Mr. Howard Shapiro, (P.C.)

Howard Shapiro is a Principal in the New Orleans, Louisiana, office of Jackson Lewis P.C., and is Co-Leader of the firm’s ERISA Complex Litigation Group. Mr. Shapiro focuses his practice on the defense of large, sophisticated ERISA class actions.

Mr. Shapiro defends “bet-the-company” litigation where damages are potentially material. His cases involve the defense of Defined Benefit plans, 401(k) Plans, and 403(b) Plans. Mr. Shapiro also defends litigation involving health and welfare plan issues. His practice is nationwide, and throughout his career, Mr. Shapiro has appeared as counsel across the entire country. Typically, his cases involve damage allegations in excess of hundreds of millions of dollars. Mr. Shapiro has defended cases involving: breach of fiduciary duty; breach of the duty of loyalty; Prohibited Transactions; 401(k) Plan asset performance, fees, and expense issues; 403(b) Plan asset performance, fees, and expense issues; defined benefit plan asset issues, accrual issues, and cut-back issues; Cash Balance Plan issues; ESOP litigation; fiduciary misrepresentation claims; sophisticated preemption issues; Executive Compensation litigation, both pension and welfare claims; Directed Trustee claims; retiree rights litigation; severance plan class actions; Section 510 cases; and complex benefit claim cases. He has appeared in federal courts from coast to coast while maintaining an active national ERISA litigation practice.

Honors and Recognitions

•Acritas, Acritas Stars, ERISA Litigation (2019)
•The American Lawyer, Litigator of the Week, Runner Up (August 30, 2019)
•Benchmark Litigation, Local Litigation Star, ERISA (2020)
•Lawdragon and Human Resource Executive, Top 100 Labor & Employment Lawyers Guide, ERISA Litigation (2020)
•My New Orleans, Top Lawyers, Employee Benefits Law (2018)
•New Orleans CityBusiness, Leadership in Law

Howard Shapiro In the News

Jackson Lewis and Its Attorneys Receive Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2020

April 23, 2020 • Jackson Lewis

Stacey Cerrone, Suzanne Odom and Howard Shapiro Author COBRA Notice Litigation Mushrooms, Along with Settlements

March 9, 2020 • SHRM

Howard Shapiro Discusses Joining Jackson Lewis as Co-Chair of its ERISA Litigation Practice

February 14, 2020 • Law360

Howard Shapiro Publications

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Supreme Court: Plaintiffs Who Suffered No Injury Lack Standing to Sue Under ERISA

June 5, 2020

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COBRA Notice Litigation: Cases Are Mushrooming and Settlements Are Too

March 2, 2020

Howard Shapiro Blog Posts

Benefits Law Advisor

Supreme Court: Plaintiffs Who Suffered No Injury Lack Standing to Sue under ERISA

June 5, 2020
Employment Class and Collective Actions

COBRA Notice Litigation: Cases Are Mushrooming and Settlements Are, Too

March 3, 2020
California Workplace Law

The Supreme Court Defines Actual Knowledge

February 26, 2020