Attorney Bio

Ron began his legal career as an Attorney Advisor for the U.S. Department of Justice. With more than 35 years of experience as legal counsel in complex business litigation matters, his practice has been focused primarily on ERISA, employment, intellectual property, and securities-related matters since 1992. He has represented fiduciaries, third-party plan administrators, broker-dealers, and registered representatives in connection with plan administration and investment matters. Ron has served as lead or co-lead class counsel in numerous ERISA class actions throughout the country.   

 

Ron is a regional board member of the Anti-Defamation League, past co-chair of the ABA Employee Benefits Committee’s Civil Procedure and Fiduciary sub-committees, and past chairman of the International Advisory Group (IAG). In addition, he is a Fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, and a Lifetime Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Ron’s multiple accolades include: Best Lawyers in America (2020-2025), and 2023 Lawyer of the Year in Employee Benefits (ERISA) in San Francisco, Northern California Super Lawyer (2004-2026), Finance Monthly Labor & Employment Law Lawyer of the Year USA (2019), and America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators (2020-2022). 

 

Education:  

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• Miami University, Bachelor of Arts, 1981  

• Temple University School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 1986​

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Court Admissions:  

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• U.S. District Court for the Central District of California  

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California  

• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California  

• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan  

• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois  

• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio  

• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas  

• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas  

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit  

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit  

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit  

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit  

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit  

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit  

• U.S. Supreme Court  

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Bar Admissions: 

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• State of California, 1987  

• State of Texas, 1995  

• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1986  

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Memberships:  

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• American Bar Association  

• ABA Employee Benefits Committee

• American College of Employee Benefits Counsel

• Bar Association of San Francisco 

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Foreign Languages:    

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• French  

• Spanish 

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Notable Cases:  

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• Almont Ambulatory Surgery Center, LLC v. United Healthcare Group, et al. – Represented Wells Fargo Health Plan in ERISA welfare benefits mass action. Prevailed at the trial and appellate levels.​ 

 

• Dorman v. Charles Schwab & Co. – Represented financial services company in ERISA class action involving claims of excessive fees and prohibited transactions.​ Prevailed at the trial and appellate levels.​

 

• Summers v. State Street Bank & Trust Co. – Represented financial services company in ERISA class action involving claims of breach of fiduciary duty.  Prevailed at the trial and appellate levels.

 

• Nativ Computers, Ltd. v. Nikon Precision, Inc. — Represented Israeli computer company in trade secret and copyright litigation. Negotiated a favorable settlement.

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• Cage v. GM Defined Benefit Salaried Plan – Represented plaintiffs in ERISA benefits class action.  Negotiated a favorable settlement. ​ 

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• Phones Plus, Inc. v. Hartford Life Insurance Co. — Represented plaintiffs 401(k) fiduciaries in an ERISA fiduciary breach class action over revenue sharing payments from mutual fund companies. Negotiated a $13.8 million settlement and Hartford’s agreement to make a variety of business practices changes.​ 

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• In re Bristol Myers Squibb ERISA Litigation — Represented plaintiffs in ERISA employer stock class action. Negotiated a $42 million settlement.​ 

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• LA1, LLC v. Mitman, et al. — Represented real estate investor in breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and conversion claims involving sale of investment properties in Las Vegas. Awarded a $1.3 million judgment, including punitive damages. 

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Personal Interests:  

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Ron is an avid salsa dancer. He has salsa danced worldwide, even performing at an NFL halftime show.