

I’m still amazed when I find participant-directed 401(k) plans without a financial advisor. While I understand how solo 401(k) plans don’t have an advisor because individuals think they can do it on their own, it makes no...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Mutual of Omaha settles lawsuit

Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co. and its subsidiary United of Omaha has agreed to settle Mutual of Omaha’s 401(k) plan over allegations of self-dealing....more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Fidelity settles lawsuit for $28.5 million

Fidelity Investments settled a class-action lawsuit regarding its own 401(k) plan for $28.5 million. The class-action case alleged that Fidelity breached its fiduciary responsibility to plan participants by including its...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

DOL to allow private equity investments in DC Plans

The Department of Labor (DOL) released some new guidance that might facilitate the inclusion of private equity (PE) exposure in participant-directed defined contribution (DC) plans ERISA. The guidance contemplates the...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

JP Morgan ponies up $9 million

A settlement has been in a lawsuit accusing fiduciaries of the JPMorgan Chase 401(k) Savings Plan of self-dealing. Records show that a settlement of $9 million will be made to “fully, finally and forever resolve, discharge...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

You need a financial advisor

I am still how often I find participant-directed 401(k) plans without a financial advisor. While I understand how solo 401(k) plans don’t have an advisor because individuals think they can do it on their own. I have a solo...more

Goodwin

In First Published Appellate Decision Addressing Gartenberg Factors Since Jones v. Harris, U.S. Court of Appeals Rejects...

Goodwin on

On March 30, 2020, 10 years to the day after the Supreme Court issued its decision in Jones v. Harris, 559 U.S. 335 (2010), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued the first published federal appellate decision...more

Dechert LLP

Sixth Circuit Issues Section 36(b) Ruling Affirming Grant of Summary Judgment To Mutual Fund Investment Adviser

Dechert LLP on

Key Takeaways - Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirms that comparison of advisory fees to subadvisory fees is “inapt” under Jones v. Harris Assocs., relying on undisputed evidence of differences in services and risks. ...more

Groom Law Group, Chartered

Fidelity Wins Dismissal from ERISA Claims Based on “Infrastructure” Fees

Several highly publicized lawsuits were brought against the Fidelity organization in 2019 in connection with Fidelity’s receipt of “infrastructure fees” from mutual fund families and other investment providers made available...more

Vedder Price

Court Dismisses Plaintiffs’ Excessive Fee Claim against Mutual Fund Adviser following Trial

Vedder Price on

On September 27, 2019, following a two-week bench trial, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed an action brought by mutual fund shareholders under Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Prudential is latest proprietary fund defendant

One of my favorite sayings is that you should never make yourself a target, but when you are a mutual fund company and you use your own proprietary funds as an investment option in your 401(k) plan, you are certainly a target...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

SEC Division of Investment Management Releases FAQs Regarding Disclosure of Financial Conflicts Related to Investment Adviser...

The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Investment Management released frequently asked questions (FAQs) on October 18, 2019, which discuss certain compensation arrangements and related...more

Perkins Coie

SEC Scrutiny of Advisers’ Share Class Selection, Revenue Sharing and Disclosure Practices Continues Apace

Perkins Coie on

Over the past several years, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement activity has eroded the stability of the once-standard lineup of share classes available to mutual fund investors. Starting with...more

Dechert LLP

Recent Section 36(b) Post-Trial Ruling Awards Complete Victory to Mutual Fund Investment Adviser

Dechert LLP on

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a comprehensive post-trial ruling on September 30, 2019 in Chill v. Calamos Advisors LLC, holding that Plaintiffs failed to meet their burden to show that...more

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP

SEC Sues Investment Adviser for Nondisclosure of Revenue Sharing Agreement Details

On Aug. 1, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) charged Commonwealth Equity Services LLC, dba Commonwealth Financial Network (Commonwealth), a registered independent investment adviser to private clients (but not...more

Blank Rome LLP

Regulatory Update and Recent SEC Actions - July 2019

Blank Rome LLP on

REGULATORY UPDATES - Investors Continue to Press Regulators for Disclosure of Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) Risks...more

K&L Gates LLP

Court Grants Summary Judgment to Defendant Investment Adviser in Section 36(b) Excessive Fee Lawsuit

K&L Gates LLP on

In a strong opinion, a federal court in the Southern District of New York recently dismissed a suit alleging that the defendant charged “excessive” fees to a mutual fund....more

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